Your My Number Card Roadmap: From First Application to Renewal

Most foreign residents with a registered address in Japan can apply for a My Number Card free of charge. The normal route is to apply online or by mail, wait for an issuance notice, and collect the card at the municipal office where your address is registered.

There is one especially important warning for residents with a fixed period of stay: the card may expire when your authorized period of stay ends. Extending your visa or residence status does not automatically extend the card. You may need a separate procedure at your municipal office before the printed expiration date.

This guide is for foreign residents, including workers, students, long-term residents, and family members who are applying for the first time or approaching renewal.

Quick overview

• A My Number Card is optional, but it is useful for identification, online government services, and health insurance procedures.
• First issuance and normal renewal are generally free.
• A standard application commonly takes about one month before the pickup notice arrives, although municipal processing times vary.
• New arrivals may qualify for express issuance if they apply at their municipal office within the required period.
• Card renewal and electronic-certificate renewal are different procedures.
• People with a limited period of stay must check both their residence card and My Number Card expiration dates.

Information in this article is current as of August 1, 2026. Municipal procedures, appointment systems, and accepted supporting documents can differ, so confirm the final requirements with your city, ward, town, or village.

First, understand what you are applying for

Your 12-digit My Number and your plastic My Number Card are not the same thing.

A My Number is assigned to a person recorded on Japan’s resident register. The Individual Number Notice sent after registration tells you the number, but it is not a photo ID. The plastic My Number Card is a separate document that you apply for.

The card displays personal information and contains an IC chip. Depending on the service and your municipality, it can be used for:

• official photo identification;
• proving your 12-digit My Number when a lawful procedure requires it;
• logging in to Mynaportal;
• online administrative procedures, including e-Tax;
• obtaining eligible certificates at convenience stores;
• electronic identity verification; and
• use as a health insurance certificate after registration.

Municipal services are not identical nationwide. For example, the certificates available at convenience stores and their operating hours depend on the municipality.

The card is optional, but medical use has become more important

Japan stopped issuing conventional health insurance cards on December 2, 2024, and all remaining conventional cards expired by December 1, 2025. From December 2, 2025, insured patients generally use either:

• a My Number Card registered for health insurance use; or
• a valid eligibility confirmation document issued by their insurer.

You can therefore receive insured medical care without obtaining a My Number Card. People who do not have a card, or have not registered it for health insurance use, can use the eligibility document supplied free of charge by their insurer. This distinction matters: getting a My Number Card is not itself a condition for joining or using Japanese public health insurance.

Who can apply

The practical test for most foreign nationals living in Japan is whether they have a resident record.

Foreign residents who are entered in Japan’s Basic Resident Register and have been assigned a My Number can normally apply. This generally includes eligible mid- to long-term residents, special permanent residents, and other foreign nationals covered by the resident registration system.

A short-term visitor who has no Japanese resident record cannot obtain a resident My Number Card simply because they are staying in Japan.

Before applying, make sure that:

• your residence registration is complete;
• your current address is recorded correctly;
• the name and residence information used for the application are consistent with official records; and
• your remaining period of stay is long enough for the application to be processed.

If the information on an application form for a foreign resident conflicts with the residence card, the official application guidance says not to use that form. Contact your municipality for a corrected or newly issued application form.

Families and children

Each family member needs a separate application. A parent cannot place a child on the parent’s card.

A legal representative applies for a child under 15. Applicants aged 15 to 18 generally follow the adult application and pickup process. Since December 2, 2024, a facial photograph is not required for a child under one year old.

Ask the municipality what the child and legal representative must bring to pickup. The exact combination of identity and relationship documents can vary.

Before applying: prepare the form and photograph

The fastest ordinary route for many applicants is the QR-code smartphone application. It avoids handwriting the form and lets you upload a photograph directly.

You will normally start with an Individual Number Card application form. It may have arrived with your Individual Number Notice, or your municipality may issue one. The form usually contains a 23-digit application ID and a QR code.

If you lost the form, request a new QR-code application form from the municipality where your address is registered. A downloadable handwritten form is also available for postal applications, but a form issued by the municipality is safer when your registered details or residence status have changed.

Check your period of stay before using an old form

Foreign residents should not treat an old application form as automatically valid.

Official guidance warns against using the form if the recorded name, address, or period-of-stay information conflicts with the residence card. It also advises a resident whose period of stay will expire in about one month to renew that period first and then obtain a new application form from the municipal office.

This prevents a common problem: the application is still being processed when the recorded period of stay ends.

Photograph requirements

For an ordinary paper application, the photograph should be:

• taken within the previous six months;
• 4.5 cm high by 3.5 cm wide;
• a front-facing image with no hat;
• taken against a plain background; and
• clear, evenly lit, and not digitally altered in a misleading way.

Online applicants upload a digital image instead of attaching a printed photograph. Avoid close-up selfies that cut off part of the face, shadows, furniture in the background, filters, and low-resolution images. Photograph defects are a major cause of applications being returned.

Choose an application method

All standard methods create the same card; the real differences are convenience, photograph preparation, and whether you have a usable application ID.

1. Apply by smartphone

This is usually the simplest option.

1. Scan the QR code on the application form.
2. Enter an email address.
3. Follow the link sent to that address.
4. Upload a compliant facial photograph.
5. Check the displayed information carefully.
6. Submit the application and keep the confirmation email.

Using the QR code reduces the risk of typing the 23-digit application ID incorrectly.

2. Apply by computer

You can use the official online application website and enter the application ID manually. Prepare the photograph file before starting and check every digit of the ID.

3. Apply by mail

Complete the paper form, attach the photograph, and send it in the designated return envelope. If registered information printed on the form is outdated, follow the official correction instructions or ask the municipality for a new form.

Do not mail your residence card, passport, or other original identity document with the application.

4. Apply at a supported photo booth

Some identification-photo booths can submit My Number Card applications. Bring the QR-code form and check that the booth displays support for My Number Card applications. Not every booth offers this function, and the booth’s photograph fee is your own expense.

5. Ask your municipality for application support

Some municipalities take application photographs or help residents complete the procedure at a service counter. Availability, booking rules, and required documents are local matters.

ここがポイント: Applying online does not normally mean that the finished card will be sent to your home. Under the standard process, you usually receive a notice and collect the card in person at the designated municipal counter.

How long it takes and what it costs

A first card is normally free, but you should allow roughly one month or longer for the standard process.

The national card site states that card production and delivery to the municipality generally take around three to four weeks when the application has no errors. The municipality then completes local issuance work and mails the pickup notice. Busy periods, application defects, postal delays, and local appointment availability can make the full wait longer.

The usual costs are:

• First issuance: free
• Normal card or electronic-certificate renewal: free
• Smartphone or computer application: no application fee
• Photo booth or printed photo: the applicant pays the vendor’s charge
• Reissue after loss under the express system: ¥2,000 with electronic certificates, or ¥1,800 without them

Other unavoidable reissues may be free, but the municipality decides how the national rules apply to the case.

Can a new foreign resident use express issuance?

Since December 2, 2024, certain applicants—including people who have moved to Japan from overseas—may qualify for the Express Issuance and Delivery System.

An eligible person normally applies in person at the municipal office within 30 days after the qualifying event. The card is then delivered to the registered address by registered mail within about one week in principle. Identity checks are required, and delays remain possible.

Express issuance is not a general paid fast-track service. It is limited to designated groups, such as:

• eligible new arrivals from overseas;
• children under one year old;
• people needing reissue after loss or damage; and
• certain people whose cards became unusable for reasons beyond their control.

A routine renewal of an expiring card does not qualify merely because the holder needs it quickly. Ask your municipality immediately after registering your address if you may use the express route.

Pickup: what to expect at the municipal office

Wait for the issuance notice before going to collect the card, then follow the location and appointment instructions printed on it.

The notice may be a postcard or another document. Some municipalities require an online or telephone reservation, while others accept walk-ins or provide limited evening and weekend counters.

The standard national checklist includes:

• the issuance notice;
• one valid identity document with a photograph, such as a residence card, or an accepted alternative combination of two documents;
• your Notification Card, if you still have one; and
• an old My Number Card, if the new card is a replacement or renewal.

A valid residence card is commonly the most useful identification document for a foreign resident. Nevertheless, use the exact checklist from your municipality because accepted alternatives can differ.

You normally collect the card yourself

In-person pickup by the applicant is the rule because the municipality must verify identity. A representative may collect it only in recognized unavoidable circumstances, such as illness or disability, and substantially more evidence is required.

Work, school, or general inconvenience may not by itself satisfy the proxy-pickup standard. Contact the municipality before preparing a proxy application.

You will set PINs

At pickup, most applicants set several PINs. The most important distinction is:

• a 6- to 16-character uppercase alphanumeric PIN for the signature electronic certificate; and
• one or more four-digit numeric PINs for user authentication and card functions.

The letters-and-numbers PIN must include at least one uppercase letter and one number. You may be allowed to use the same four-digit number for several functions.

Choose the PINs before your appointment, but do not write them where another person can connect them to the card. Never give the card or PIN to an unknown caller offering to complete renewal for you.

Do not miss the pickup period

The issuance notice states when and where the card can be collected. Municipalities keep uncollected cards for a limited period. If the card is eventually destroyed for security reasons, you may have to apply again.

If you cannot meet the stated deadline, contact the municipal office rather than assuming the card will remain there indefinitely.

The renewal rules foreign residents need to watch

There are three separate clocks: your period of stay, the physical card, and the electronic certificates stored in it. A procedure completed for one does not automatically update the others.

1. Extending a limited period of stay

For many foreign residents with a fixed period of stay, the My Number Card’s validity is tied to that period. After Immigration approves an extension, take the renewed residence card and My Number Card to the municipal office and complete the card-validity extension before the My Number Card expires.

Do not assume that Immigration sends an automatic update to the card’s IC chip.

If your residence-status application is still pending as the card expiration date approaches, contact the municipality before that date. A special validity-extension procedure may be available when you can show that the immigration application is in progress, but the evidence and handling should be confirmed locally.

Allow time for both offices. Filing an immigration application on the last possible day can leave too little time for the municipal procedure.

2. Renewing the physical card

For people whose validity is not shortened by a limited period of stay, a card issued at age 18 or older is generally valid until the tenth birthday after issuance. A card issued to someone under 18 is generally valid until the fifth birthday after issuance.

A renewal notice is normally sent about two to three months before expiration. If it contains an application ID or QR code, you can usually apply for the replacement by smartphone, computer, supported photo booth, or mail. A new photograph is required unless a specific exception applies.

Keep the old card even if it expires while the replacement is being prepared. You will normally return it when receiving the new one.

3. Renewing the electronic certificates

Electronic certificates generally expire on the fifth birthday after issuance, even when the plastic card remains valid for longer.

Renewal becomes available when less than three months remain. It cannot be completed online: take the card to your municipal office for identity verification. A reservation may be necessary.

If only the electronic certificates expire:

• the unexpired plastic card can still serve as photo identification;
• Mynaportal login, e-Tax, convenience-store certificate issuance, and other electronic functions may stop; and
• renewal remains possible at the municipal office, including after expiration, subject to local instructions.

Normal electronic-certificate renewal is free.

Why a renewal notice may not reach you

Notices go to the address on the resident register. A person who moves without completing the municipal address procedure may miss an important notice.

When you move within Japan, complete the required moving procedures and have the address information on the card updated. Foreign residents must also keep their residence-card address information current. If a name or address changes, the official foreign-resident guidance instructs cardholders to visit the municipal office within 14 days to record the change.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Most delays come from mismatched records, bad photographs, moving during processing, or waiting too long near an expiration date.

Applying just before the period of stay ends

If about one month remains, renew your residence status first and obtain a fresh application form after the new information is reflected. Otherwise, the card may not be issued before the recorded period ends.

Confusing the notice with the card

The Individual Number Notice tells you your number but is not a photo ID. It does not provide the IC-chip functions of a My Number Card.

Opting out of electronic certificates by accident

On the standard paper form, the boxes concerning electronic certificates are generally marked only when you do not want those certificates. Filling them in without understanding the wording can remove functions such as Mynaportal login, e-Tax, convenience-store certificates, and health insurance use.

Moving to another municipality before pickup

If you move to another municipality after applying but before receiving the card, you may be unable to collect it from the former municipality and may need to reapply. If a move is imminent, ask both municipal offices when to apply.

Assuming renewal is fully online

A physical-card renewal application may be submitted online when the notice contains an application ID. Electronic-certificate renewal, however, requires a municipal-office visit.

Forgetting the PIN

Repeated incorrect entries can lock a function. Some PIN-reset procedures are available at supported convenience stores, but not every PIN can be handled in the same way. The municipal office remains the dependable option when you are unsure.

Practical action plan

Your next step depends on whether you are a new arrival, a first-time applicant, or a current cardholder nearing expiration.

If you recently moved to Japan

1. Complete resident registration.
2. Check that your residence-card and resident-record information agree.
3. Ask the municipality whether you qualify for express issuance.
4. If eligible, apply at the counter within the stated 30-day period.
5. Otherwise, obtain a QR-code form and use the standard process.

If you are applying for the first time

1. Find your application form and QR code.
2. Check your name, address, and period-of-stay information.
3. Prepare a compliant photograph.
4. Apply by smartphone, computer, mail, or a supported booth.
5. Keep the application ID or confirmation email.
6. Wait for the municipal issuance notice.
7. Reserve a pickup appointment if required.
8. Bring the notice and the exact identity documents listed by your municipality.

If your period of stay is being renewed

1. Compare the expiration date on your residence card with the date on your My Number Card.
2. Apply for the immigration extension early.
3. If the card may expire while the application is pending, ask the municipality about a temporary extension before the card expires.
4. After approval, take the new residence card and My Number Card to the municipality.
5. Confirm that both the printed validity and electronic functions have been updated as necessary.

If you received an expiration notice

First identify what is expiring:

• the physical card;
• the electronic certificates; or
• both.

Then follow the instructions on the notice. Card renewal may begin with an online application, while electronic-certificate renewal requires an in-person municipal procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Is a My Number Card compulsory for foreign residents?

No. Applying for the plastic card is generally optional. Your 12-digit My Number can still exist even when you do not hold the card.

Can a tourist apply?

A visitor without a Japanese resident record is not eligible through the normal resident application process.

Is the first card free?

Yes, first issuance is generally free. You may still pay for a commercial photograph or supported photo booth.

Can the card be mailed to my home?

Under the normal process, it is generally collected at the designated municipal office. Eligible applicants using express issuance may receive it at their registered address by registered mail.

Can I use my residence card instead of a My Number Card?

A residence card proves immigration and residence-status information and must be carried when the law requires it. A My Number Card serves different purposes, including proving your My Number and accessing electronic services. One does not simply replace the other.

Will renewing my residence card automatically renew my My Number Card?

No. Treat them as separate procedures handled by different authorities. Visit or contact your municipality before the My Number Card’s printed expiration date.

What should I do if I lose the card?

Suspend its functions immediately through the official My Number call center, report the loss to the police, and ask your municipality about reissue. The official foreign-language loss line listed in the foreign-resident guidance is 0120-0178-27 and accepts suspension requests 24 hours a day, every day.

What to check before you act

The national framework is the same across Japan, but the counter that actually issues or renews your card is your municipality. Before visiting, check:

• whether an appointment is required;
• the accepted identity-document combination;
• whether multilingual support is available;
• the pickup counter and opening hours;
• your residence-status and card expiration dates; and
• whether your procedure concerns the card, its electronic certificates, or both.

For a foreign resident with a limited period of stay, the most important practical habit is simple: check the My Number Card whenever your residence status changes. The date printed on the card—not the fact that an immigration application has been filed—determines whether the card can still be used.

参照リンク

• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Home and application overview
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Frequently Asked Questions
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: About an Individual Number Card
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Application for issuance
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Application by mail
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Photograph requirements
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Receiving the card and checking application status
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Express issuance and delivery
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Validation period notices
• My Number Card Comprehensive Site: Guide for foreign nationals
• Digital Agency: My Number System and My Number Card
• Digital Agency: Using the My Number Card as a health insurance certificate