Your First Steps in Japan — Settling-In Checklist
A step-by-step checklist for settling in Japan: residence card, city hall, bank, phone and more.
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Visa
Registration
Insurance
Pension
Banking
Housing
Tax
Communication
Work
Other
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On arrival
First week
Within 14 days
First month
Ongoing
Worker — just arrived
You just moved to Japan on a work visa. Here is the path through your first month.
Student — just arrived
Arriving on a student visa. Same admin basics, plus school and part-time work.
Family — just arrived
Moving with a spouse and/or children. Admin basics plus childcare and school.
Renewing my visa
Your status of residence is up for renewal. Start about 3 months before expiry.
Moving to a new address
Changing address within Japan (same visa). Two notifications + utilities.
Get your residence card
At a major airport the 在留カード is issued on arrival — keep it on you at all times.
Settle your housing
Confirm your lease and the move-in paperwork (guarantor, key money…).
Get a phone / SIM
A Japanese phone number is needed for almost every other step (bank, contracts).
Chicken-and-egg problem: most carriers want a Japanese bank account, but you need a phone number to open one. Sakura Mobile accepts foreign cards and cash with no Japanese bank account required — so you can start on day one.
Set up electricity, gas & water
Contact each provider (or the ward water office) with your move-in date.
Learn the garbage rules
Sorting and pickup days vary by ward — get it right from day one.
Get a transport IC card
Suica / PASMO works on trains, buses and at konbini.
Register your address (転入届)
Register at your city/ward office within 14 days of moving in — this unlocks everything else.
My Number Card
Your tax/social-security ID — apply at the ward office, also works as health insurance card.
Health insurance
Enroll in National Health Insurance at the ward office (or employer’s plan via work).
Pension enrollment
National Pension is registered at the ward office alongside health insurance.
Open a bank account
Needed for salary and rent — some banks have a 6-month residency rule.
Understand residence tax
Residence tax is billed from your second year — plan for it.
Part-time work permit (資格外活動)
Apply at immigration to legally work up to 28 hours/week.
At the airport, when the officer asks whether you plan to work part-time, say YES — the 資格外活動 permission can be stamped on arrival, saving a separate immigration trip and weeks of waiting later.
Complete school enrolment
Finish your school’s registration and orientation steps.
Confirm the family lease and move-in paperwork.
Apply for daycare (保育園)
Nursery places are competitive — apply at the ward office early.
Enroll children in school
Register school-age children with the local board of education.
Check your expiry date
You can apply from ~3 months before the expiry date on your residence card.
Gather the renewal documents
Tax certificates, employment proof, application form — see the per-visa checklist.
Get tax & income certificates
Request 課税証明書 / 納税証明書 at the ward office.
Move-out notice (転出届)
File at your OLD ward office before moving (if changing municipality).
File 転入届 at your NEW ward office within 14 days of moving in.
Transfer utilities
Stop at the old address, start at the new one (electricity, gas, water).
Update your address everywhere
Bank, residence card, My Number, phone — update the address on each.