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Visa & Residence Card

Status of Residence

Foreign nationals residing in Japan shall, as a general rule, reside subject to the status of residence determined upon landing at a port of entry. Type of Status of Residence is designated by law according to the nature of activity the applicant intends to engage in while in Japan. It is stated beside the "Landing Permission" seal on the passport, and regardless of the expiry date, it becomes invalid as soon as the person concerned no longer works on the designated activity (Including graduation or a leave of absence from the University).

Residence Card

A seal of landing verification will be stamped in your passport and a Residence Card will be issued by the Ministry of Justice to all foreign nationals with period of stay of over 3 months on arrival at a Japanese Port of Entry (Narita International Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Airport, Kansai International Airport, New Chitose Airport, Hiroshima Airport and Fukuoka Airport).

Foreign nationals who are older than 16 years old have to carry their Residence Card all the time and failure to do so may result in criminal penalty. Please make sure to keep a note of your Residence Card number in case you lost it and apply to reissuance.



⑴ Procedures at the Municipal Office (Notification of address / change of address )
Those who receive a Residence Card on arrival to Japan must register your address at the local municipal office within fourteen days of finding a place to settle down. The same applies if you change your address during your stay. A document showing the address and your Residence Card is required for this procedure at the municipal office of your new address.

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/whatzairyu_00001.html

(Reference) Residence registry in Bunkyo City (English documents available)
https://www.city.bunkyo.lg.jp/b013/p000264.html

⑵ Procedure at the Immigration Services Bureau
Any other changes(e.g. last name, nationality)to your information, take your passport, ID photo, and Residence Card to the Immigration Services Bureau to complete the appropriate procedures within 14 days of a change. In general, you will be given a new Residence Card on the same day.

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/index.html#midashi03

⑶ Notification of Affiliation
If you are a mid or long term resident and have graduated, completed, or withdrawn from your academic program, the Immigration Services Bureau must be notified within fourteen (14) days either through the Immigration Services Agency's e-Notification System, in person at the 2nd floor D2 Counter or by mail.

Furthermore, if enrolling at another academic institution within Japan (university or graduate school) having withdrawn from the UTokyo, and wish to notify the Immigration Services Bureau by mail, please check the details at https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/shozokunikansuru_00001.html
https://www.ens-immi.moj.go.jp/NA01/NAA01S/NAA01STransfer