My Number Card application for foreigners in Japan (2026 Guide)

Information current as of March 2026, based on the Digital Agency, the My Number Card Comprehensive Site (J-LIS), the Shinjuku City guide, and other municipal/Immigration guidance. Always confirm final details with your own municipality because pickup rules and counters vary by city/ward.

I’m Taku Kanaya. When I moved to Manchester in my early twenties, I learned the hard way that “the system exists” doesn’t mean you can access it smoothly—especially across language and paperwork barriers. That experience is exactly why I focus this guide on the two pain points I see foreigners hit in Japan: (1) applying fast even if you don’t have the form, and (2) avoiding surprise expiry when your period of stay changes.

Can foreigners apply in 2026? (And why tourists usually can’t)

Yes—foreign residents can apply in 2026 if you are registered on the resident register (住民票). In practice, that means you’ve done address registration at your municipal office and you have a resident record.

Tourists and most short-term visitors usually can’t apply because they normally do not have resident registration (jūminhyō), so they won’t be in the Basic Resident Register system that the My Number system is tied to. (Even if you physically hold a passport and can do many things, the key is whether you’re on the resident register.)

Also important: the paper you receive first—your Individual Number Notice (My Number notification letter)—is not an official photo ID. It’s mainly for notifying/confirming your number and guiding you to apply for the plastic card.

Before you apply: get your application form ID, photo, and certificate choices

To apply quickly, you want three things ready: (1) an application form that includes a 23-digit Application Form ID (often with a QR code), (2) a compliant photo, and (3) a decision on electronic certificates (電子証明書).

1) Find (or reissue) your application form with the 23-digit ID

Many people receive an Individual Number Notice after registering their address. For people who moved to Japan from overseas after January 1, 2022, J-LIS notes that an Individual Number Card application form is included with the notice at the time of moving to Japan.

If you lost it, never received it, or it’s outdated because you moved: you can either (a) download the handwritten, mail-in-only application from the official site, or (b) get a new application form issued at your municipal office (often with the QR/Application Form ID so you can apply online).

Speed tip: if your priority is speed, option (b) is usually best—municipal staff can reissue the form and sometimes support your application on the spot (this depends on the city/ward).

2) Prepare a compliant photo (don’t let this slow you down)

Photo rejections are a very common delay. Use the official photo rules below.

Item	Amount/count	Source/as-of date
Mail application photo size	4.5cm (length) × 3.5cm (width)	J-LIS My Number Card Comprehensive Site (accessed Mar 2026)
Online upload file type / color mode	JPEG, RGB color	J-LIS My Number Card Comprehensive Site (accessed Mar 2026)
Online upload file size	20KB–7MB	J-LIS My Number Card Comprehensive Site (accessed Mar 2026)
Online upload pixel size	480–6000 px width, 480–6000 px height	J-LIS My Number Card Comprehensive Site (accessed Mar 2026)

3) Choose your electronic certificate options (denshi shomeisho)

Your My Number Card can include electronic certificates used for online identity verification and online procedures. Municipal guidance commonly describes two certificates: one for signing (used for e-Tax and other “signature” actions) and one for user identification (used for login and convenience-store issuance, etc.).

If you’re not sure, most foreign residents benefit from enabling them—because many everyday services (Mynaportal, e-Tax, convenience store certificates) rely on these functions.

Important for foreigners with soon-expiring visas: the official foreigner pamphlet warns that if your residence card is set to expire within about 1 month, you may need to renew at Immigration first and then apply at your municipality.

How to apply (choose 1 of 4 routes: smartphone/PC, mail, photo booth, counter help)

Nationally, the My Number Card system is run via J-LIS and your municipality. The application routes are broadly consistent across Japan, but your city/ward may offer extra “support desk” options.

Route A: Smartphone / PC (fastest when you have the 23-digit ID / QR)

1. Confirm you have an application form with the 23-digit Application Form ID (often printed next to/near a QR code). Without that ID, some cities won’t let you apply online.
2. Go to the official application site and follow the email registration → photo upload → submit steps. (Example: Shinjuku City links to the official site for PC applications.)
3. Save your Application Form ID; you can check progress via the Application Status Inquiry Service with your date of birth (available for a limited time window after applying).

Route B: Mail (best if you don’t have the 23-digit ID, or you prefer paper)

1. Use the application form you received, or download the official handwritten application if you lost it.
2. Attach a compliant photo (see the table above) and fill in all required fields.
3. Post it using the provided envelope (or the instructed address if you printed forms).

Mail is the “failsafe” route when your municipality won’t issue an ID/QR immediately or you prefer not to do the online steps.

Route C: Supported ID photo booth (quick and language-light)

If your application form has a QR code/ID, some supported photo booths can submit the application as part of taking your photo. Shinjuku City’s English guide describes selecting the My Number Card application option on the booth, scanning the QR code, taking the photo, and submitting.

Route D: Counter help (the fastest “fix everything” option)

If you don’t have the form, don’t have the 23-digit ID, can’t upload the photo, or you just want to avoid mistakes, counter help is often the quickest overall because staff can: (1) issue a new application form, (2) confirm your resident record details, and (3) guide you through the exact local steps. Shinjuku’s guide explicitly says you can request an ID/QR form at the municipal counter (with ID).

After you apply: postcard, reservations, pickup day checklist, and PIN setup

After you apply, J-LIS prepares the card and sends it to your municipality. When it’s ready, you receive a My Number Card issuance notice—often a postcard (交付通知書). In many places it is sent as non-forwarding mail, so if you move and don’t update your address, you can miss it.

Item	Amount/count	Source/as-of date
When first-time residents may receive the notice/form after resident registration	About 3 weeks	Fukuoka City foreign resident guide (published 2025; accessed Mar 2026)
Typical time from application to issuance notice postcard	About 1–2 months (varies by municipality)	Fukuoka City guide + Shinjuku City guide (accessed Mar 2026)
Renewal window for card/certificates	From 3 months before expiry	Digital Agency (Dec 2025 page; accessed Mar 2026)

Reservations: common in big cities

Many large wards/cities require a reservation, and your issuance notice usually explains how to book (online or by phone). Shinjuku’s guide explicitly states you follow enclosed instructions and make a reservation, then the applicant must go in person at the reserved time.

Pickup day checklist (what you usually need)

• Issuance notice postcard (交付通知書). If you lost it, the official FAQ says to ask your municipality to reissue it.
• Identity documents (requirements vary by municipality—your notice will list what’s acceptable).
• Residence card / Special Permanent Resident Certificate (commonly required for foreign residents).
• Be ready to set PINs (and ideally decide them in advance).

PINs you’ll set (don’t wing this at the counter)

Different functions use different PINs. Municipal and national materials commonly describe a 4-digit PIN and a 6–16 character alphanumeric PIN for the signature certificate.

Item	Amount/count	Source/as-of date
User identification / basic functions PIN	4-digit number	Digital Agency FAQ + municipal guides (accessed Mar 2026)
Signature electronic certificate PIN	6–16 characters (uppercase letters + numbers)	J-LIS FAQ / Digital Agency (accessed Mar 2026)
Lockout threshold (signature / user ID)	5 tries / 3 tries	Hamamatsu City digital certificate guide (published 2025; accessed Mar 2026)

Foreigner-specific traps: visa-linked expiry, “not automatic” updates, and the 2-month temporary extension

This is the part that causes the most avoidable pain for foreign residents: your My Number Card validity may be linked to your residence card (period of stay), and it does not update automatically when Immigration extends your stay.

Trap 1: “My card expired even though my visa was renewed”

Municipal English guides clearly warn: the card validity for foreign nationals can be the same as your residence card, and you should go to your ward/city office before the My Number Card validity date to extend it after your residence card is renewed.

Trap 2: The “special period” + 2-month extension (while Immigration is processing)

If your residence card renewal is in progress and your My Number Card would expire first, some municipalities describe a 2-month special extension option. For example, guidance shows you may bring proof such as a residence card stamped “application in process” or a printed email from the online system, and extend the My Number Card validity by 2 months.

Trap 3: 2026 online-Immigration consequences if you don’t extend

The Immigration Services Agency warns that from January 2026, if you apply for a period-of-stay extension or a change of status and then enter the special period without extending your My Number Card validity by the residence deadline, you may lose the ability to submit additional documents online (for the “foreigner” user category).

Practical rule: treat My Number Card validity like a separate task after visa renewal—just like updating your bank, employer, and other systems.

Not sure how to explain your situation or what proof to bring? Ask on LO-PAL.

Renewals in 2026: card vs. electronic certificates (what expires when, what’s free)

There are two different expirations to manage: the card body and the electronic certificates. The Digital Agency explains the card body’s longer cycle (security/face photo updates) and the electronic certificates’ shorter cycle (encryption/security).

Item	Amount/count	Source/as-of date
My Number Card body validity (general rule)	10 years (and shorter for minors)	Digital Agency (Dec 2025; accessed Mar 2026)
Electronic certificate validity	5 years	Digital Agency (Dec 2025; accessed Mar 2026)
Foreign residents (many statuses): card validity tied to residence card	Same as period of stay (requires municipal update after renewal)	Hamamatsu + Fukuoka municipal guidance (accessed Mar 2026)
Special extension while visa renewal processing	2 months (with proof)	Hamamatsu + municipal flow sheet example (accessed Mar 2026)
Renewal window (card/certificates)	From 3 months before expiry	Digital Agency (Dec 2025; accessed Mar 2026)

What’s free (and what costs money)

The Digital Agency states renewal of the My Number Card and electronic certificates due to expiry is free. Reissuance due to loss/damage usually costs money, commonly shown as 800 yen for the card plus 200 yen for electronic certificates (1,000 yen total if both).

Item	Amount/count	Source/as-of date
First issuance (standard application)	0 yen	Digital Agency (Dec 2025; accessed Mar 2026)
Renewal due to expiry (card body / electronic certificates)	0 yen	Digital Agency (Dec 2025; accessed Mar 2026)
Reissuance (loss/damage) – card	800 yen	Kobe City fee page (published 2026; accessed Mar 2026)
Reissuance (loss/damage) – electronic certificates	200 yen	Inagi City (English) + municipal FAQs (accessed Mar 2026)

One more “hidden” invalidation: name/address changes

Some municipal guidance notes that when you change your name or address (move/marriage), the signature electronic certificate may become unusable and you should reissue it during the related procedures; the user identification certificate may not be affected the same way. The safest approach: whenever you do a move-in/out or name change at city hall, ask them to confirm your electronic certificate status.

City-by-city practical notes (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka): reservations, support centers, languages

The national process is the same, but your lived experience changes a lot depending on the city: whether reservations are required, whether staff can support applications, and whether there’s multilingual help.

Tokyo (example: Shinjuku Ward)

In central Tokyo wards, reservations are common and pickup instructions are strict. Shinjuku’s English guide states: (1) online application requires an application form ID (23 digits), (2) if you don’t have an ID/QR form you can request one at the municipal counter with identification, and (3) you receive an issuance notification and then reserve pickup online/by phone.

If you’re in Yokohama (Kanagawa), I wrote a Yokohama-specific companion piece with local reservation/pickup quirks here: Yokohama My Number Card Application for Foreigners (2026 Guide).

Osaka City

Osaka City operates a My Number Card pop-up / on-site application support service. Their official English Q&A states that if you have the required ID documents, your My Number Card may be mailed about one month after you apply; if you don’t have the required documents, you’ll receive a notice and pick up at the listed government office.

Start here: City of Osaka My Number Card Pop-up Application Service (English).

Fukuoka City

Fukuoka City has a clear English page that explains how to apply and receive the card, including a temporary service center option and multilingual support.

• Fukuoka City English guide: How to apply for and collect your My Number card.
• Multilingual support line for ward offices: 092-753-6113 (languages listed include English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali and more; weekdays).
• Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents: 092-262-1799 (weekdays).

What’s new in 2026: the upcoming Tokutei Zairyū Card (integrated option) and whether to wait

You’ll see a lot of talk in 2026 about an integrated option often described in English as a “Specified Residence Card” and in Japanese as 特定在留カード—an integrated credential combining residence-card functions and My Number functions.

What’s official at the law/policy level: the 2024 Immigration law amendments include creating a framework for a special integrated card (特定在留カード等) for eligible mid-to-long-term residents / special permanent residents recorded on the resident register, with procedures that can be handled at Immigration offices or municipalities.

What’s being reported as the planned rollout: major immigration law firms and professional summaries report the integrated card is expected to be effective June 14, 2026, and describe it as voluntary/optional at launch for eligible foreign nationals.

Should you wait?

• Don’t wait if you need the My Number Card now for convenience-store certificates, health insurance usage, e-Tax, Mynaportal, or online administrative procedures. Your “today” card is still the easiest path to those services.
• Consider waiting only if you are (a) renewing/reissuing your residence card around the planned rollout window and (b) you’re comfortable with an integrated “single point of failure” document.
• Either way, don’t ignore validity management in 2026: the Immigration Services Agency’s January 2026 notice about online system limitations during the special period makes it even more important to keep your My Number Card validity properly extended.

My practical advice: unless you have a strong reason to wait, apply for the standard My Number Card now, then reassess the integrated option when it becomes concrete in your city and at your Immigration office.

LO-PAL help scripts: what to ask at the counter

If you can only say a few sentences, that's enough—what matters is using the right keywords so staff route you to the right counter. Below are phrases I recommend (polite, simple, and widely understood).

At city hall / ward office (application + lost form)

• マイナンバーカードを申請したいです (Mai nanbaa kaado o shinsei shitai desu) — I would like to apply for a My Number Card.
• 申請書を紛失しました。23桁のIDで再発行できますか？ (Shinseisho o funshitsu shimashita. Nijuusan-keta no ID de saihakkou dekimasu ka?) — I lost my application form. Can you reissue it with the 23-digit ID?
• 窓口で申請のサポートをお願いしたいです (Madoguchi de shinsei no sapooto o onegai shitai desu) — I would like help with the application at the counter.

After visa renewal (validity extension / 2-month special extension)

• 在留カードを更新しました。マイナンバーカードの有効期限も延長したいです (Zairyuu kaado o koushin shimashita. Mai nanbaa kaado no yuukou kigen mo enchou shitai desu) — I renewed my residence card. I would like to extend my My Number Card validity too.
• 在留期間の更新申請中です。2ヶ月の特例延長はできますか？ (Zairyuu kikan no koushin shinsei-chuu desu. Ni-kagetsu no tokurei enchou wa dekimasu ka?) — My visa renewal is being processed. Can I get a 2-month special extension?

Electronic certificate renewal

• 電子証明書を更新したいです (Denshi shoumeisho o koushin shitai desu) — I would like to renew my electronic certificates.

Don't risk taking time off work only to be sent home because of a missing document or language barrier. Book a local Japanese helper on LO-PAL to accompany you to the city hall, translate at the counter, and get it done on the first try.

Related Articles

• Residence Card Renewal Japan: Zairyu Card Updates & 14‑Day Rule
• Residence Card Renewal in Japan (2026): Online & Appointment Guide
• My Number Card on iPhone Japan (2026): Setup & Fixes

Need More Help? Ask on LO-PAL

If you want help in plain English (or your language) before you go to city hall, use LO-PAL. Post your question or request, and local Japanese helpers in your area can guide you through the exact counter, phrases, and checklist.