All you need to know about the new residence management system in Japan – Part I

There’ll be a couple of changes to the Japanese immigration law this year affecting every single foreigner in Japan. We summed up the main changes and also explain how that’s gonna affect you.

1. Who is subject to the new system?

All foreigners staying in Japan mid- to long-term – obviously legally. That includes everyone who’s in Japan on one of the following visa

• Engineer
• Specialist in Humanities/international services
• Intra-company transferee
• Student
• Researcher
• Professor and teacher
• Business manager/investor
• Designated activities
• Dependent
• Cultural activities
• Permanent resident
• Spouse of Japanese National
• etc.

So, the new system basically applies to everyone except short-term visitors such as tourists and people on business trips.

2. What is going to change?

No application for re-entry permit needed anymore. Yes! Finally they will abolish the old system and you don’t need to apply for a re-entry permit anymore. Let’s be honest here, the re-entry permit application was just an unneccessary burecratic paper work that takes time and flushes some money in the pocket of the government.

Under the new system they will ask you at the airport when you go abroad if you intend to come back or not. If you do, they will grant you a one year re-entry permit. That means, just come back once within the next year (or before your visa expires) and you don’t need any extra paperwork or permit. If you need to stay abroad longer than a year, you still need to apply for a re-entry permit application but the new system should cover more than 90% of all foreign residents leaving Japan temporarily.

Implications for you: If you are currently in Japan and are holding a re-entry permit until July, you don’t need to apply for a new re-entry permit. If you are coming to Japan In July or later this year, you don’t need to worry about all this stuff at all.

Bottom line: less paper work, time and money saved!

Period of stay extended. The maximum period of stay will be extended to up to 5 years. People holding a working visa or spouse visa can get up to 5 years and students can get up to 4 years and 3 months.

That means, you don’t have to renew your visa very often. Less paperwork and money saved!

A Resident Card will be issued. Upon arrival in Japan you will receive a Resident card which basically is your ID in Japan. It contains less information than the current Alien Registration Card. You will receive it upon arrival in Japan* and then simply need to go to the ward office or city hall to register your address. The Resident Card enables you to open a bank account, buy a cell phone and leave Japan for a business trip right after arrival without applying for a re-entry permit.

You save lots of time because you have to go to the ward office only once instead of twice (before: alien registration and picking up the card a few weeks later) and can start setting up everything for your life in Japan right away.

No Alien Registration anymore. The current alien registration system will be abolished. Hence, the alien registration card will be abolished, too. As mentioned above, you will receive a Resident Card to identify yourself instead.

We’ll tell you more about the transition period and how & where to get the new Resident Card if you are currently in our next post. So make sure you stop by again soon. If you have any questions & comments, feel free to leave us a comment or send us a mail.

Related Posts via Categories

• All you need to know about the new residence management system in Japan – Part II
• The first thing to do when you arrive in Japan
• Finding a place to live
• Riding the Waves of Culture
• Getting there/after arrival