How to reissue a lost residence card! Locations, procedures, and required documents are also explained.

update date 2024/05/14

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Depressed foreign man who lost his residence card

Everyone has lost something or misplaced something. For foreigners staying in Japan for a medium to long period of time, losing their residence card can be a major problem.

A residence card is issued to foreign nationals who will stay in Japan for a medium to long term and contains information such as name, date of birth, address, status of residence, and period of stay. It is a very important identification card for foreigners living in Japan.

Foreign nationals certified as technical intern trainees or specified skilled workers are also required to carry their residence cards at all times during their stay in Japan, and in the unlikely event that they lose their residence cards, they must go through procedures for reissuing them as soon as possible. If left unattended, you may be considered to be illegally staying in Japan and subject to deportation.

In this issue, we will explain in detail what to do if you have lost your residence card. We hope you will find it useful when you lose your residence card.

If you would like to learn more about residence cards, please also read the following articles.
▶︎ The Resident Card System in Japan - How to Renew Your Resident Card & Required Documents and Status of Residence

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What if I lose my residence card?

What should I do if I happen to lose my residence card? Since a residence card contains a lot of important personal information such as name, date of birth, address, etc., you need to be very careful when handling it in case of loss. Here, we will introduce specific measures to be taken in the case of loss of a resident card in Japan and in the case of loss overseas.

(1) If lost in Japan

If you lose your residence card in Japan, you must apply for its reissuance within 14 days from the date you realized that you lost it. First of all, remember where and when you lost it, and contact the police to see if they have received any lost items. If not, file a lost or stolen report with the police.

Once you receive the Lost and Found Certificate from the police, you are required to apply for a re-issuance of your residence card at the Regional Immigration Office within 14 days. Documents required for the application will be explained in detail later.

If you leave your residence card unattended and lost, you will be considered to be illegally staying in Japan and may be subject to deportation, so please be sure to complete the procedure within 14 days. If you cannot make it in time, consult with the Immigration and Residence Management Agency.

(2) If lost overseas

If you have lost your resident card overseas, the local Japanese embassy or consulate general will not be able to reissue a new card. However, it is possible to re-enter Japan if you have your passport. This is because the Immigration Bureau keeps a record of re-entry permits for foreigners.

In very rare cases, you may be stopped at the local immigration office for not having your residence card. In such cases, file a report of loss with the local police and ask an acquaintance in Japan to send it to you, along with a Japanese translation. Ask the acquaintance to obtain a re-entry permit expiration date certificate from the Immigration Bureau and send it to the local authorities. This will allow you to leave the locality and re-enter Japan without your residence card.

Upon re-entering Japan, you must complete the reissue procedure for your residence card within 14 days from the date of entry. Since the procedures for loss of a residence card overseas are a little more complicated than those in Japan, we recommend that you contact the Immigration and Residence Management Agency or the General Information Center for Foreign Residents if you have any questions.

Reference:General Information Center for Foreign Residents, etc. | Immigration and Naturalization Service Agency

Procedures for reissuing a lost residence card

If you have lost your residence card, what steps should you take to have it reissued? Here, we will explain in detail the step-by-step process from the loss of your residence card to its reissuance.

Step 1] Report the theft to the police.

If you notice the loss of your residence card, immediately go to the nearest police station or police box and submit a report of loss or theft. When reporting the loss, explain in as much detail as possible when, where, and how you lost your residence card.

After reporting, you will receive a lost property report certificate and other documents from the police. This certificate is required when applying for reissue of a residence card at the regional immigration office.

If you still cannot find your residence card a few days after reporting it, proceed to the next step. If you are lucky enough to find it, the police will contact you.

Step 2] Apply for reissuance of the resident card at the regional immigration office.

If the residence card is not found after reporting it to the police, apply for reissuance of the residence card. Within 14 days of the loss, please contact the competentRegional Immigration OfficeThe application is made by submitting the required documents to the No fee is required for the application. However, you must visit the immigration office in person to apply for reissuance, as it cannot be done online.

In principle, the application should be made in person, but if you are unable to go, you can ask a proxy or an application agent to make the application for you. Make sure to prepare a solid power of attorney and ask the proxy to provide identification. If you have any concerns about the application process, it is also recommended that you consult with a specialist.

If the application is successfully completed at the Regional Immigration Office, the residence card will be reissued on the spot. After receiving the card, make sure to check the contents carefully for any errors.

Reissue procedure points

In order to proceed smoothly from the submission of the lost/stolen report in step 1 to the application for reissuance in step 2, it is important to make detailed notes of the circumstances of the loss. It is helpful to keep a timeline of when, where, and what you were doing when the loss occurred, as well as how you became aware of the loss.

When applying for reissuance in Step 2, if the documents are incomplete or not filled out correctly, you may not be able to receive your residence card on the spot. In principle, you can receive the reissuance on the day of application, but if the documents are incomplete, you may receive the card at a later date.

What you need to reissue your residence card (required documents)

To reissue a residence card, the following four items must be in order.

Documents certifying the loss of the residence card, such as a lost property report certificate from the police
Application form for reissuance of resident card (downloadable from the Immigration and Residence Management Agency's website)
1 photo (4 cm x 3 cm, taken within the last 3 months)
passport

Particular attention should be paid to the size, background, and orientation of the face, as there are detailed specifications for photographs. If you use an automatic photo machine, check to see if it has a setting for residence cards.

For example, the Immigration and Residency Management Agency's website has detailed instructions on how to fill out the application form and the photo standards. If your passport has been renewed, you will need to present your old passport as well, so please make sure that there are no discrepancies in the information on both your residence card and passport.

If you have any questions about how to prepare the necessary documents or how to fill out the application form, you can call the Immigration and Residence Management Agency or the General Information Center for Foreign Residents. They are available during certain hours on weekdays, except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, in Japanese and many other languages.

If the required documents are complete and the application is approved, a residence card will be issued on the spot in principle. Please keep the card in a safe place.

Reference:Application for re-issuance of residence card due to loss, etc. | Immigration and Residence Management Agency

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summary

The following is a summary of key points regarding the procedure for reissuing a lost residence card.

If lost, first report the loss or theft to the police.
Apply for reissuance at the regional immigration office within 14 days of notification.
To apply, you will need a certificate of notification of loss, an application form, a photograph, and a passport.
If the application is approved, a residence card is issued on the spot in principle.
If lost abroad, report the loss to the local police and obtain a certificate before re-entering Japan.
If you do not know how to follow the procedures, contact the immigration office or other authorities.

If you lose your residence card, do not be in a hurry and proceed with the procedures one by one; try to apply for reissuance within 14 days, and consult a specialized agency if you have any questions. We hope this article will be helpful when you lose your residence card.

To learn more about status of residence, please refer to the following articles.

▶︎ What is a residence card? How to obtain it, what it contains, the obligation to carry it with you, and how to reissue it if you lose it.
This article comprehensively explains everything from basic information about the residence card to usage scenarios and points to note. If you would like to know more about the Residence Card, please read on!

▶︎ Jobs and occupations available with "Technical/Humanities/International Services" status of residence and conditions for obtaining them
This section provides a detailed explanation of "Technical/Humanities/International Services," one of the most popular residence statuses, including the types of work covered, documents required for application, and details of activities.