Im a student and I realized today (Friday) that I have officially lost my residence card and I am flying/leaving Japan on Sunday morning.
I believe I lost it at my local city hall when I was changing my address.
My currently plan is to ditch the fight which I’ll lose a lot of money, head to koban to fill for a missing report document, and head to my local immigration place on Monday when they open to apply for a new residence card, then rebook my flights. I doubt the city hall still has my residence card since it’s been a week.
However, I was looking through Reddit and I saw a post where someone was able to leave japan without their residence card (not sure about them entering), which left me wondering…
Am I able to leave and enter japan without the residence card and deal with it when I come back?
If yes that would be great cause it’ll save me a lot of time and money.
12 comments
I forgot my residence card once at family mart. The cashier handover it to koban, I had to visit the head/ward police office to get it back.
It was quick and I just need to prove them that card is by fine by giving my details on the card.
does your city hall have weekend hours?
I lost mine. Never found it. I filed a police report and got a replacement. Getting a replacement is a fairly painless process. I got it the same day I went into immigration.
Can’t you just fly with a passport?
Could you possibly go to the Japanese embassy of the place you are flying to? I’m sure some people lose their zairyu card while abroad and run into this issue. If you have it, bring photocopies of the lost card. I don’t think the Japanese embassy can give you a new Zairyu card, but maybe they can help get you back in.
I think it depends a bit on where you are going and for how long.
I once years ago, forgot my residence card in another wallet at home and only realized after a 2+ hr trek to Narita. I went to check in and like an idiot I presented my license instead and was just so tired it didn’t click for a good half minute. Proceeded to panic a little bit that there was no way I’d be able to get it and be back in time. The staff pitied my dumb ass and let immigration know, and when I got to immigration I filled out a form with the card details (luckily I had a photo of it on my phone) and declared that it wasn’t lost but I’d forgotten it. Had no issues making it on to the flight and getting back in to the country. I don’t know if this is the standard process or if I was just lucky, but the fact they had the printed form seems to indicate it happens often enough. Just make sure to get there a bit earlier as it took about an extra 45min to an hour I think for it to all get sorted.
From memory there was an option on the form to say it was lost, I’m assuming it would be best to have some paperwork from the police to back up that you’ve reported it lost if you didn’t literally lose it on the way to the airport (perhaps someone can give more details here if they’ve had to do this?).
My son took my residence card from my wallet just as I was about to leave for a business trip to the Philippines. Got to the airport and panicked when the lady asked for it and I realised it wasn’t there. I can’t remember the exact procedure, but she walked me through customs and I was given a slip of paper inside my passport. Left and got home fine. Found my residence card inside my son’s toy box.
Probably best to contact immigration and see what they have to say, rather than listen to the wildly different answers you’ll get here (including mine), and then make rash decisions based on them.
Friend of mine lost it on the day before her flight. Still was able to fly home without it.
She went to police station, filled out a document that she could then show at the airport instead of her residence card, and that was it. Still took time but since police is open on weekend, should work out for you.
Above is for when you want to leave for good, not sure about re entry. Would still consult with police.
GF and I were flying out of Osaka before and she realized she forgot her ID at home. The flight staff told her about a stamp she could get before going through immigration that basically said she has a valid visa but lost the ID and couldn’t get a new one before the flight. Not sure what the office was but it was inside a convenience store which surprised us. Can’t remember the price but I think it was ¥3000.
I did this about 10 years ago. I went to the airport *very early* with the report from the koban and explained myself at passport control (where you fill out the little card that they staple into your passport) and they took care of it. They might have stapled something else in my passport, I can’t remember, but I was allowed back in.
One major difference now is that you’re more likely to be asked for your card before your *return* flight. If you’re concerned, ask the passport control people what to do in that situation.
And when you get your new card, scan it and keep a copy on your computer! (Leaving now to follow my own advice…….)
I forgot my card several years ago and debated going home to pick it up as I had a few hours before the flight and it would have been easy but not cheap as the flight was from Haneda. The airline staff weren’t concerned and told me that I could depart and they would inform the staff at the return airport that I was a resident but didn’t have my card. On the return they asked for my residence card and I told them to check the notes as I didn’t have it. It did take a few minutes but they found the notes and let me check in. Immigration at Haneda was thankfully smooth
There must a way back into the country if you lose it while traveling. Don’t worry too much. Are you from a country where you can enter Japan as a tourist without a visa?