What to Do If You Lose Your Residence Card in Japan: Guide to Applying for a Reissue

Quick Answer

If you lose your residence card (在留カード / zairyu card) in Japan, you must apply for a reissuance at a Regional Immigration Bureau (出入国在留管理局) within 14 days of discovering the loss. Before going, visit a police station or koban (police box) to file a lost property report (遺失届) and obtain an acknowledgment certificate or receipt number—this is a mandatory document for your application.

The reissuance procedure for loss, theft, or natural disaster is free of charge, and at many Immigration Bureaus, you can receive your new card on the same day if your documents are complete. Submitting past the 14-day deadline may result in administrative fines and negatively impact future applications to extend your period of stay.

Who This Guide Is For

This article is for you if:

• You are a foreign national living in Japan for more than 3 months who has been issued a residence card (international students, Specified Skilled Workers, technical interns, engineers/specialists in humanities, permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals, etc.).
• You dropped, had stolen, or left your residence card on a train, or lost your wallet with the card inside.
• Your card is damaged, broken, washed in a washing machine, peeling, or illegible—the process is nearly identical, differing only in the supporting documentation required.
• You lost your card while abroad and are preparing to re-enter Japan.
• You are helping friends, juniors, or employees at your company complete this procedure.

This article focuses exclusively on one task: applying for a reissuance of a lost residence card. Other procedures (visa extensions, changes of status of residence, address registrations) are outside the scope of this post.

When This Guide Does NOT Apply

This guide cannot be used in the following situations:

• Special Permanent Residents (特別永住者): You carry a Special Permanent Resident Certificate (特別永住者証明書) rather than a residence card. Reissuance applications are submitted at the ward/city office (市区町村役所) where your residency is registered, not the Immigration Bureau.
• Short-term visitors (tourist or business visas under 90 days): You were not issued a residence card, so this process does not apply. If you lose your passport, contact your country's embassy or consulate.
• Lost passport: Passports are issued by your home country. Vietnamese citizens should contact the Embassy of Vietnam in Tokyo or the Consulates General in Osaka/Fukuoka.
• Lost My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) or Health Insurance Card: Reissuance is done at your ward/city office, alongside suspending the card via the My Number hotline. This is a separate procedure.
• Lost Japanese driver's license: Reissuance must be handled at your prefecture's Driver's License Center (運転免許センター).
• Expired residence card: This falls under an application for extension of the valid period of the residence card, which is different from a reissuance due to loss.

If you lost your entire wallet (residence card + My Number + bank cards + insurance card), you will need to handle multiple procedures simultaneously across different offices. This guide addresses only the residence card portion.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Search thoroughly before concluding it is lost. Check your coat pockets, backpack, drawers, workplace, and dorm. If you suspect you left it on a train, call the train operator's (JR, Tokyo Metro, private lines) lost and found center (忘れ物センター) or ask the station staff. If left at a store, call them right away.
2. File a police report (遺失届 / 盗難届). Head to the nearest koban (交番) or police station and state clearly that you lost your residence card. The police will file a report and give you a receipt number (受理番号). Take a photo or carefully write down this number, and if possible, request an official Lost Property Report Certificate (遺失届出証明書 / 盗難届出証明書). If lost due to a fire, earthquake, or flood, obtain a Disaster Victim Certificate (罹災証明書) from your local ward/city office or fire department.
3. Prepare an ID photo. The photo must be 4cm × 3cm, against a plain background, taken within the last 3 months, facing forward, and without head coverings. Automated photo booths (証明写真機) at train stations or in front of convenience stores are the fastest option. Applicants under 16 years old do not need a photo.
4. Fill out the Application for Reissuance of a Residence Card (在留カード再交付申請書). Download the form from the Immigration Services Agency website (出入国在留管理庁) or pick one up directly at the counter. Fill it out in block letters, detailing the circumstances of the loss (where, when, and when you noticed it was gone).
5. Visit your regional Immigration Bureau within 14 days. Bring all the documents listed in the section below. Take a queue number and submit your paperwork at the counter handling residence card procedures.
6. Wait and receive your new card. Many Bureaus issue new cards on the same day, typically with a wait time of 1–3 hours depending on foot traffic. Certain smaller branch offices may require you to return on another day or will send it by mail.
7. Notify relevant parties. Inform your school, employer, dispatch agency, landlord (if your lease contract requires a copy of your card), and bank if your account was registered using the old card. Your new residence card will have a different card number.
8. Preventive measure for next time: Take clear photos of the front and back of your new card, back them up to Google Drive or iCloud, and keep a printed photocopy at home.

Required Documents

Practical tip: If you still have a photo of your old residence card on your phone, bring it with you. While it cannot replace the original document, it will help you accurately fill in your card number, expiration date, and status of residence on the form—saving significant time at the counter.

If you designate someone else (your company, school, or an administrative scrivener 行政書士) to submit on your behalf, proper authorization documents or proof of legal representation are required. Regular friends cannot submit the application for you.

Fees

In other words, in standard cases of a lost card, you virtually pay zero government fees; your primary expenses will just be the ID photo and train fare. Payment methods (revenue stamps 収入印紙 or electronic payments) can change over time, so check the latest announcements on the Immigration Services Agency website before heading out.

Deadlines & Processing Times

Application Deadline: 14 Days

You must apply for reissuance within 14 days of discovering that your card was lost. If you lost your card while outside Japan, the 14-day window begins on the day you re-enter Japan.

Missing this deadline may result in administrative fines (as stipulated by the Immigration Control Act, potentially up to ¥200,000), and more importantly, your record will reflect a failure to fulfill notification obligations—which can adversely affect future applications to renew or change your status of residence, or to apply for permanent residency. If you have already passed the 14-day mark, you must still go immediately, accompanied by a letter explaining the reasons for the delay (理由書). Going late is always better than not going at all.

Time to Receive Your New Card

• Applying in person at a main Immigration Bureau: You will typically receive your new card on the same day, after a wait of roughly 1–3 hours.
• Applying at a branch office (支局・出張所): Some locations may require a return visit or will mail the card to you, taking anywhere from a few days to 1–2 weeks.
• Busiest days: The start of the week, beginning of the month, and days following extended holidays. It is best to arrive early in the morning right when doors open.

What About Your Status While Waiting for the New Card?

You are still residing in Japan legally. Carry your passport with you along with the police report receipt/certificate to explain your situation if questioned. However, this is strictly a temporary measure—complete the reissuance procedure as quickly as possible.

Where to Apply

Apply at the Regional Immigration Bureau (地方出入国在留管理局) with jurisdiction over your residential address, or one of its branch offices. Key locations include:

• Tokyo and the Kanto region: Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau (東京出入国在留管理局) in Konan, Minato-ku—accessible via Shinagawa Station. Branch offices are also located in Tachikawa, Yokohama, Saitama, and Chiba.
• Kansai region: Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau (大阪出入国在留管理局) in Suminoe-ku, Osaka; branch offices in Kobe and Kyoto.
• Other regions: Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo, Takamatsu, and their respective branch offices.

Standard operating hours are generally 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00, Monday through Friday, closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Check the official website for the exact operating hours of the specific facility you plan to visit, as some branches keep different schedules.

Important note: Local ward/city offices (区役所・市役所) do not accept applications for residence card reissuances (with the exception of Special Permanent Residents). Do not waste a trip going to the wrong office.

Filing the lost property report, on the other hand, can be done at any koban or police station, whether near your home or near where you believe you lost the card.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the police report. This is the single most common error. If you show up at the Immigration Bureau without a police report certificate or receipt number, you will be turned away and forced to make another trip.
• Letting 14 days pass due to work commitments. Many technical interns and Specified Skilled Workers delay because they cannot take time off work. Notify your employer early—this is a legal obligation, and employers are required to accommodate you.
• Non-compliant photos. Photos older than 3 months, printed selfies, patterned backgrounds, or incorrect dimensions will all be rejected. Use an automated photo booth and select the 4×3 immigration document mode.
• Forgetting your passport. Without your passport, the application process becomes significantly more complex as you must provide written justification.
• Going to the ward office by mistake. As mentioned above, but this mistake happens frequently.
• Failing to record the police receipt number. That small slip of paper is easy to misplace—snap a photo of it immediately.
• Having no copy of your old card. This leaves you unable to recall your card number, date of issue, or expiry date, leading to lengthy lookup delays at the counter.
• Forgetting to notify your employer or school. Your new card will have a different number; HR files, student records, and rental leases may need to be updated.
• Assuming that losing your card means losing your status of residence. It does not. Your legal residency remains intact; the card merely serves as physical proof.
• Not carrying the card once you receive the new one. Individuals aged 16 and older are legally required to carry their residence card at all times and present it upon request by authorized officials; failure to do so can result in penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be deported for losing my residence card?

No. Losing your card does not forfeit your status of residence. Issues only arise if you fail to complete the reissuance procedure or miss the 14-day deadline, which can result in administrative fines and negatively affect future renewal evaluations.

How do I report to the police if I don't speak Japanese?

You can use a translation app on your phone—Japanese police officers are accustomed to this. Clearly state the phrase: “在留カードをなくしました” (Zairyu kādo o nakushimashita / I lost my residence card). Many major police stations offer telephone interpretation services. You can also ask a friend, co-worker, or school staff member to accompany you.

How much does it cost to reissue a residence card?

In cases of loss, theft, or natural disaster: it is completely free. A fee of approximately ¥1,600 applies only if you voluntarily request a replacement when your current card is still fully usable.

What if I find my old card after applying for a replacement?

You must surrender the old card to the Immigration Bureau. The old card has already been invalidated, must not be used, and should never be thrown into regular trash.

How do I return to Japan if I lost my residence card while abroad?

Contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate in the country you are visiting immediately for instructions, as airlines may deny boarding if you cannot verify your status of residence. Once back in Japan, submit your reissuance application within 14 days of your arrival date.

Do I need to file a police report if my card broke or was damaged in the wash?

No. For damaged or soiled cards, simply bring the damaged card itself to the Immigration Bureau along with your application form and photo; no police paperwork is required.

Can this be done online?

While certain residence card procedures have moved to the Immigration Services Agency's online system, user requirements (account registration, eligible applicant categories) change over time. For lost cards, applying in person at the counter remains the most reliable and fastest method, as many offices hand you your new card on the spot. Please check the official website for the latest digital availability.

Can I continue working part-time while waiting for my new card?

Your work permissions remain unchanged. However, if you are an international student whose Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted (資格外活動許可) was stamped on the back of your card, explain the situation to your employer and show them your police report receipt until your new card arrives.

References

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) — Application for Reissuance of a Residence Card procedures (在留カードの再交付申請), forms, and document lists: www.moj.go.jp/isa/
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Obligations to carry and present residence cards, foreign resident notification duties
• Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (入管法) — Provisions on the 14-day deadline and penalties, searchable via e-Gov 法令検索: elaws.e-gov.go.jp
• National Police Agency / Prefectural Police Departments — Guidelines for filing lost property reports (遺失届) and issuing report certificates
• Information pages of Regional Immigration Bureaus (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, etc.) regarding office locations and business hours

Please note: This topic directly affects your legal status of residence. Regulations, fees, and acceptable payment methods are subject to change. Before going, verify the latest guidelines on the official website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, or call the Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC) to confirm the exact details applicable to your case.

Source Verification Date

The contents of this article were verified against official information published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan as of May 2025. (Editors: please update the specific verification date prior to publication and re-confirm the ¥1,600 fee and current payment methods.)

Call to Action

Here is something people often overlook: when you lose your residence card, your greatest lifeline is often a connected smartphone—to call the police, contact station lost-and-found centers, look up directions to the Immigration Bureau, and retrieve photos of your old card stored in the cloud.

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Have questions about payments, bank transfers, or activation steps? Visit our support page; the HD TELECOM team in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo provides dedicated multilingual assistance. Explore more practical guides for living in Japan on our blog.

And here is one thing you should do today, even if your card is safe: take a clear photo of the front and back of your residence card, and back it up to Google Drive or iCloud. It takes 30 seconds and could save you hours of trouble later on.