Every foreign resident in Japan gets assigned a My Number — a 12-digit identification number tied to your resident record — but the physical My Number Card that proves it is a separate thing you have to apply for yourself. Most people don't realize that until they're sitting across from an HR officer on their first week of work, being asked to produce a card they never applied for. If you've just arrived in Japan or are planning to move, this guide walks through exactly who qualifies, what documents you need, how to apply, and what the 2026 zairyū card merger means for your wallet and your paperwork.
You receive a My Number automatically when you register your address in Japan — you do not have to do anything to get the number itself. The My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) is a physical IC chip card that proves that number, and you have to apply for it separately. Many foreigners live in Japan for years without one and only run into problems when an employer, bank, or government office specifically asks for the card rather than just the number.
What Is the My Number Card for Foreigners in Japan?
Official Name and Purpose
The official Japanese name is the Individual Number Card (個人番号カード / Kojin Bangō Kādo), though the government markets it under the catchier brand name My Number Card (マイナンバーカード / Mai Nanbā Kādo). Both names refer to the same document.
The card serves two main functions. First, it proves your 12-digit My Number — Japan's national identification number — for tax filings, social insurance enrollment, employment paperwork, and government procedures. Second, it works as a general photo ID for any situation requiring official identification. The IC chip embedded in the card also enables digital services, including online administrative procedures through the government's Myna Portal platform.
How the My Number Card Differs from Other ID Documents
Foreign residents in Japan typically carry a Residence Card (在留カード / Zairyū Kādo), which is issued by the Immigration Services Agency and proves your legal status to remain in Japan. The My Number Card is issued by your municipality — your city or ward office — and proves your registered identity for domestic administrative purposes. They serve different functions. Until June 2026, two different government bodies issue them.
A driver's license (運転免許証) also works as a general photo ID in Japan, but it does not show your My Number. For anything tax- or insurance-related where an employer or government office needs your 12-digit number confirmed by an official document, the My Number Card is the only card that does the job cleanly.
Why Japan Introduced the My Number System
The My Number system launched in October 2015 under the Social Security and Tax Number Act. The intent was to connect data across three previously siloed systems: tax, social security, and disaster response. Before My Number, Japanese government offices had no common identifier linking a single person's pension records, health insurance enrollment, and income tax filings. The 12-digit number — and eventually the card — was Japan's answer to that fragmentation. Adoption was slow at first. The government has since added digital ID and medical insurance functions to the card to drive uptake.
Who Is Eligible to Apply for a My Number Card as a Foreign Resident?
Residence Status Requirements for Foreigners
Any foreign national with a valid resident record in Japan can apply for a My Number Card. This includes long-term visa holders (工作、留学、家族滞在 and others), Special Permanent Residents (特別永住者), and mid- to long-term residents generally. Short-term visitors on tourist or transit status are not registered in the resident record system and cannot apply — the card is tied to residence registration, not simply physical presence in Japan.
The card is not proof of nationality. Japanese citizens and foreign residents receive the same document format. Having a My Number Card does not affect your visa status or immigration record.
The One-Month Wait: When Can You Actually Apply?
You cannot apply on day one. After completing resident registration (住民登録 / Jūmin Tōroku) at your local city or ward office, you need to wait approximately one month before you become eligible to apply for the My Number Card. This is not a processing backlog — it is a built-in administrative delay. Your registration data propagates through the national system. Your application notification is prepared and mailed.
About one month after registration, you will receive by post an Individual Number Notification Form (通知カード / Tsūchi Kādo) containing your 12-digit My Number and an application form for the physical card. That notification arriving in your mailbox signals you can now apply.
Do You Need City Office Registration First?
Yes, without exception. Resident registration is the prerequisite. You register at your local municipal office (市区町村役場) within 14 days of moving to a new address in Japan — this is a legal requirement regardless of whether you want a My Number Card. The My Number system is built on top of the resident registration database, so there is no path to a My Number Card that bypasses city hall registration.
The 30-Day Waiting Period Trap: Why You Can't Apply Immediately
The Hidden Timeline Most Expats Miss
Here is the sequence that catches people off guard. You arrive in Japan, register your address within 14 days as required, and assume the My Number Card process can start right away. It cannot. The approximately 30-day delay between registration and eligibility means that if your employer needs your My Number Card on file before your first payroll run — which many do, for tax withholding purposes — you need to factor in roughly 6 to 8 weeks from registration date to card in hand.
The breakdown looks like this:
- Day 0–14: Complete resident registration at city hall
- Day ~30: Receive notification letter with My Number and application form by post
- Day 30+: Submit application online or by mail
- Day 60–75 (approximate): Card ready for collection at city hall
That is roughly 2 months from arrival to card in hand under smooth conditions. Plan accordingly if you have a hard deadline from an employer.
What Happens If You Try to Apply Too Early
If you visit the municipal office before your notification letter has arrived, staff will tell you to wait. Your resident record will not yet be connected to an active My Number application in the system. There is no workaround. No counter can speed this step up. The wait is system-side, not document-side. Bringing extra paperwork will not help.
How to Confirm Your Eligibility Date
The simplest confirmation is the arrival of your notification letter by post. If you registered your address and more than 5 weeks have passed without receiving anything, contact your city or ward office directly. Bring your Residence Card (在留カード / Zairyū Kādo) and ask staff to check the status of your My Number assignment. Letters occasionally go missing, and offices can reissue the notification or allow you to proceed with an alternative confirmation method.
Mine took about two to three weeks to arrive after applying. Honestly, if you already have your zairyu card, most essential procedures — bank registrations, ward office paperwork, tax documents — go through just fine without the My Number Card. It's worth getting eventually, but less urgent than the official messaging suggests.
Step-by-Step Process: How to Apply for My Number Card as a Foreigner
Gather Required Documents Before Visiting City Hall
Before you go anywhere, make sure you have the following ready: your notification letter (通知カード) containing your 12-digit My Number — this arrives by registered mail; a valid Residence Card (在留カード); a photograph meeting official specifications (4.5cm × 3.5cm, plain white or light background, taken within the last 6 months, full-face with no hat or glasses); and the application form included with your notification letter or downloaded from the official My Number Card application site.
Photo specifications are stricter than most people expect. Coin-operated photo booths at major train stations (スピード写真) have a My Number Card option that formats and sizes the image correctly — this is the most reliable way to get a compliant photo without guessing.
Submit Your Application at the Local Municipal Office
You have two submission options.
Online: Go to the official My Number Card online application portal (mynumbercard.point.soumu.go.jp), enter your application form's QR code or manually input the details from your notification letter, and upload a digital photograph. The portal is available in Japanese, with some guidance materials in English on supplementary sites.
Paper by mail: Complete the application form, attach your photo, and mail it to the address printed on the return envelope included with your notification letter. No trip to city hall required at this stage.
Either way, you do not receive the card by post. Once your application is processed — typically 4 to 6 weeks after submission — you will receive a collection notice at your registered address. You can pick up your card at your city or ward office.
Collect Your Card and Activate Your PIN
Card collection must be done in person. Bring your collection notice, your Residence Card, and your notification letter (通知カード). At the counter, staff will hand you the My Number Card and walk you through setting your PINs. You will set two: a 4-digit numeric PIN for the certificate functions (used for things like Myna Portal and tax filing), and a 6–16 character alphanumeric PIN for the digital signature certificate. Write these down and store them somewhere secure. If you forget the PINs and enter them incorrectly 5 times, the card locks. You'll need to visit the office again to reset.
What Does the My Number Card Cost for Foreign Residents?
Free Issuance for First-Time Applicants
The My Number Card is issued free of charge the first time. There are no application fees, no photo fees charged by the government, and no processing fees. The only costs you will realistically pay are ¥700–¥800 for a compliant ID photo at a station photo booth, and the cost of postage if you submit by mail rather than online.
Renewal and Replacement Fees
The My Number Card has validity limits. For adults, the electronic certificate embedded in the card expires every 5 years and must be renewed — this renewal is free. The physical card itself expires every 10 years for adults (5 years for minors), and reissuance is also free under standard circumstances. If your card is lost or stolen and needs to be replaced, a reissuance fee of ¥800 applies. If the IC chip is damaged, replacement is free only if the damage was not caused by the cardholder.
Optional Digital Services and Associated Costs
Using your My Number Card for digital government services through Myna Portal is free. The card can also be linked to your health insurance (健康保険証 / Kenkō Hoken Shō) as a medical insurance card, which eliminates the need to carry a separate insurance card at clinics — this linking function is free. Some municipalities offer point incentive programs tied to My Number Card registration, though these campaigns change and should be verified directly with your city office.
My Number Card vs. Zairyū Card: What Changes in 2026?
Key Differences Between the Two Documents
| Feature | Zairyū Card (在留カード) | My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | Immigration Services Agency | Municipal city/ward office |
| Purpose | Proves legal residency status | Proves identity and 12-digit My Number |
| Shows My Number? | No | Yes |
| Required to carry? | Yes, at all times by law | No — voluntary |
| Address update location | Immigration office | City/ward office |
| Medical insurance use | No | Yes (when linked) |
| Valid from June 14, 2026 | Replaced by Tokutei Zairyū Card (voluntary) | Merged into Tokutei Zairyū Card (voluntary) |
Timeline for the Zairyū Card Replacement
On June 14, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency will introduce the Tokutei Zairyū Card (特定在留カード / Specified Residence Card). This new document merges the Zairyū Card and My Number Card into a single IC chip-based card. One card. One office visit for updates. That is the core change. GaijinPot's guide to the Specified Residence Card has a detailed breakdown of the rollout.
The new card is voluntary. You will not be forced to swap out your existing Zairyū Card before its expiration date. When your Zairyū Card comes up for renewal, you can choose whether to get the new combined Tokutei Zairyū Card instead. Existing My Number Cards issued before June 2026 remain valid for their standard validity period.
The practical benefit for most foreign residents: currently, moving to a new address requires two separate visits — one to city hall to update your resident registration and My Number Card, and one to an Immigration office to update your Zairyū Card. The Tokutei Zairyū Card eliminates that duplication. As detailed in this administrative guide to the 2026 integration, the ISA will also roll out a new visual format for all Residence Cards and Special Permanent Resident Certificates simultaneously with the June 14 launch.
The 2026 change does not affect eligibility rules or the one-month waiting period for new residents. Those rules apply to both the current My Number Card and the forthcoming Tokutei Zairyū Card.
Common Questions
Can foreigners get a My Number Card in Japan?
Yes. Any foreign national with a valid resident record in Japan — meaning they have completed address registration at their city or ward office — is eligible to apply. The card is available to Japanese citizens and foreign residents equally. It is not connected to nationality.
How long do you need to stay in Japan to get a My Number Card?
There is no minimum length-of-stay requirement measured in months or years, but you do need to have completed resident registration and then wait approximately 30 days for your My Number notification letter to arrive. From a practical standpoint, most people become eligible to apply around 4 to 6 weeks after first registering their address in Japan.
What documents do I need to apply for My Number Card as a foreigner?
You need your Individual Number Notification Form (通知カード) showing your My Number, a completed application form (included with the notification or downloadable online), and a compliant ID photo (4.5cm × 3.5cm, white background, taken within 6 months). When collecting the card in person, also bring your Residence Card (在留カード).
Where do I apply for a My Number Card in Japan?
You submit the application online via the official government portal or by mailing the paper form included with your notification letter. Collection of the finished card must be done in person at your local city hall or ward office (市区町村役場) — the specific counter is usually labeled マイナンバーカード窓口 or 住民課.
What is the zairyū card and how does it relate to the My Number Card in 2026?
The Residence Card (在留カード / Zairyū Kādo) is issued by Immigration and proves your legal right to stay in Japan. The My Number Card is issued by your municipality and proves your 12-digit identification number. They are currently two separate documents from two separate government bodies. Starting June 14, 2026, a new optional Tokutei Zairyū Card (特定在留カード) combines both functions into a single card.
How long does it take to receive a My Number Card after applying?
After you submit your application, expect approximately 4 to 6 weeks before the collection notice arrives at your registered address. From first arriving in Japan to having the card in hand, the total timeline is typically 8 to 10 weeks under normal conditions — accounting for the initial 30-day wait after resident registration plus the processing time after submission.
What happens to my zairyū card when the My Number Card replaces it in June 2026?
Your existing Zairyū Card does not become invalid on June 14, 2026. It remains valid until its expiration date. The new Tokutei Zairyū Card is voluntary — you choose whether to adopt it, typically when your current Zairyū Card comes up for renewal. Existing My Number Cards also remain valid through their standard validity period.
Do I need to be registered at a city office before applying for My Number Card?
Yes. Resident registration (住民登録) at your local municipal office is the mandatory first step. The My Number system runs on the resident registration database. Without an active resident record, you will not receive a My Number at all, and the card application process cannot begin.
Can I apply for My Number Card if I've been in Japan less than 3 months?
The eligibility rule is not specifically about 3 months — it is about having completed resident registration and waited approximately 30 days for your notification letter. If you registered your address shortly after arriving and 30-plus days have passed, you can apply regardless of whether you have been in Japan for 6 weeks or 6 years. The key trigger is registration, not total
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