Residence card and My Number card can now be combined into one: the Specified Residence Card

What changed

From June 14, 2026 the residence card (在留カード) can be integrated with the My Number card into one card, called the Specified Residence Card (特定在留カード). Special permanent residents can do the same with a Specified Special Permanent Resident Certificate (特定特別永住者証明書).

Is it required?

No. City guidance says integration is optional. You can keep a residence card and a My Number card separately, as before.

Who can apply, and where

Mid- to long-term residents (those staying more than 3 months) and special permanent residents who are on the resident register. According to Kagoshima City:

• Residence card: apply at a regional immigration office together with a renewal, change of status or permanent residency application, or at the city hall when you register or change your address.
• Special permanent resident certificate: city hall only.
• The IC chip has to be rewritten, so allow extra time, and bring ID. Counters on the second Sunday and fourth Saturday My Number openings do not take these applications.

Fees and a warning

From October 1, 2026, the city says applications made together with an address change need no fee. Other procedures may still cost money, so check the Immigration Services Agency page. A Niigata Prefecture page warns that if you use a My Number driver’s licence, switching to a Specified Residence Card does not carry over the licence information.

What to check

Decide whether one card is worth it for you. If you change address soon, applying at the city hall counter is the easiest time. Ask your ward office (区役所) what to bring.