The format of the Residence Card will change from 14 June 2026.
Please note that information such as Period of Stay, Date of Approval, and Type of Application will no longer be printed on the surface of the card. Currently, you cannot check these information even if you use the Residence Card Reading Application. You need to check the Period of Stay by obtaining a Certificate of Residence (Juminhyo/住民票) at the moment.
Update on July 1st
The Immigration Office announced that they are updating their app. In the near future, you will be able to check these important information on it, such as your period of stay, date of approval, and type of application. They plan to release this update around September 2026.
In addition, previously, photos were not displayed for individuals under 16 years old. However, on the new Residence Card, photos will be displayed for everyone aged 1 year and older. Therefore, a photo will be required when you apply for status of residence or other procedures
Please check the following pages on the Immigration Office website:
* You can change the language by using the language panel appears on the webpage.
It is also possible to choose (or switch to) the “Specified Residence Card / 特定在留カード,” which is integrated with the My Number Card.
Immigration Office website: Application for Issuance of Specified Residence Card
For the time being, our office will only receive the new format Residence Card. If you wish to obtain the Specified Residence Card integrated with the My Number Card, we kindly ask you to complete the procedure by yourself. Thank you for your understanding.