# Docomo, au and SoftBank for foreign residents: contracts, ID and English support

URL: https://japanhow.com/phone-internet/mobile/docomo-au-softbank-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 27, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, docomo, au and SoftBank all sign foreign residents who bring a residence card and a foreign passport; permanent residents can skip the passport at docomo and SoftBank. docomo requires a credit card in your name with under 3 months of stay left, au with under 90 days. SoftBank refuses anyone with no status of residence. All three limit installments to your period of stay. English phone lines run 9am to 8pm at docomo and au, 10am to 7pm at SoftBank.

## Key facts

- Documents: Residence card + passport
- docomo card rule: Under 3 months left
- au card rule: Under 90 days left
- Our scores: None (unscored)

Docomo, au and SoftBank all sign every foreigner who lives in Japan. Bring your **residence card (在留カード)** and a **foreign passport**; permanent residents can skip the passport at docomo and SoftBank. With under **3 months** of stay left (docomo) or under **90 days** (au), you must pay by credit card in your own name. SoftBank cannot sign you if your card shows no status of residence. Rules are from carrier pages, as of October 2026.

We do not score these three. Our phone method scores monthly cost, and the big three sell unlimited plans whose prices depend on discounts. Scoring them would not be a fair comparison, so this page lists the rules side by side instead.

## What do docomo, au and SoftBank ask foreigners for?

| | docomo | au | SoftBank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documents | Residence card + foreign passport | Residence card + foreign passport | Residence card + foreign passport |
| Permanent residents | Residence card only | Page does not say | Residence card only (also Highly Skilled Professional (ii)) |
| Short stay left | Under 3 months: credit card in your name | Under 90 days: credit card in your name | Page gives no payment rule |
| Installments | May be unavailable if your stay is shorter than the contract | May be refused if your stay is shorter; no 60- or 72-payment plans for foreign residents | Not possible if your stay ends before the installment period |
| Address problems | Supporting document needed if you pay by passbook and seal | Supporting document if your card address says 未定 | 住民票 or utility receipt if your address differs from your ID |

A supporting document means a utility bill or certificate of residence (住民票) issued within the last 3 months. docomo does not ask for one if you pay by credit card or cash card. SoftBank accepts originals only. If your status is 資格なし (no status of residence), SoftBank cannot sign you.

Online sign-ups must in principle read the IC chip in your card since April 2026, and in-person contracts follow from April 2027, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省). Our [phone contract guide](/phone-internet/mobile/phone-contract-japan-foreigner/) covers documents, payment and the new residence cards in more detail.

## How much stay must be left on my residence card?

The carriers publish no single minimum for a basic contract. They publish payment and installment limits instead:

- **docomo:** under 3 months until your period of stay (在留期間) ends, or no residence card shown, means a credit card in your own name.
- **au:** under 90 days left means monthly fees only by credit card in your name.
- **SoftBank:** no payment limit on its ID page, but installments cannot run past your stay.

We did not find a minimum remaining stay for a basic contract at any of the three. If you are close to renewal, see our [visa renewal guide](/visa/visas/visa-renewal-japan/).

**Leaving Japan?:** SoftBank says that if you have already returned your residence card when leaving Japan, a foreign passport alone is accepted when you cancel. Docomo and au pages we checked do not state this.

## Can I pay without a Japanese credit card?

It depends on how long you will stay. Under the short-stay limits above, only a credit card in your own name works at docomo and au. Otherwise the ID pages list other methods: docomo lists credit card, cash card and passbook; au lists credit card, bank withdrawal and a payment slip at a counter (with a ¥583 handling fee per billing for individuals).

Bank withdrawal needs a Japanese bank account. See [bank accounts for foreigners](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/) and [credit cards for foreigners](/money/cards/credit-card-for-foreigners-japan/). If you have neither yet, a smaller provider may be easier; see [SIM cards for foreigners](/phone-internet/mobile/sim-card-for-foreigners-japan/).

## What English support do the three offer?

| | docomo | au | SoftBank |
|---|---|---|---|
| English phone line | 15770 from a docomo phone, 0120-005-250 from other phones | 0120-959-472 (157 from an au phone) | 157 then press 8 from a SoftBank phone; 0800-919-0157 from a landline |
| Hours | 9am to 8pm | 9am to 8pm | 10am to 7pm |
| Other languages | Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish | Not confirmed | Catalogs in Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Portuguese |
| In the shop | Phone interpreter at every shop, in shop hours | Not stated | Not stated |

All numbers are toll-free. docomo's failure, signal, loss and device-protection lines are Japanese only. At au, a lost or stolen phone call first reaches a Japanese operator, then is transferred to an interpreter. docomo's English page lists no English chat. au's English page says its chat supports English, Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese and Japanese, 10am to 7pm.

At a shop, say "I'd like to talk to an interpreter" (通訳をお願いします, tsūyaku o onegai shimasu). Bring your original residence card and passport.

## What do the plans cost?

Prices change often and depend on discounts, so treat these as list prices from each carrier's page on 27 October 2026, tax included:

| Carrier | Plan | Before discounts |
|---|---|---|
| docomo | ahamo 30GB | ¥2,970 |
| au | 使い放題MAX＋ (unlimited) | ¥7,788, ¥5,258 after discounts |
| SoftBank | テイガク無制限 (unlimited) | ¥8,008 |
| SoftBank | スマホデビュープラン＋ 20GB | ¥4,246 |

au's discounts include auスマートバリュー (¥1,100 off), which needs a qualifying home internet service at extra cost. docomo's English page shows ahamo only, and docomo says its monthly fees change from 1 December 2026, so check before you sign.

## Which is best for whom?

We do not rank them. What the rules say:

- **Permanent residents:** docomo and SoftBank need only your residence card.
- **Short stay left:** docomo (under 3 months) and au (under 90 days) require your own credit card. Have one, or consider a provider that takes foreign cards.
- **English by phone, longest hours:** docomo and au run 9am to 8pm; SoftBank 10am to 7pm.
- **Interpreter in the shop:** only docomo states this on its English page.

Already have a number? Read [how MNP works](/phone-internet/mobile/mnp-keep-number-japan/) before you cancel. If a shop refuses you, you can ask a consumer hotline (消費生活センター) or a licensed immigration specialist (行政書士) about your options.

## Questions people ask

### Can foreigners get a contract with docomo, au or SoftBank?

Yes. Bring your residence card (在留カード) and a foreign passport. At docomo and SoftBank, permanent residents need only the residence card. SoftBank cannot sign you if your card shows no status of residence (資格なし).

### Does docomo have English customer service?

Yes. The information center (15770 from a docomo phone, 0120-005-250 otherwise) answers 9am to 8pm in English, Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish. Every shop can also call an interpreter during opening hours. Failure and loss lines are Japanese only.

### Can I use SoftBank in English?

By phone, yes: call 157 from a SoftBank phone and press 8, or 0800-919-0157 from a landline, 10am to 7pm. SoftBank's English page does not mention English chat or shop help.

### Can I pay for docomo, au or SoftBank without a credit card?

Often, but not with a short stay left. docomo and au require a credit card in your own name if less than 3 months (docomo) or 90 days (au) remain on your stay. Otherwise the ID pages list other methods, such as cash card or bank withdrawal.

### Can I buy a phone on installments with a 1-year visa?

Probably not for long terms. All three say installments can be refused if your period of stay ends before the payment period, and au bars foreign residents from its 60- and 72-payment plans.

## Sources

- [ご来店時の本人確認書類](https://www.docomo.ne.jp/support/identification/), NTT docomo (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [Inquiries](https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/support/inquiry/), NTT docomo (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [Plans and charges](https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/charge/), NTT docomo (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [料金・割引](https://www.docomo.ne.jp/charge/), NTT docomo (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [au携帯電話お申し込みに必要なもの](https://www.au.com/support/service/mobile/procedure/preparation/), KDDI (au) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [au Customer Center](https://www.au.com/english/support/faq/customer-center/), KDDI (au) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [au 料金プラン](https://www.au.com/mobile/charge/), KDDI (au) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [本人確認書類](https://www.softbank.jp/shop/buy/id/), SoftBank (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [SoftBank Customer Support](https://www.softbank.jp/en/mobile/support/contact/), SoftBank (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [料金プラン](https://www.softbank.jp/mobile/price_plan/), SoftBank (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
- [携帯電話の本人確認ルール](https://www.soumu.go.jp/tokushusagi/id-check/), 総務省 (accessed Oct 20, 2026)