Registering Your Address at City Hall
Objective: Walk into your local city or ward office within 14 days of arrival, submit the moving-in notification, and leave with your updated residence card.
Bring these with you
- Residence card (在留カード)
- Passport
- Moving-out certificate (if moving within Japan)
- Rental contract or address memo
- Hanko / signature
- My Number card (if you have one)
What actually happens
- 1Take a ticket
Walk to the citizen services counter and take a number from the ticket machine.
- 2Fill in the moving-in form
Ask staff for a 転入届 (tennyū-todoke). Fill it in with your name in katakana, new address and date of arrival.
- 3Hand over your documents
Give the form together with your residence card and passport when your number is called.
- 4Wait for your card update
Staff will update the back of your residence card with the new address. It usually takes 15–30 minutes.
- 5Ask about health insurance
In many wards you can register for National Health Insurance in the same visit — ask 「国民健康保険もお願いします」.
Say these at the counter
Speak slowly and end with 「よろしくお願いします」. Staff will match your energy — calm and polite goes a long way.
Forgetting to bring your rental contract. Some wards accept a hand-written address, but bringing the contract avoids a second trip.
One quick question
How many days do you have to register your new address after arriving in Japan?
Try it yourself
The staff member says:
いらっしゃいませ。今日はどのようなご用件ですか。
"Welcome. What can I help you with today?"