Dear Rica, I have heard that Japan requires registration for almost everything!

Posted on January 12, 2018 in News

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Dear Rica,
I have heard that Japan requires registration for almost everything! I am feeling a bit nervous about our upcoming move to Kobe from Tokyo this spring. My husband is Japanese and I am on a spouse visa. Since my husband works full-time, the task of getting all these registrations done has fallen to me. I am feeling a bit daunted by it all!

Daunted Debbie

Dear Daunted Deb,

Fortunately, although it can definitely be time-consuming, Kobe City has provided careful instructions for 3 different moving scenarios. Please check the scenarios below and click on the link below for the most up-to-date information.

1. Notification of Moving into Kobe from Outside Kobe. You must make this notification within 14 days of moving to Kobe at your local ward or Branch Office Citizen Services Division. You should bring the following with you:

  • Moving Out Certificate issued by the municipality of your previous address when you submit your Moving Out Notice
  • The Residence Cards or Special Permanent Resident Cards of all individuals who are moving in. To be on the safe side, you should take the actual passports of these individuals as well.
  • Individual number notification card or Individual number card (aka, the “My Number” card)
  • For further information, please check http://www.kicc.jp/kicc/pdf/shigaitennyu/shigaitennyu_eng.pdf.

2. Moving within Kobe to a Different Ward. In this case, you must make the following notifications within 14 days of the move to the new ward:
Submit the Moving in Notice within 14 days of your move at your new ward office. You should bring with you:

  • The Residence Cards or Special permanent Resident Cards of all individuals moving
  • Insurance Policyholder Card for anyone enrolled in the National Health Insurance or Late Stage Elderly Medical Insurance
  • Individual number notification card or Individual number card (aka, the “My Number” card)
  • For more detailed information, please see here http://www.kicc.jp/kicc/pdf/takutennyu/takutennyu_eng.pdf

3. When Moving with the Same Ward. In this case, you must make the follow notifications within 14 days of the move at your ward office: