When a mid- to long-term resident moves to a new home in Japan, the new address has to be reported within 14 days of moving in.[1] This is the notification of change of residence (住居地の変更届出), and for most people it takes one visit to the municipal office.
One visit covers both records
Take your residence card to the counter at your city, ward, town or village office and file the moving-in notification there. That also counts as the notification to immigration, so the separate immigration form is not needed.[1]
The municipality then passes your new address on to the Immigration Services Agency.[2]
Moving to another city or town
If the new home is in a different municipality, file a moving-out notification (転出届) at the office where you live now. Then file a moving-in notification (転入届) at the office for your new address.[2]
A moving-out notification is also needed when you move abroad.[2]
The basics
The agency's page lists the following.[1]
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who | Mid- to long-term residents who moved |
| Deadline | Within 14 days of moving to the new address |
| Where | The counter at the municipal office for your new address |
| What to show | Your residence card |
| Fee | None |
| Hours | The municipal office's own opening hours |
When someone else goes for you
Residents under 16 do not file themselves.[1]
A relative aged 16 or older who lives with you can file for you if you are under 16, or if illness or another reason keeps you from going in person. For illness, the agency asks them to bring a medical certificate or similar.[1]
A relative aged 16 or older who lives with you can also file because you asked them to. In that case the agency asks them to bring a letter of authorisation (委任状).[1]
While someone else files for you, the agency asks that you carry a copy of your residence card.[1]
Keep track of the date
Moving usually brings a run of address changes, and this one has a fixed deadline. If you have a procedure in progress, find your procedure in Clerfy and it adds the address notification with its deadline.