Lost your residence card in Japan: what to do within 14 days

If you lost your residence card in Japan, report it to the police first, then apply for a new card at the immigration office for your address within 14 days of noticing the loss. As of October 2026 the reissue is free and the new card is issued the same day in principle. If you noticed the loss while abroad, the 14 days start on the day you enter Japan again. The rule is in Article 19-12 of the Immigration Control Act (入管法), per the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA).

The rule is the same for every mid- to long-term resident (中長期在留者): work visas, students, spouses and permanent residents alike.

What to do, step by step

1. Report it to the police

ISA needs the police report receipt number for any loss or theft. If you lost the card, file a lost property report at a police box or police station. The National Police Agency says many prefectures also accept the report online through a police portal, but online reports can take time to be accepted. If you are in a hurry, go in person.

If the card was stolen, say so: ISA’s form covers loss and theft. If the police won’t take a report for your case, you write that in your loss statement instead. If the card was destroyed in a fire or disaster, bring a disaster certificate (り災証明書) instead of a police number.

2. Gather the documents

ISA’s checklist for a reissue after loss (紛失等による在留カードの再交付申請):

All forms are on the ISA procedure page. They are in Japanese. If your Japanese is limited, call the Immigration Services Information Center (外国人在留総合インフォメーションセンター) on 0570-013904.

3. Apply at immigration

Go to the regional immigration office (地方出入国在留管理官署) with jurisdiction over your address. Reception is on weekdays, 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00, but some offices set particular days or hours, so check before you go.

There is no fee. The card is issued the same day in principle. If it isn’t ready, you come back later with the application receipt slip, your passport and ID.

Can someone go for you? Only in limited cases. A relative aged 16 or over who lives with you can apply if you are under 16, ill (with a medical certificate) or otherwise unable to come, or at your request with a letter of attorney (委任状). An approved staff member of your employer or school, or a registered immigration lawyer or gyoseishoshi (行政書士), can also submit it for you. ISA says being busy with work, commuting or school is not a reason you can’t come.

What if you lost your residence card abroad?

The 14-day deadline starts on the first day you enter Japan after learning of the loss, not on the day you lost it. Article 19-12 says so directly. Apply at your immigration office within 14 days of landing.

Coming back is the harder part. Your re-entry rests on your re-entry permit or special re-entry permit (みなし再入国許可). If you have no document showing you can re-enter, ISA lets a relative living with you, or someone holding your letter of attorney, apply in Japan for a certificate of your re-entry permit’s expiry (再入国許可期限証明願). The letter of attorney can be sent by fax. Details are in our re-entry permit guide.

Lost a combined My Number residence card (特定在留カード)?

Since 14 June 2026 you can hold a specific residence card (特定在留カード), which works as both your residence card and your My Number card. ISA says losing it needs both procedures:

1. My Number side: suspend the card at once. Call the My Number general free dial on 0120-95-0178, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
2. Residence card side: report it to the nearest police, then promptly apply for a reissue after loss at the immigration office for your address.

You first get an ordinary residence card, not a combined one. To switch back, you apply for an exchange (交換希望による在留カードの再交付申請) together with a new combined card application. That switch usually costs ¥1,900 in revenue stamps (収入印紙) plus a fee to J-LIS (地方公共団体情報システム機構) of ¥600, or ¥800 with electronic certificates. It is free if you lost the card in a natural disaster or for another reason that wasn’t your fault, and you apply on the day your replacement card is issued. A combined card takes about 10 days longer to issue than an ordinary card. More on fees and timing is in My Number card for foreigners.

Penalties: carrying the card and missing the deadline

Article 23 of the Immigration Control Act says mid- to long-term residents must always carry their residence card and show it when asked by immigration officers, police officers and certain other officials on duty. The penalties, as written in the law:

These are the maximums the law allows, not what happens in every case. If you have already missed the 14 days, apply anyway and attach the reason letter ISA asks for. If you are worried about how a late application or a police stop affects your status, talk to a gyoseishoshi or an immigration lawyer.

What happens to your old card and its number?

Your old card stops being valid when the new card is issued (Article 19-14). If you find it later, return it to immigration within 14 days of finding it.

ISA runs a public online lookup (在留カード等番号失効情報照会) where anyone, such as an employer or landlord, can check whether a card number has lapsed. It exists partly because forged cards using real card numbers have appeared. Once the new card is issued, the lost card’s number should show as invalid there, which makes the old card harder to misuse.

After you get the new card, show it to anyone who keeps a copy of your residence card, such as your employer, school, bank or phone company, so their records match. If you think your card was stolen for fraud, read scams targeting foreigners in Japan.

More guides: re-entry permit · visa renewal · My Number card for foreigners · emergency numbers in Japan