Alien Registration Card

Losing Your Alien Registration Card

Foreigners in Japan must carry their alien registration card at all times. It is your only proof, aside from your passport, that you are in Japan legally. Getting caught without your card can result in fines up to 200,000 yen. If it is lost, report it as soon as possible (within 14 days) and begin the process to reissue another card. Below, is a short explanation of the process.

Notify the Police

Because your alien registration card is an opportunity government document, you will need to notify the police if it goes missing. Because the notice requires a police chief’s seal, smaller Kobans/police boxes cannot fill approve the requests. Therefore, you must go to one of the large police offices.  You can find a list of them here:

http://www.police.pref.okinawa.jp/shokai/keisatsusho/ps_okinawa/

The closest police office to OIST members living in the Onna-son area is the Ishikawa Police Office:

Address: 1 Chome-１-１ Ishikawa Agariyamamotomachi, Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture 904-1101

Phone:098-964-4110

At the police office, you will need to request a certificate of loss/stolen property, usually called “ishitsu-todoke/tounan-todoke shomeisho”遺失/盗難届証明書. It is advisable to check the police station’s hours to avoid coming during the Police Chiefs lunch hour. However, if you are short on time, it is possible to leave the notice at the station and pick it up the following day.

Visit the Immigration Office

After you have received the certificate of lost property, proceed to the Immigration Office as soon as possible. If you wait two weeks or long after receiving the certificate, you will have to fill out additional forms at the Immigration office. There are two offices on Okinawa’s main island:

Naha Immigration Office

Naha First Local Joint Government Bldg.,

1-15-15 Higawa, Naha City, Okinawa, 900-0022

Phone: 098-832-4185

Kadena Immigration Office:

290-9, Kadena, Rotary Bldg., Kadena-cho,

Nakagami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0203

Phone: (098)957-5252

For most OIST members, the closest Immigration in located in Kadena, which is open from 9-12 and 13-16.

At the Immigration office you will need to present your Passport and two identical photos (taken within the past six months, upper body shot, frontal view, no hat, no background scenery, 4.5 cm long x 3.5 cm wide).

If you have any questions, you can visit the Resource Center in the OIST village center Monday-Friday from 9:00-17:30.