The city office visit — called the ward office (区役所) if you are in one of Tokyo's 23 wards, or city office (市役所) elsewhere — is the most important administrative stop of your first weeks in Japan. It is required by law within 14 days of establishing your residence (not from arrival date — the clock starts when you actually move in), and it unlocks almost everything else: National Health Insurance, pension enrollment, bank account eligibility, driver's license conversion, school enrollment for children, and the My Number card that eventually connects all of it. Understanding what to bring and what to expect at the counter makes the visit take 30-45 minutes rather than two hours.
Why This Registration Matters
City office registration places you on the Residents' Register (住民基本台帳, jūmin kihon daichō). This is Japan's national population database at the local government level, and your entry in it is what makes you administratively real in the country. Without it:
- Your zairyu card address field remains blank, making it difficult or impossible to open a bank account
- You cannot enroll in National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), leaving you uninsured
- You cannot apply for a My Number card
- You cannot enroll children in local public schools
- Some employers require proof of registration before completing payroll setup
The deadline is 14 days from the date you establish residence at your address in Japan. This is the date you actually move in, not necessarily the date you land — if you spend initial days in a hotel before moving to your actual accommodation, the clock starts when you establish residence at that address. If you are moving from one Japanese municipality to another, the deadline is 14 days from the date you moved.
What to Bring
For a new arrival registering for the first time:
- Passport (required, must be original — no copies)
- Zairyu card (required — this is what gets your address stamped on it)
- 転入届 form (jūnin todoke) — this is the address registration form; you can pick it up at the counter upon arrival, there is no need to prepare it in advance
If you are moving from another municipality within Japan and have been registered there previously:
- Passport and zairyu card as above
- 転出証明書 (jūshutsu shōmeisho) — the move-out certificate issued by your previous municipality
Optional but useful to bring in one trip:
- One or two recent passport-size photographs (35mm x 45mm) if you intend to apply for a My Number card at the same visit
- Your health insurance card from your employer if your employer provides company health insurance (this tells the ward office not to enroll you in National Health Insurance automatically)
Step-by-Step at the Counter
Most major city offices have a numbered ticket system. Take a number at the entrance for the foreigners' registration or general procedures counter — look for signs that say 外国人登録 or 住民登録. Larger offices in cities like Chiba, Funabashi, Matsudo, Ichikawa, and Urayasu have dedicated windows or staff for foreign resident registration. Waiting time ranges from nearly immediate during quiet mid-morning periods to 30-60 minutes during the lunch hour and end-of-month rushes.
When called to the counter:
- Present your passport and zairyu card
- Receive the 転入届 form if you haven't already filled one out, or hand over the completed form
- The staff member enters your information into the system
- Your zairyu card is returned to you with your address stamped or written in the address field — keep the card out for this step, as some offices write on it directly rather than applying a sticker
- You receive confirmation of your registration and are asked if you need any additional procedures
The whole process, once at the counter, takes 10-15 minutes in a straightforward case.
What You Get Enrolled In Automatically
National Health Insurance (国民健康保険, NHI): If your employer does not provide company health insurance (社会保険), you are automatically enrolled in NHI at the point of registration. The ward office staff will ask whether you have employer-provided health insurance. If the answer is no, they will process your NHI enrollment during the same visit and issue your NHI card, sometimes immediately and sometimes by mail within 1-2 weeks. Your NHI premium is based on your income from the previous year — for new arrivals with no Japanese income history, the initial premium is set at the minimum, typically ¥2,000-5,000 per month depending on the municipality.
National Pension (国民年金): Enrollment in Japan's national pension system follows automatically from residence registration for working-age adults (20-59 years old) not covered by an employer's employee pension insurance (厚生年金). The ward office will issue a pension booklet (年金手帳) or explain the enrollment status. If your employer provides employee pension insurance, they will handle this separately and you do not need to manage it at the ward office.
Resident registration itself: You will be listed in the jūmin kihon daichō (住民基本台帳, the resident basic registry), and you can immediately request a printed copy of your residence certificate (住民票, jūminhyo) for a fee of ¥300. A jūminhyo is commonly required for bank account opening, lease agreements, school enrollment, and driver's license conversion, so requesting one or two copies during this first visit saves a separate trip later.
Additional Procedures Worth Doing in the Same Visit
My Number card application (マイナンバーカード): Your My Number (a 12-digit national ID number) is assigned automatically when you register. The notification card or your residence certificate shows the number. However, the physical My Number card — which is increasingly useful as an authentication document, health insurance card, and potentially a digital driver's license — requires a separate application at the same counter. Fill in the application form, submit your passport-size photo, and you will receive a postcard in 4-6 weeks when the card is ready for pickup. The card itself is free.
Foreign language support: Chiba City's central ward office (千葉市役所, located in Chuo Ward) has multilingual support through translation tablets and, on certain days, multilingual staff. Branch offices in Chiba's other wards (Hanamigawa, Inage, Midori, Wakaba, Sakura, and Mihama) typically have translation tablet support. Funabashi City Office, Matsudo City Office, and Ichikawa City Office all provide translation tablet service and have handled enough foreign registrations that staff are experienced with the process. Calling ahead to confirm language support availability is reasonable for smaller municipal branches.
What Happens at the Same Visit for Families
If you are registering with a spouse and children:
- Each family member must be registered individually, but the forms can be submitted together at the same time
- Bring each person's passport and zairyu card
- The ward office will record each person as a member of the same household
- For school-age children: ask to speak with the education section (教育委員会) at the same office or request information on how to contact them — enrollment in public school begins with this referral
Cost of Registration and Related Documents
- Registration itself: free
- Residence certificate (住民票) copy: ¥300 per copy at the counter; ¥200 at a convenience store kiosk (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) once your registration is active
- My Number card: free
- NHI card: free (premium is billed monthly)
Change Coming June 14, 2026: Combined Residence Card and My Number Card
Starting June 14, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency will begin issuing a Specified Residence Card (特定在留カード等) that combines the zairyu card and My Number card into a single card. Key points:
- Optional, not mandatory. You can still hold a separate zairyu card and My Number card if you prefer.
- If you choose the combined card, you can apply for it at the city office counter when you file your move-in notification.
- Processing takes roughly 10 days longer than the current separate-card process.
- The combined card functions as both your residence status proof and your national ID for administrative and digital services.
If you register at the city office before June 14, the current two-card process described above applies. If you register on or after June 14, the city office will likely explain both options. For the latest details, see the ISA announcement on Specified Residence Cards.
Bottom Line
City office registration for foreign residents in Japan is a 30-45 minute process when you arrive prepared with your passport, zairyu card, and the willingness to fill out one form. Go in the first week, not the 13th day — the address stamp on your zairyu card is what unlocks bank accounts, apartment applications, and health insurance. Combine the visit with a My Number card application and, if needed, NHI enrollment to avoid coming back for the same counter. The zairyu card guide explains what the card contains and the rules that apply after registration. The moving to Japan checklist shows where this visit sits in the full arrival sequence.