Your First Visit to City Hall in Japan: A Practical New-Resident Checklist

At the resident registration desk (Jumin-hyo / Shimin-ka), submit your moving-in notification (Tennyu-todoke) with your Residence Card. Before requesting official copies of your Certificate of Residence (Juminhyo / 住民票), first confirm whether the receiving organization actually requires a copy, as issued copies carry a fee and required items (such as My Number display) vary. Request only the copies and fields needed after checking receiving institutions.

Foreign residents staying long-term who are not covered by workplace health insurance must register for statutory health insurance at municipal offices. Current procedures may involve using your registered My Number Card as a health insurance certificate or issuing a qualification confirmation document (Shikaku Kakunin-sho), depending on registration status and eligibility. Confirm the current process with your municipality or insurer.

Before heading to City Hall, prepare your Residence Card, passport, housing lease contract (or proof of address), and personal seal (hanko/inkan) if requested by local procedures. Check applicable terms and whether an appointment is required in advance. Many larger municipalities offer multilingual consultation counters or translation services to support administrative inquiries.