Registering Your Juminhyo in Japan — Your Address Must Be Registered Within 14 Days

Documents to prepare

1. Residence card (在留カード) — original
2. Passport — original
3. Proof of address — choose 1 of the following:
   • Rental agreement (chintai keiyakusho / 賃貸契約書)
   • An electricity, gas, or water bill showing your name + address (if you already have one)
   • School registration documents if you live in a dormitory
4. Moving-out certificate from your previous ward (転出証明書 — tenshutsu shomeisho) — ONLY if you are moving from another ward in Japan. Get it free of charge from your previous ward before moving. If you are coming from Vietnam for the first time, you do NOT need it
5. My Number card or notification (if you already have one)
6. Personal seal (inkan) — NOT required; you can sign by hand

Registration process—in 5 steps

Step 1: Find the correct kuyakusho / shiyakusho

• Tokyo’s 23 wards, Yokohama, Osaka, and other major cities: kuyakusho (区役所 — ward office)
• Smaller cities: shiyakusho (市役所 — city hall)
• Towns / villages: machi yakuba (町役場) / mura yakuba (村役場)

Search Google Maps for: "[ward name] kuyakusho"—for example, "Shibuya kuyakusho". Make sure you go to the ward where you live, not the ward where your school or workplace is located.

Step 2: Visit the kuyakusho during opening hours

• Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. - 17:00 (some wards stay open until 19:00 on Thursdays)
• Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
• The first week of the month is usually the busiest, with new students and people moving house. Go early at 9:00 or later in the afternoon around 14:00 for shorter lines

Step 3: Take a number and fill out the form

Enter the lobby and look for the "住民登録" (jumin torokuroku — resident registration) or "戸籍住民課" (koseki juminka) counter:

1. Press the "新規登録" (shinki toroku — new registration) button → take a queue number
2. Get the "住民票異動届" (juminhyo ido todoke — resident registration change form)
3. Fill in the form: your name (in both romaji and katakana), date of birth, new address, move-in date, and residence card number

All major kuyakusho offices have English-language forms. Ask a staff member: "英語の用紙お願いします" (eigo no yoshi onegaishimasu — please give me an English form).

Step 4: Submit your documents and wait

• Give the form + documents to the staff member
• They will review everything for 10-20 minutes
• If there is a problem, a staff member who speaks English will be called over to assist
• Hand over your residence card so they can print your new address on the back

Step 5: Receive your updated residence card + print your juminhyo

• You will usually get the result within 30 minutes
• The back of your residence card will now show your full address in Japanese
• Ask at the same time: "住民票のコピーお願いします" (juminhyo no kopi onegaishimasu — please give me a copy of my juminhyo). The fee is 300 yen/copy
• Request 2-3 copies to be safe—for the bank, your company, and future needs

Printing juminhyo copies later—for renting a home, banking, and more

After your initial registration, you have 3 ways to obtain copies whenever you need them:

Option 1: Request one at the kuyakusho

• Required: residence card
• Fee: 300 yen/copy
• Processing time: 15-30 minutes

Option 2: My Number card + convenience store (7-Eleven, Family Mart…)

• Required: My Number card + 4-digit PIN
• Fee: 200 yen/copy (cheaper than the kuyakusho)
• Processing time: 5 minutes using a multi-function photocopier
• Available: 6:30 a.m. - 23:00 → much more convenient than the kuyakusho
• → This is why you should apply for a My Number card early

Option 3: Online through the My Number portal

• Required: My Number card + card reader
• Fee: 0 yen (but you need a reader costing ~3,000 yen)
• The PDF is sent by email

💡 Tips: Apply for your My Number card immediately after registering your juminhyo for the first time. You can apply free of charge at the kuyakusho in the same ward and receive the card after 4-6 weeks. With a My Number card, you can print juminhyo copies at any convenience store, for 200 yen, 24/7.

Information on a juminhyo—how to read it

A juminhyo copy contains the following fields:

All information must match your residence card. Even a single incorrect character may result in additional questions.

When do you need to update your juminhyo?

1. Moving within the same ward

• Go to the ward kuyakusho and fill out a "転居届" (tenkyo todoke — in-ward address change notification)
• Bring your residence card + new rental agreement
• You have 14 days to complete the process

2. Moving to another ward

• Step 1: Go to your old kuyakusho and obtain a "転出証明書" (tenshutsu shomeisho — moving-out certificate)
• Step 2: Within 14 days after moving, go to the new kuyakusho, submit the certificate, and register again
• Do not try to do both at once—you must visit the old ward first and the new ward afterward

3. Marriage / childbirth / death

• Marriage: register at the kuyakusho where either person resides; the juminhyo will be updated automatically
• Childbirth: register within 14 days; the child will be added to the parent’s juminhyo
• Death: a family member must report it within 7 days

4. Changing your visa—for example, from student status to Specified Skills

• Nyukan issues a new residence card → the kuyakusho automatically updates the "在留資格" field
• No additional action is required

Special case: Living in a share house / dormitory

Many international students live in share houses or school dormitories, renting by the person without an individual contract.

Solution:

• Request a residence certificate (在住証明 — zaijū shomei) from the share house owner or dormitory management office
• Form: the kuyakusho provides it free of charge; the owner or school fills it out + adds a seal
• Submit it to the kuyakusho together with your residence card → registration should be accepted

When temporarily returning to Vietnam for >1 month

• If you leave Japan for >1 year intending not to return: you must submit a "転出届" (tenshutsu — moving-out notification) at the kuyakusho; otherwise, you may be fined
• If you will be away for <1 year or have a re-entry permit: it is not required
• When you return to Japan and move to a new home: follow the same process as a new registration

5 common mistakes

1. Registering more than 14 days late: a 50k yen fine and possible problems with visa renewal
2. Going to the wrong ward: you will be turned away at the wrong kuyakusho. Search Google Maps for "[postal code] kuyakusho" to make sure
3. Writing your name differently from your residence card: the card may say "NGUYEN THI AN" while the form says "Nguyen An" → you will be questioned. Copy it EXACTLY as shown on the card
4. Forgetting your rental agreement: some kuyakusho offices will not accept a verbal explanation and require documentation. Bring both the original + a copy
5. Not requesting extra copies at the beginning: if you need one after leaving, you will have to go back and lose another half-day

Summary

A juminhyo is required within 14 days of moving to a new address in Japan. Bring your residence card + passport + rental agreement to the kuyakusho for the ward where you live, and the process takes about 30 minutes, at 300 yen/copy. Apply for your My Number card immediately afterward so you can print juminhyo copies at convenience stores 24/7 for 200 yen—saving you many future trips. When moving, remember to get the tenshutsu certificate from your old kuyakusho first, then register at the new ward.

Once your juminhyo is sorted, you have the documents needed to open a Yuucho bank account or find a part-time job. After getting settled, order a Japan eSIM with a Japanese phone number to sign up for other services.

---