My Number in Japan for Foreign Residents: Individual Number Notice, Card Application and Renewal

My Number is Japan’s 12-digit Individual Number assigned to people who have a resident record in Japan. It is used for legally specified administrative procedures involving social security, taxation and disaster-response support.

My Number, the Individual Number Notice and the plastic My Number Card are different things. Confusing them can lead to unnecessary applications, missed mail or the wrong document being presented to an employer, municipal office, bank or medical facility.

If you have not completed your Japanese address procedure, begin with our resident-registration guide for foreign residents.

My Number, Notice and Card: Quick Comparison

Item	What it is	Main purpose
My Number	A 12-digit Individual Number assigned to a person with a Japanese resident record	Identification in legally specified social-security, tax and disaster-response procedures
Individual Number Notice	A paper notice informing a newly registered resident of the assigned number	Notification of the number; it is not general photo identification
My Number Card	An optional plastic card with a photograph and IC chip	Identity verification, proof of My Number, electronic procedures and supported services
Electronic certificate	Digital certificate stored on the card	Logging in to supported online services and electronically signing certain applications
Mynaportal	Government online service accessed using supported authentication	Checking and using available administrative information and procedures

Who Receives a My Number?

A My Number is assigned to people recorded in Japan’s Basic Resident Registration system. This includes qualifying foreign residents who have a certificate of residence.

The practical sequence for a newly arrived resident is generally:

1. Establish an actual residential address in Japan.
2. Complete resident registration at the responsible city or ward office.
3. Have a municipal resident record created.
4. Receive the Individual Number Notice at the registered address.
5. Apply separately for a My Number Card when you choose to obtain one.

A tourist or other short-term visitor without a Japanese resident record is not handled in the same way as a registered resident.

When the Individual Number Notice Arrives

The official My Number Card site states that the Individual Number Notice is generally delivered by simplified registered mail around two to three weeks after the certificate of residence is registered.

Delivery can fail or be delayed when:

• the building or room number is incomplete;
• your name is not recognized at the mailbox;
• registered mail cannot be received;
• you moved again before delivery;
• the municipal record contains an error;
• the envelope was returned to the sender;
• another household member overlooked the notice.

If you registered your address but did not receive the notice, contact the municipality where your resident record is held. Do not wait indefinitely or submit random replacement applications.

What the Individual Number Notice Can and Cannot Do

The Individual Number Notice tells you the number that was assigned. It is not a general identification document and does not contain a face photograph.

Task	Can the notice normally do it alone?
Inform you of your My Number	Yes
Serve as general photo identification	No
Replace a residence card	No
Prove both identity and My Number with one document	No
Automatically function as a health-insurance card	No
Provide an application form for a My Number Card	The delivered package commonly includes the application materials

An Individual Number Notice cannot be reissued if lost. When you need official proof of the number, ask whether the receiving organization accepts a My Number Card, a certificate of residence displaying My Number or another permitted document.

The Old Notification Card Was Abolished

New Notification Cards stopped being issued on May 25, 2020 and were replaced by Individual Number Notices.

Some long-term residents may still possess an older Notification Card. Its handling depends on whether the name, address and other information still match the current resident record.

Do not confuse:

• an old Notification Card;
• an Individual Number Notice;
• a My Number Card;
• a certificate of residence displaying My Number.

When an organization asks for proof of My Number, ask exactly which current documents it accepts.

Is the My Number Card Mandatory?

Obtaining the plastic My Number Card is not mandatory. It is issued after a resident applies.

The card can still be useful because it may provide:

• photo identification;
• proof of identity and My Number with one card where legally appropriate;
• access to Mynaportal;
• electronic certificates for supported online procedures;
• e-Tax authentication;
• supported convenience-store certificate services;
• health-insurance eligibility verification after registration;
• other municipal or private services that support the card.

Service availability differs by municipality, organization, device and procedure. Check the official instructions for the particular task.

Should You Apply for a My Number Card?

Your situation	Why the card may help	What to check first
You frequently complete government procedures	Online authentication may reduce some office visits or paper documents	Whether the procedure is supported by your municipality
You need Japanese photo identification	The front of the card can serve as official identification	Card validity and the receiving organization’s rules
You file taxes online	The electronic certificate can support e-Tax procedures	Card reader, smartphone and software compatibility
You want to use it for health insurance	Registered cards can support medical eligibility verification	Health-insurance enrollment and usage registration
Your period of stay will expire soon	The card may still be useful	Whether to finish residence renewal before applying
You expect to move shortly	You can still apply	Whether the card or issuance notice will reach the correct municipality

How to Apply for the My Number Card

Official guidance provides several application methods.

Smartphone application

1. Use the QR code on the application form.
2. Register an email address.
3. Upload a compliant face photograph.
4. Confirm the displayed application information.
5. Submit and keep the confirmation.

Computer application

1. Prepare a digital face photograph.
2. Enter the application-form ID carefully.
3. Complete the online application.
4. Save the submission confirmation.

Supported ID photo booth

Some compatible photo booths allow you to scan the application QR code, take the photograph and submit the application directly.

Mail application

Complete the paper application, attach a compliant photograph and send it using the designated envelope or current mailing instructions.

Photograph Requirements

For most applicants, the application requires a recent face photograph meeting the official standards. Current rules provide a special exception for children under one year old at the time of application.

Common reasons photographs are rejected include:

• the image is too old;
• the face is too small or partly outside the frame;
• the background is not plain;
• the photograph is blurred;
• strong shadows hide facial features;
• headwear covers the face without an accepted reason;
• the file has been excessively edited;
• another person appears in the image.

Use the official photograph examples rather than relying only on passport-photo assumptions from another country.

How Long Issuance Takes

The official application site states that it takes about one month from application until the municipality ships or prepares the issuance notice in ordinary cases. Errors, missing documents and local workload can extend the process.

The complete wait may include:

• application processing;
• card production;
• delivery of the card to the municipality;
• municipal preparation;
• mailing of the issuance notice;
• appointment availability;
• your pickup date.

Do not make travel, employment or medical plans based on a guaranteed one-month completion date.

Receiving the Card

After the municipality is ready, it sends an issuance notice. As a general rule, the applicant visits the designated municipal counter to complete identity verification and receive the card.

Commonly requested items include:

• the issuance notice;
• accepted identity documents;
• the old Notification Card if you have one;
• an existing My Number Card when renewing or replacing it;
• other documents stated by the municipality.

The accepted identity-document combination varies. Check the municipality’s instructions before visiting.

PINs Set During Issuance

The card uses multiple PINs for different functions. Official guidance includes a four-digit numeric PIN and a signature electronic-certificate PIN using 6 to 16 uppercase letters and numbers.

Before visiting:

• prepare PINs you can remember;
• avoid your birthday or simple repeated numbers;
• do not write the PIN on the card;
• do not share it with an employer, landlord or agent;
• store any private reminder separately and securely.

Repeated incorrect entry can lock a function. Some PIN resets require a municipal procedure, while supported convenience-store procedures may be available for particular PIN types.

Card Validity for Foreign Residents

The ordinary validity rules and the period-of-stay rules must both be considered.

General official guidance states:

• for a person aged 18 or older at issuance, the card is generally valid until the tenth birthday after issuance;
• for a person under 18 at issuance, the card is generally valid until the fifth birthday after issuance;
• the electronic certificate generally expires on the fifth birthday after issuance.

For many foreign residents whose status has a fixed period of stay, the My Number Card’s validity is limited to the expiration date of the permitted period of stay or the applicable status period. Different treatment applies to categories such as permanent residents and special permanent residents.

After Extending Your Period of Stay

When immigration approves a new period of stay, check the My Number Card immediately.

Take these steps:

1. Receive the updated residence card.
2. Check the My Number Card expiration date.
3. Contact the municipality where you are registered.
4. Bring the new residence card and My Number Card.
5. Complete the required validity or recorded-information update.
6. Confirm the electronic certificate’s status.
7. Test any time-sensitive online service before you need it.

Do not assume that the municipality receives and applies every immigration change automatically without action from you.

Changing Your Address or Name

If information printed or recorded on the card changes because of moving, marriage or another event, complete the municipal procedure within the applicable deadline.

After moving, confirm:

• the resident-registration procedure is complete;
• the address on the residence card is current;
• the My Number Card address is updated;
• electronic certificates still function;
• the PIN has not been locked;
• health-insurance usage remains available;
• bank and employer records use the new address.

Our resident-registration article explains moving-in, moving-out and same-municipality address procedures.

Using the Card as Health Insurance

My Number itself is not presented as the health-insurance tool. The My Number Card is used after completing the required health-insurance usage registration.

Before relying on it at a clinic or pharmacy:

• confirm that you are enrolled in public health insurance;
• complete the card’s health-insurance usage registration;
• check that the card and electronic functions are valid;
• know the alternative eligibility-confirmation method available to you;
• ask your insurer when recent enrollment or job changes are not reflected.

See our National Health Insurance guide for enrollment, premiums and medical-use procedures.

Using the Card for Banking and Employment

The front of the card can be used as photo identification in many situations. The back displays My Number and must be handled more carefully.

When an employer, bank or other organization asks for the card:

• ask whether it needs identity verification, My Number verification or both;
• ask which side must be shown or copied;
• do not send the back casually by email or messaging app;
• use the organization’s official submission channel;
• confirm why the number is legally required;
• keep a record of what was submitted.

For account-opening documents and screening, use our Japanese bank-account guide.

My Number Privacy Checklist

Situation	Safer action
An unknown person requests a card photo	Do not send it; verify the organization using official contact details
An employer requests My Number	Use the employer’s designated secure procedure and ask how it will be handled
A landlord wants a copy of both sides	Ask why the back and number are legally necessary
A bank requests identification	Confirm whether only the front is needed for identity verification
A website requests a PIN	Stop unless you are using the verified official service or card-reading process
You need to store a copy	Use secure storage and delete unnecessary copies

What to Do If the Card Is Lost or Stolen

Act promptly.

1. Contact the official My Number Card service to suspend card functions.
2. Report the loss or theft to the police.
3. Keep the police report or reference number.
4. Contact your municipality.
5. Confirm the reissuance documents and fee.
6. Ask how to prove identity and insurance eligibility while waiting.

Official services provide 24-hour temporary suspension for a lost My Number Card. Use contact information from an official government or My Number Card website rather than a number copied from an unfamiliar message.

If You Lose the Individual Number Notice

The Individual Number Notice cannot be reissued.

Depending on the purpose, you may be able to confirm or prove the number with:

• a My Number Card;
• a certificate of residence displaying My Number;
• a certificate of items stated in the resident register;
• another document accepted for the legally permitted procedure.

Ask the receiving organization exactly what it accepts before paying for a certificate.

Moving Overseas

Rules differ according to nationality and residence circumstances.

Official My Number Card guidance states that non-Japanese residents leaving Japan are generally required to return the My Number Card and an old Notification Card if held. The Individual Number Notice itself does not need to be returned.

Before departure, ask the municipality:

• whether the card must be returned;
• whether it will be invalidated;
• how you can retain a record of the number;
• what happens if you later return to Japan;
• whether pending tax, pension or insurance procedures require proof of My Number.

Complete this together with the overseas moving-out notification rather than waiting until after departure.

Common Mistakes

Thinking My Number and the card are identical

The number is assigned through the resident record. The card is an optional means of identification and authentication.

Using the Individual Number Notice as photo identification

The notice only informs you of the number and is not general identification.

Missing registered mail

Make sure your complete name, building and room number allow official mail to reach you.

Applying with outdated details

Contact the municipality when the application form does not match the residence card or current address.

Ignoring the period-of-stay expiration

Many foreign residents have a card validity date linked to their permitted stay.

Forgetting to update the card after moving

Complete both resident-registration and card-information procedures.

Sharing a photograph of the back

The back displays My Number. Do not distribute it without a valid reason and secure process.

Assuming health-insurance use is automatic

Insurance enrollment and card usage registration must both be correct.

Municipal Counter Conversation Template

Hello. I have completed resident registration and would like to confirm my My Number procedures.

Could you tell me whether my Individual Number Notice has been sent, how I can apply for the My Number Card and which documents I need to collect it?

My residence status expires on 2026/08/04. Please also confirm the card’s expiration date and what I must do after extending my period of stay.

I would like to use the card for Mynaportal and health-insurance eligibility verification. Please tell me whether any additional registration is required.

Useful Japanese phrases:

• Mai Nanbā Kādo o shinsei shitai desu. — I would like to apply for a My Number Card.
• Kojin bangō tsūchisho ga todoite imasen. — My Individual Number Notice has not arrived.
• Hitsuyō na shorui o oshiete kudasai. — Please tell me which documents are required.
• Zairyū kikan o kōshin shimashita. — I extended my period of stay.
• Yūkō kigen o kakunin shitai desu. — I would like to confirm the expiration date.

Final Checklist

• Complete resident registration first.
• Make sure official mail can reach your full address.
• Keep the Individual Number Notice safely.
• Understand that the notice is not photo identification.
• Decide whether the plastic card is useful for your needs.
• Check the application form against current records.
• Use a compliant photograph.
• Keep the application confirmation.
• Take the required identity documents when collecting the card.
• Prepare secure PINs.
• Check the card and electronic-certificatePrepare secure PINs.
• Check the card and electronic-certificate expiration dates.
• Update the card after moving or changing recorded information.
• Complete the municipal procedure after extending a fixed period of stay.
• Register health-insurance use before relying on the card at a clinic.
• Suspend the card immediately if it is lost or stolen.
• Do not share the back of the card casually.
• Confirm the return procedure before leaving Japan.

Official Sources

• Digital Agency: About the My Number System
• Digital Agency: My Number Frequently Asked Questions
• Digital Agency: My Number Card Frequently Asked Questions
• My Number Card Official Site: Individual Number Notice and Notification Card
• My Number Card Official Site: Application Methods
• My Number Card Official Site: Receiving the Card and Checking Application Status
• My Number Card Official Site: Card Information and Uses
• Digital Agency: Card and Electronic-Certificate Validity and Renewal
• Digital Agency: Using the My Number Card for Health Insurance
• Official My Number Card Guide Including Foreign-Resident Validity

Procedures, accepted identity documents, pickup reservations and available services vary by municipality. Confirm the current requirements on the official website of the municipality where your resident record is held.

Use Your Pension Number and My Number Correctly

Your Basic Pension Number and My Number are different identifiers. Check enrollment, contribution, exemption and departure procedures in the pension guide. Read our National Pension guide for foreign residents.

Use My Number Safely for Tax Procedures

My Number is used in legally specified tax procedures, but income tax, resident tax and filing still require separate records and deadlines. Read our Japan tax guide for foreign residents.

Before Using My Number for Other Procedures

My Number, the Individual Number Notice and the plastic My Number Card are different. Confirm which document an employer, bank, tax office or medical provider actually needs.

Continue with the relevant next step

• Return to the First Week in Japan setup hub — see the complete sequence and choose the next task.
• Resident Registration in Japan for Foreign Residents: Address Registration, Moving In and Moving Out
• National Pension in Japan for Foreign Residents: Enrollment, Contributions, Exemptions and Leaving Japan
• Taxes in Japan for Foreign Residents: Income Tax, Resident Tax, Filing and Leaving Japan

Practical rule:
Do not send a photograph of the back of the My Number Card through an unverified email address or messaging account.

Related Guides for Setting Up Life in Japan

• Resident Registration in Japan for Foreign Residents
• Renting an Apartment in Japan as a Foreign Resident
• Opening a Bank Account in Japan as a Foreign Resident
• National Health Insurance in Japan for Foreign Residents