Mostly, I find it a little bit annoying how much admin stuff one has to do when changing or updating anything here. New residence card (same status)? Well, time to visit the town office, post office, bank. Moving somewhere? Old town office, new town office, bank, post office, immigration. New job, same field? Pretty much the works. Passport got renewed, same deal.
I understand it’s important, but sometimes it feels a little bit excessive. I imagine a lot of these visits could be made obsolete if they shared databases. At the very least I wish the various government organizations shared information.
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I think that depends on your visa type.
I’m long-term 3rd gen japanese and I only need to visit town office. bank? I update my address online. Post office? Also online. immigration? not applicable to me since I dont have any restriction.
I think in theory, the Myna card is supposed to take care of it all, but it has still been slow to implement.
Why did you have to do anything for a renewed residence card and passport?
The moving home thing is common sense, and would be the same everywhere. Also, I haven’t moved for years, but isn’t a change of address on your residence card city hall, not immigration?
EDIT – should add, that the amount of paperwork here (as in literal paper) is annoying as hell though. Better to move it all online.
I can totally relate with this, but for my bank account I can update my address online so that’s one less place to visit. Also fyi you don’t need to tell immigration if you moved residence, because your 在留カード (which is something you obtain from the immigration) gets updated at the city hall.
But then I also have a driving license so that’s +1 trip to the police station (NOT koban), making it a net zero.
While what you mentioned is understandable I think the ones that are ‘really’ need to be done are:
1. The residence change reporting to the city hall (getting the move out/in registration).
2. Reporting to immigration for changing jobs.
The rest are not a requirement per se but can be a hassle as you mentioned but then again as others have mentioned, you can do them online/calling the banks/post office. I’m actually doing mine for multiple banks rn, and yeah it is a hassle but since I don’t need to come in in person that’s somewhat okay. City hall move out/in is my top pet peeves tbh.
Residence card and Passports?? That’s new to me. Renewed passport 3x in Japan and residence card once and didn’t report to any. For this, did authorities (City hall etc.) actually contacted you to report this? Genuine question.
Data sharing is deliberately limited due to Japan’s previous experience with fascism.
This is why public servants such as the police must ask your permission to write down the details on your zairyu card, they cannot simply call immigration to get that information, because it is private.
Likewise where other agencies interface. They need permission to get your information.
It would be madness to give private information to people who don’t need it, such as random hotel staff, as there’s no way of knowing what they will do with it.
It’s a pain in the arse, but freedom is not without cost, or something like that.
I mean this is pretty much standard anywhere in the world.. only updating immigration is extra.
Wouldn’t you update your bank back home too? Or register your new address with the city?
I had to do all/most of these things too when moving in Europe and US/Canada
I mean this is pretty much standard anywhere in the world.. only updating immigration is extra.
Wouldn’t you update your bank back home too? Or register your new address with the city?
I had to do all/most of these things too when moving in Europe and US/Canada