Japan - New Resident Registration System

With the new Resident Registration System just going into effect.

Are you applying for the new Resident ID card immediately? If I read the information circulars our old Alien Registration card is still valid to 2015. Correct?

Will there be benefits to applying for the new card sooner?

Will there be benefits to applying for the new card sooner?

The new card contains a chip that will make it easier for authorities to keep track of you.

That's about the only "benefit" I can think of.

With the new Resident Registration System just going into effect.

Are you applying for the new Resident ID card immediately? If I read the information circulars our old Alien Registration card is still valid to 2015. Correct?

Will there be benefits to applying for the new card sooner?

If you have permanent resident status and are over 16 then yes, to July 8, 2015. Otherwise the ARC is functional as Resident ID until it expires naturally.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/point_3-4.html

How will they handle status changes that used to be updated on the card by the local authority? For example, if you change address, will you have to "upgrade" to the new card?

EDIT - Oh. I guess that's what this clause in mjm's link refers to?
Mid- to long-term residents will be asked to exchange their alien registration certificates for a resident card when filing an application or notifications involving the issue of a new resident card at a Regional Immigration Office

Otherwise the ARC is functional as Resident ID until it expires naturally.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/point_3-4.html

Just to clarify this: an old ARC is only valid until the holder's visa expires (not necessarily until the ARC expires)

Just to clarify this: an old ARC is only valid until the holder's visa expires (not necessarily until the ARC expires)

Actually not so in all cases. Specifically mine. :)

The holder of Permanent Residency and who is over the age of 16, i.e. me, has until July 8, 2015. Were I under 16 I would have until I turned 16.

Now if my ARC were to expire before that date I would need to go get the new card.

The details are all in the link provided. :)

So the old ARC is valid until any one of the following occurs:

1. Holder turns 16 years of age
2. ARC expires
3. Visa expires
4. July 8, 2015 passes

Unless a new law takes effect that supersedes the old one during that time.

So the old ARC is valid until any one of the following occurs:

1. Holder turns 16 years of age
2. ARC expires
3. Visa expires
4. July 8, 2015 passes

Unless a new law takes effect that supersedes the old one during that time.

I believe you are also requested to with the new card if a change of details such as change of address occurs, but basically yes.

The language used is:

"Mid- to long-term residents will be asked to exchange their alien registration certificates for a resident card when filing an application or notifications involving the issue of a new resident card at a Regional Immigration Office, or can exchange the certificates for a card at their own request at a Regional Immigration Office."

My ARC expires on October 31, 2014 so I need to get the new card before then.

However having another piece of legal ID may not be a bad idea.

I believe you are also requested to with the new card if a change of details such as change of address occurs, but basically yes.

The language used is:

"Mid- to long-term residents will be asked to exchange their alien registration certificates for a resident card when filing an application or notifications involving the issue of a new resident card at a Regional Immigration Office, or can exchange the certificates for a card at their own request at a Regional Immigration Office."

No you don't need to get a new card if your address changes:

The new residency system does not require you to go to the regional immigration office to inform them of address status.
The new information packet states:

AT REGIONAL IMMIGRATION OFFICES

Notification of (a change of) an item other than the place of residence

Changes of addresses are still handled at the local level, so when you move, you need to inform the local office of movement to a new address. If you are on NHI or National Pension, these are all still handled via the local city offices.

No you don't need to get a new card if your address changes:

The new residency system does not require you to go to the regional immigration office to inform them of address status.
The new information packet states:



Changes of addresses are still handled at the local level, so when you move, you need to inform the local office of movement to a new address. If you are on NHI or National Pension, these are all still handled via the local city offices.

Very cool. Many thanks. :-)

Since you can only exchange it at the immigration office (I heard airport immigrations is also possible, but not sure on this), and not the municipal office, I'm in no rush. The important things like getting a juminhyo and no more re-entry permits should happen automatically.

So the old ARC is valid until any one of the following occurs:

1. Holder turns 16 years of age
2. ARC expires
3. Visa expires
4. July 8, 2015 passes

Unless a new law takes effect that supersedes the old one during that time.

I believe you also get a zairyu card if you are on a work visa and change employers, or if you get a new passport, or anything else that would render the data on your ARC out of date (other than your address), since these are all items that now have to be reported to immigration.

Honestly the only problem I have with the new card is that it prominently states whether you are qualified to work in Japan. If you have a working visa that's restricted to a certain job category (like a humanities or engineer visa) your card will say something like 就労制限あり ("EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTED") in large letters, which I am sure will look suspicious as heck to many uninformed locals.

The chip is a non-issue. Driver's licenses and passports have had essentially the same chip for a long time now.

One thing I noticed at the post office today is that they no longer allow people to use an alien registration card as ID when picking up registered mail, even if the card is still valid. There was a sign at the counter to this effect.

You need either a zairyu card or a driver's license or other standard form of "Japanese" ID.

Interesting. I've never liked using the gaijin card as ID anyway, and I've exclusively used my drivers license for that purpose after finally struggling through the process of getting it last year.

You need either a zairyu card or a driver's license or other standard form of "Japanese" ID.

W***ers. A valid alien registration card with the crest of the Japanese ministry of justice... ? How much more Japanese can a piece of ID be?

The whole situation is 'transitional' and therefore messed up at the moment.

I'd previously obtained a 'certificate of registered matters' from the ward office with both current and previous address on (for the purpose of changing a car registration). This is now impossible. Your current ward has the data they took from you, but all the previous data that was held at other ward offices has been shipped back to central government and local copies destroyed.

The ward offices won't trust what's written on the card itself without cross-checking it and so won't write a certificate without being able to verify with the previous ward office (which now can't do that).

So now if you want to reregister a car at a new address in a different ward, instead of preparing a seal certificate and certificate of registered matters, you need to go to your embassy to get a signature certificate. The British embassy (for example) will issue a signature certificate with your previous and current addresses. Of course, this is just done by looking at your alien registration card... :mad:

Of course, the relevant certificates from the ward office cost about 500 JPY in total; whereas the British embassy charges more like 6,000 JPY.

I believe you also get a zairyu card if you are on a work visa and change employers, or if you get a new passport, or anything else that would render the data on your ARC out of date (other than your address), since these are all items that now have to be reported to immigration.
.

It seems that you no longer need to tell immigration when you get a new passport. Without a zairyu card, you need to just keep your old passport with your valid SOR in as well as your ARC for re-entry into Japan - (ARC acts as zairyu card, so you don't need a current re-entry permit even without switching to the new card).

The ward office should be able to issue a juuminhyou with both addresses on it.

I just got my resident card today (had to change my immigration status).

One thing I did not realize before is that they have done away with the various QR-coded passport stamps for renewals and status changes. Now your only proof of status in Japan is your resident card or juminhyo.

The English captions are much easier to read than those on the old ARC. I have had to use my ARC as ID in the US before and always got raised eyebrows at the kanji birthdate. Now there is a clear Y-M-D marking.

Also, somewhat surprisingly they returned my old ARC with a hole punched through it.

I have had to use my ARC as ID in the US before and always got raised eyebrows at the kanji birthdate.

^ It always got me a wry smile at bars in NYC. In Boston they wouldn't accept it.

I always managed to get it accepted, though one time I was put through secondary when I used it as ID to board a domestic flight in the US. (The TSA checker on the return flight was more cool about it and simply asked whether it was government-issued...)