Practical guides
Address Notification After Moving in Japan
For mid-to-long-term residents, address notifications are handled at the municipal office. The 14-day period starts from the day you establish your residence after landing, or from the day you actually move to a new residence within Japan.
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First identify which type of notification applies
This guide concerns residence notifications for mid-to-long-term residents. It does not mean that every foreign national in Japan follows the same procedure. Do not automatically apply it to short-term visitors such as tourists. Special permanent residents should also confirm the separate procedure that applies to them with their municipality rather than assuming that this guide covers their system.
For a first notification after landing, the relevant date is not simply the date you entered Japan. The deadline is 14 days from the day you establish a place of residence. If you later move within Japan, the deadline is 14 days from the day you actually move to the new residence. Write down whether this is your first notification or a domestic move, together with the relevant date.
Check the municipal office for your new address
The residence notification is made at the municipal office for the new address, not at a regional immigration services bureau. Before visiting, check the municipality's official guidance for the responsible counter, required items, reception method, and any available interpretation support. Procedures for moving out of your former municipality and any additional documents can vary with your situation, so confirm those separately with the municipality.
For the first notification after landing, present your residence card, or a passport containing the notation that the residence card will be issued later. For a domestic move, bring your residence card. When the prescribed moving-in or change-of-address notification is completed with the residence card, it can also be treated as the residence notification required under immigration law.
Confirm exactly what was completed
Do not assume that completing any procedure at city hall automatically completes the immigration-law residence notification. If a moving-in or change-of-address notification was accepted without presentation of the residence card, the legal deeming rule does not apply, and a separate residence notification is required.
At the counter, you can ask, “Has the residence notification connected to my residence card also been completed?” and “Is there anything else I need to submit?” Telling your landlord or employer about the move does not replace the statutory notification. If your case involves a representative, a child, a different type of residence card, or another special circumstance, ask the municipality which procedure applies.
Checklist before you contact the service
- Identify whether this is a first notification or a domestic move
- Write down the date you established or moved to the residence
- Check the new municipality's counter, documents, and support
- Confirm after submission that the residence notification is complete
Frequently asked questions
Is the deadline always 14 days from the date I entered Japan?
No. For the first notification after landing, the 14-day period starts from the day you establish your place of residence, not simply from the date of entry.
Does filing a moving-in notice always complete the residence notification?
Not always. If the moving-in or address-change notice was accepted without presentation of your residence card, the deeming rule does not apply and another residence notification is required.