00 | Studying in Japan #0: What to Do After Arriving — A Complete Overview of the Paperwork
00 | Studying in Japan #0: What to Do After Arriving — A Complete Overview of the Paperwork
Whether you move to Japan to study or to work, the first few weeks after arrival usually go on a lot of administrative procedures. These procedures have a strict order: often you cannot do the next one until the previous one is done. Understanding the whole process before you leave greatly reduces the scramble after you land.
This post is the overview of the whole series, listing each procedure in the right order for easy reference.
Important: Settle the Spelling of Your English Name First
Before starting any procedure, there is one thing you need to decide first: how your name is spelled in English.
It may sound trivial, but it really matters. Once Japan's administrative systems register your name on one document, every later document uses the same spelling. The spelling on your passport, on your residence card, on your bank account and on your credit card must all match exactly. If carelessness or a snap decision in the early procedures leads to different spellings on different documents (for example CHAN on the passport and CHEN at the bank, or your names in a different order), fixing it later is quite a hassle and can even affect your eligibility for some financial services.
I recommend confirming your full English name exactly as it appears on your passport before you arrive in Japan, and using it consistently throughout.
The Full Process
Step 1: Collect Your Residence Card at the Airport
When you enter Japan, after passing immigration the officer issues your residence card (在留カード) on the spot. This card is the core proof of your status in Japan, and almost every later procedure requires it.
Note that at this point the address field on the card says "not yet determined"; it is only updated after you register your address in the next step.
Step 2: Register Your Address at the Ward Office (転入手続き)
Once you reach your home, go to the local ward office (区役所) as soon as possible to register your move-in, formally recording your address on your residence card. This is the foundation of the whole process: without a registered address, many later procedures cannot go ahead.
Bring your passport, residence card and confirmed address. Afterwards, the staff will write your address on the back of your residence card.
Step 3: Join National Health Insurance
After your move-in registration, ward office staff usually explain National Health Insurance and help you enrol. The insurance card arrives by post a few weeks later, so keep an eye on your mailbox.
Step 4: Apply for a National Pension Premium Exemption
Also at the ward office, you can apply at the National Pension counter for a full premium exemption. International students usually qualify because they have no income. Just tell the staff you are a student with no current income and submit the application.
Steps 2 to 4 can usually all be done at the ward office on the same day; set aside half a day to a full day.
Step 5: Get a Japanese Phone Number
After the ward office, the next step is to visit a mobile carrier's shop and get a local Japanese phone number. Common choices include low-cost plans such as Rakuten Mobile (楽天モバイル).
You need to show your residence card and link a credit card for the monthly bill. A phone number is required for opening a bank account and for all sorts of online services, so get one as early as possible.
Step 6: Open a Bank Account
With a Japanese phone number, you can apply for a bank account. For newly arrived students, Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) is the easiest first choice, and you can now open an account online through its smartphone app without visiting a counter.
Once approved, your cash card arrives by post. When it arrives, I recommend also getting a passbook (通帳) issued, because some institutions in Japan still ask for one.
Step 7: Apply for Credit Cards, PayPay and Other Financial Services
Once you have a bank account and a Japanese phone number, you can start applying for financial and payment services:
- PayPay: the most widely used mobile payment app in Japan, accepted almost everywhere and practically essential for daily life. You need a Japanese phone number to verify it.
- Credit cards: some cards aimed at foreigners (such as the Rakuten Card) are friendlier to students; try applying once your bank account is settled.
- Other services: such as PayPay Bank and various e-wallets, depending on what you need.
Process Overview
Collect your residence card at the airport
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Register your address at the ward office
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Join National Health Insurance (same day, at the ward office)
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Apply for a National Pension premium exemption (same day, at the ward office)
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Get a Japanese phone number
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Open a bank account (Japan Post Bank)
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Apply for PayPay, credit cards and other financial services
Summary
The whole process is interlinked, with each step building on the one before. If the documents for any step are incomplete or there is a problem with how your name is spelled, later procedures can be blocked, or even have to be redone.
I recommend getting all your documents in order before you leave, confirming the standard spelling of your English name, and setting aside the first one to two weeks after arrival for this paperwork. It is tedious, but once it is all done, life in Japan can properly begin, with far fewer worries.
Later posts in the series explain each step in more detail; feel free to read them alongside this one.