My Number Card Guide for Foreign Residents
A practical guide to application, address updates, residence period, certificates, and account linkage: rules, counters, documents, timing, costs, and follow-up updates.
My Number is a 12-digit personal identification number assigned to residents in Japan, including foreign residents with a resident record. The plastic IC card is optional in form, but after the health insurance card integration from 2024, not having it can make medical and online procedures less convenient.
Number and card
The old paper notification card was issued from 2015 to 2020 and is no longer newly issued. It can still confirm the number in some cases, but it is not the same as the plastic IC card.
The plastic card works as photo ID, stores electronic certificates, links with MyNaPortal, and can be used as a health insurance card after registration. For Japanese nationals the card is usually valid for 10 years; for foreign residents, validity is limited by the residence period when that comes earlier.
Application
Foreign residents usually need residence card, passport, photo, and the application ID or QR code from municipal documents. Online application through the official card site is common, and pickup normally takes about 1 to 2 months after application.
Pickup must usually be in person at the municipal office. Bring residence card, passport, the pickup notice, and any documents listed by the municipality. You will set PINs at the counter.
Moving and residence renewal
After moving, update the card address at the municipal office within 14 days together with the move-in or address-change notice. If the card address differs from the actual address, banks, carriers, schools, or employers may reject it as ID.
After residence-period renewal or status change, check the card expiration date. If the card expires before the new residence period, go to the municipal office to extend validity before it lapses.
Electronic certificates and health insurance
The IC chip contains electronic certificates used for e-Tax, MyNaPortal, convenience-store certificates, and online identity verification. These certificates typically need renewal every 5 years.
From December 2024, new issuance of the traditional health insurance card was largely stopped, and the My Number health insurance card system became central. People without a usable card can use a qualification confirmation document, but it adds another paper process.
Loss or damage
If the card is lost, call 0120-95-0178 to suspend it, file a loss report with the police, and keep the receipt number. Reissue at the municipal office usually costs about JPY 1,000 and can take around 1 month.
Do not assume losing the notification card blocks application. A resident record showing My Number can usually confirm the number when the municipality issues it for that purpose.
Common mistakes
After residence-period renewal, the card can still expire if municipal validity is not extended. Once the new residence card arrives, check the My Number Card expiration date at the municipal office.
If the card address is not updated within 14 days after moving, banks, carriers, and employers can reject it as ID. Bring the card, residence card, and PINs on the same day as the move-in or address-change notice.
Suspending a lost card is not the same as replacing it. Call 0120-95-0178, file the police loss report, and apply for reissue at the municipal office within the same week.
Useful terms
- My Number card: plastic individual number card
- Denshi shomeisho: electronic certificate
- Mina hokensho: My Number health insurance card
- Tennyu todoke: move-in notice
- MyNaPortal: government online portal