Arriving & settling
Moving to Japan: First Steps Before and After You Land
A practical sequence for your first two weeks in Japan: status of residence, residence card (在留カード), municipal registration, and the documents to prepare before you travel.
Key takeawayHelp a newcomer arrive legally, keep their status documents in order, and complete the first official registrations in the right order without inventing deadlines or fees.
1. Before you travel: confirm your status of residence
Japan admits foreign nationals under a status of residence (在留資格, zairyū shikaku) tied to a specific activity, such as work, study, or family life. Before booking travel, confirm on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa pages and with your sponsoring employer or school which status applies to you, what documents they must prepare in Japan, and whether you need a Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書) before applying for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate.
Practical sequence: 1) Ask your sponsor what they will file and when. 2) Prepare passport, photographs, and any civil documents they request, keeping originals and copies separate. 3) Apply for the visa only after you receive the documents the embassy or consulate lists for your category. Do not rely on social-media timelines: processing depends on the post and the category, so verify current instructions at the source linked on this page.
Keep a simple folder — physical and scanned — containing your passport, visa, Certificate of Eligibility if issued, employment or enrolment letter, and the address and phone number of your first accommodation and sponsor. You will show parts of this folder repeatedly in your first month.
2. At the airport: your residence card (在留カード)
For medium- to long-term residents entering through major airports, a residence card (在留カード, zairyū kādo) is generally issued at immigration inspection, as explained in Immigration Services Agency guidance. Check that your name, date of birth, nationality, and status of residence are printed correctly before you leave the inspection area; correcting an error is far easier on the spot than weeks later.
Your residence card is your primary ID in Japan. Carry it as required, keep a photo of both sides on your phone, and note the expiry date (在留期限) in your calendar with a reminder well in advance. Renewal and change-of-status procedures are handled by the Immigration Services Agency, not by city hall, so use the Agency's portal to find the correct office and forms for any later change.
If you enter through a smaller port or your card is to be sent later, follow the instruction given at inspection and the Immigration Services Agency guidance for your case rather than assuming the airport process applies to everyone.
3. Your first 14 days: register your address at city hall
Once you have a place of residence, you register your address (住所登録 / 転入届, tennyū-todoke) at the municipal office (市区町村役場) for that address. The Immigration Services Agency's living guide describes this as one of the first procedures after moving in. Bring your residence card and passport, and go to the office for the municipality where you actually live — not where you work or study.
Practical sequence: 1) Confirm your exact address in Japanese, including building and room number, from your lease or accommodation letter. 2) Visit the residents' section (住民課) and ask for the moving-in notification for a person arriving from abroad. 3) After registration, ask for a residence record (住民票, jūminhyō) copy if your employer, school, or bank has asked for one — verify the fee at the counter, as municipalities set it locally. 4) In the same visit, ask about National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) enrolment and My Number (マイナンバー) notification so you do not make a second trip for questions.
Every later move inside Japan triggers a new sequence — a moving-out notification (転出届) at the old municipality and a moving-in notification at the new one — so keep the certificates you are given. See our dedicated guide to city hall registration for the full walkthrough.
4. Set up the essentials in a workable order
A reliable order for week one and two is: address registration first, then a phone number, then a bank account, then any employer or school enrolment paperwork. Many banks and mobile providers ask for a registered address and a residence card, which is why city hall comes before contracts. Our guides to connectivity and rental housing follow this same order.
For health cover, Japan operates public medical insurance systems described by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Whether you join an employee scheme through work or National Health Insurance through your municipality depends on your employment; ask at city hall and at your employer, and verify enrolment steps at the source rather than assuming you are covered automatically from landing.
End each official visit by asking two questions: 'What document proves I completed this?' and 'What must I do next, and by when?' Write the answers, with the office name and date, in a single notebook or note file. That log becomes invaluable when an employer, landlord, or bank asks when a procedure was completed.
Sources
- Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Justice (出入国在留管理庁)Immigration Services Agency — Support and residence information for foreign nationals
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外務省)Visas — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Justice (出入国在留管理庁)A Daily Life Support Portal for Foreign Nationals
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