How Will Japan’s New Immigration System Affect You?

By Japaninfoswap.com

Changes Are Coming To The Alien Registration Act

Although many details of the new immigration system remain undecided, it is scheduled to take effect in July of 2012. The biggest change is the abolishment of the current Alien Registration Act.  From 2012, all information will be managed under the amended Immigration Act, which is administered by the Ministry of Justice.  A new Resident Card will be issued for foreigners that will basically take the status of residence stamp out of your passport and put it in your wallet, in the form of an ID card containing an IC chip.

Additionally, medium to long term foreign residents will be able to apply for a Juminhyo (Certificate of Residence) just like Japanese Nationals. Also the current maximum visa period of 3 years will be extended to 5 years for certain visa categories which have yet to be determined.  The re-entry permit system will remain, but, leaving Japan for periods of less than 12-months will no longer require a permit. 

The new card will display fewer details than the current card, although information such as the name and address of your employer will still be required.  In addition under the new system, new arrivals to Japan who have a visa will have their Residence Card issued at the airport. Once a place of residence is established you will need to update your address at the local ward, town or village office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A longer, more detailed version of this article appears on japaninfoswap.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As before, any changes made to your address in Japan will need to be reported to local authorities within two weeks.  However changes to your name, date of birth, sex, nationality, and employer or the address of your employer, must be reported to the Immigration Bureau in person. Application by proxy, post, and internet are also being considered. The maximum fine for not reporting such changes, reporting incorrect information, or adjusting or falsifying a Residence Card, etc. are set at ¥200,000.

Once the new system is implemented there will be a 3-year grace period to change old alien registration cards to the new “Residence Card”. During that period, an “old registration card” would be treated the same as a new Residence Card in terms of immigration law.

Further information is available at the Immigration Bureau of Japan’s Website, a link to that information, and more tips and tricks about living in Japan are available on Japaninfoswap.com blog!

Latest Forum Threads