Police Clearance Certificate in Yokohama (Kanagawa): How to Apply (2026)

Information current as of March 2026, based on the Kanagawa Prefectural Police official guidance page “POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE” (page updated January 6, 2025).

Hi, I’m Taku Kanaya. In my legal affairs work in Japan, I’ve seen the same problem again and again: people take time off, show up with only a passport, and then get turned away because Japan issues a police clearance certificate only when a foreign government/immigration authority actually requires it.

This guide is intentionally focused on the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters desk in Yokohama—what the counter wants to see as “necessity,” what documents work (yes, printed emails), and how to plan the two-trip timeline with minimal stress.

Item	Amount/Count	Source / as-of date
Application fee	Free	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)
Counter hours (applications)	Mon–Fri 9:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:00	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)
Appointment	Not required	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)
Time at the counter (excluding queue)	About 15 minutes	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)
Issuance timing	About 1 week (longer if a national holiday falls in the week)	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)
Pickup on issuance day	13:00–16:00 only (then normal office hours from the next day)	Kanagawa Prefectural Police (updated 2025-01-06)

First: confirm you’re eligible (Kanagawa resident vs. last address in Kanagawa)

Before you print anything, make sure you qualify to apply in Kanagawa. This is the part that trips up people who moved prefectures, or who already left Japan.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police states you may apply for the certificate if (1) you are being asked to submit it by a foreign destination-country authority (embassy/consulate/immigration), and (2) you meet one of these residency conditions:

• You are currently registered as a resident in Kanagawa Prefecture, or
• You live outside Japan and your last resident registration in Japan was in Kanagawa Prefecture (no longer registered).

That’s why this certificate is not something you can usually get “just in case.” The Kanagawa police also notes they may ask you to contact another administrative agency first depending on your destination and reason. If your case is unusual, call them before you go.

If you live in another prefecture now: you generally apply at the prefectural police headquarters that covers your current resident registration (not Kanagawa). This article is specifically for the Kanagawa police clearance certificate route in Yokohama.

If you’re applying from outside Japan: Kanagawa explains you can apply via a Japanese embassy/consulate in your country of residence, and if you apply abroad you cannot apply dually in Japan. See the same official guidance page for the “Applying from outside Japan” note: Kanagawa Prefectural Police (English).

What to bring (passport + address proof + “necessity” proof—printed emails count)

Think of your document set as three buckets. You need all three or you risk a wasted trip.

Bucket 1: Your passport (original)

• Bring your valid, original passport (no copies). Kanagawa warns you cannot apply with a copy of your passport or identity documents.
• If your name changed and your passport needs renewal/updates, do that before applying.

Bucket 2: One document proving your name + Kanagawa address

For foreign nationals who are Kanagawa residents, Kanagawa lists items such as:

• Jūminhyō (住民票, じゅうみんひょう) — Certificate of Residence issued within the last 6 months, or
• Zairyū card (在留カード, ざいりゅうカード) — Residence Card, or
• Special Permanent Resident Certificate (特別永住者証明書, とくべつえいじゅうしゃしょうめいしょ), or
• My Number Card (マイナンバーカード, Mainanbā kādo).

If you’re using a jūminhyō and you’re in Yokohama, you may be able to get it outside standard weekday hours through the city’s Administrative Service Corners (last updated March 1, 2026), depending on your situation.

Bucket 3 (the one people miss): “Necessity” proof (printed)

This is the key to getting your Yokohama police certificate for visa or overseas job process approved. Kanagawa explicitly says: if your “necessity” documents are emails, print them out and bring a physical copy. Source: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

In practice, the counter is trying to confirm: Which authority requires it, why it’s required, and that you (the applicant) are the person being required to submit it. I recommend printing more than you think you need (email + any attached instructions/checklists + your application page that shows your name/case number).

Examples Kanagawa itself gives (very useful):

• Overseas job: a visa application form or other application form submitted to the government agency requiring it (with your name on it), plus assignment letter/contract/acceptance letter/invitation letter.
• Accompanying a family member: the relevant visa form plus a document showing you as accompanying family, or an issuance request from an embassy.
• United States (immigrant / permanent residency / fiancé(e) visas): a physical copy of an email/letter from the U.S. Embassy in Japan or the U.S. National Visa Center that states your name and case number.
• Other cases: physical copy of your visa application form, or a request letter / letters from embassies in Japan.

My “necessity” proof checklist (quick sanity check):

• Does it clearly show a government/immigration office is asking for it (not just a casual request)?
• Does it include your name (and ideally a case/application number)?
• Does it indicate the destination country and the purpose (visa, immigration, work authorization)?
• Is it printed (not just on your phone)?

Not sure whether your email or portal screenshot counts as “necessity”? Ask on LO-PAL.

Japanese term note (for forms and asking staff): In Kanagawa, this certificate is commonly referred to as Hanzai keireki shōmeisho (犯罪経歴証明書, はんざいけいれきしょうめいしょ). You may also see “hanzai keireki shomeisho Kanagawa” used online as a search term.

Where to go in Yokohama + what happens at the counter (fingerprints, no appointment, timing)

Kanagawa is very clear: you cannot apply at a police station. You must go to the Prefectural Police HQ building in Yokohama.

Office (application location): Police Certificate Desk, Identification Division (1st Floor), Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters, 2-4 Kaigandori, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0002. Official location details are on Kanagawa’s police clearance page.

Japanese desk name (helpful if you ask inside the building): Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters Criminal Department Identification Division — Police Clearance Certificate Reception (Japanese: 神奈川県警察本部 刑事部 鑑識課 犯罪経歴証明書受付, かながわけんけいさつほんぶ けいじぶ かんしきか はんざいけいれきしょうめいしょ うけつけ). The Japanese page lists this exact wording: Kanagawa Prefectural Police (Japanese).

How to get there (walking): Kanagawa lists JR Kannai as about a 10-minute walk, and Nihon-Ōdōri/Bashamichi as about 5 minutes. See the access/map page: Location of Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters.

What happens at the counter (typical flow):

1. Staff checks your passport, address proof, and the printed “necessity” documents.
2. You fill out the application form (you can pre-fill and bring it, or do it there). The official Kanagawa form is here: Application Form (PDF).
3. They take your fingerprints. Kanagawa states the applicant must apply in person because fingerprints are required, and they cannot accept a proxy application.
4. You receive an application receipt and instructions for pickup.

Timing: Kanagawa says the in-office procedure takes about 15 minutes (excluding queuing time) and that no appointment is needed. Source: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

Exact phrases you can say (Japanese + romaji + meaning):

• 犯罪経歴証明書を申請したいです。 (Hanzai keireki shōmeisho o shinsei shitai desu.) — I would like to apply for a police clearance certificate.
• ビザの申請で必要と言われました。 (Biza no shinsei de hitsuyō to iwaremashita.) — I was told it’s required for my visa application.
• 必要性が確認できるメールを印刷して持ってきました。 (Hitsuyōsei ga kakunin dekiru mēru o insatsu shite motte kimashita.) — I printed the email that confirms it’s required.
• 窓口はどこですか。 (Madoguchi wa doko desu ka.) — Where is the counter?

Name-matching tip: Kanagawa warns that foreign nationals must write their name on the application form exactly as it appears in the passport. If you regularly run into middle-name/spacing issues in Japan, read our middle name mismatch playbook before you print and fill the form.

If your documents are unusual, call first: Kanagawa’s contact number is 045-211-1212 (switchboard). The police certificate section is reachable weekdays 8:30–17:15 for inquiries per the official page: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

Useful phone phrase: 犯罪経歴証明書の必要書類について確認したいです。 (Hanzai keireki shōmeisho no hitsuyō shorui ni tsuite kakunin shitai desu.) — I’d like to confirm the required documents for the police clearance certificate.

Pickup rules (in-person only), proxies, and what to do if your docs are unclear (LO-PAL help)

The second trip is where you save the most stress by planning ahead. Kanagawa’s process is fast—but it’s also strict on pickup rules.

Pickup timing: Kanagawa states the certificate is available about a week after application (longer if a national holiday falls in that week). You can’t receive it by mail, and applicants must come in person to receive it. Source: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

Pickup hours nuance (easy to miss): On the issuance day, pickup is 13:00–16:00 only; from the following day, pickup is available during the normal office hours. This is also on the official page: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

Proxy pickup (possible, but you must set it up correctly): Kanagawa allows proxy pickup if you inform them at the time of application. The proxy needs:

• Application receipt (given to you when you apply)
• Applicant’s passport (a copy of the headshot page is acceptable)
• Proxy’s ID showing name and current address
• A letter of proxy. Kanagawa provides the template here: Letter of Proxy (PDF)

What to do if your “necessity” docs are unclear: Kanagawa’s own guidance says that if your case is different from the listed examples or you’re not sure what to bring, you should contact the police HQ beforehand by phone. If the email doesn’t clearly show your name/case number, print the page(s) that do, and bring additional supporting pages (official checklist pages, portal screens, or the visa application form page that contains your full name).

Real experiences from foreigners (for context)

These are personal accounts shared publicly online. They’re not official instructions, and individual experiences may vary—but they highlight the same “necessity proof” pain point.

One foreign resident shared on Reddit that they succeeded by bringing extra printed proof, not just a passport:

“I got one at the police HQ … using a printout of a website … and email from a service rep confirming I need one.”

Source: Reddit discussion

Another person described the common panic when they think they need a specific embassy “request letter”:

“I need a letter of request from US embassy … I email the US embassy and they don’t entertain those kinds of request.”

Source: Reddit discussion

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I apply with only my passport?
A: Usually no. Kanagawa requires your passport plus an address/name document and printed “necessity” proof. See the required items list on the official Kanagawa page.

Q: Do I need an appointment at Kanagawa Prefectural Police HQ?
A: No appointment is required, according to Kanagawa Prefectural Police. Go during the stated weekday hours.

Q: Can someone apply on my behalf?
A: No. Kanagawa states they cannot accept a proxy’s application because fingerprints are required. Source: Kanagawa Prefectural Police.

Q: Can someone pick it up for me?
A: Yes, proxy pickup can be possible if you inform them at application time and your proxy brings the required documents listed on Kanagawa’s official page.

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Need More Help? Ask on LO-PAL

If you don’t want to risk taking time off work only to be sent home for a missing “necessity” document, use LO-PAL to book a local Japanese helper. We can sanity-check your document set and accompany you to the Kanagawa Prefectural Police HQ counter in Yokohama to help you get it done on the first try.