Resident Cards Acquired!
So on Tuesday my brother and I went to pickup our new resident cards! Long story short, we were only approved for another year, which please do not get me wrong is something we are truly appreciative for. But were hoping for a longer term extension, just to avoid having to do so much paperwork. BUT with renewed visas and new cards were pushing forward towards our goals and making every effort to explore further.
The process of getting our new cards was honestly painless. We got to the immigration office about ten minutes before they opened, signed into the building and went to the 7th floor. There we took a number and waited. We were 4th in line as some people got there earlier then we did.
After they called our number we presented our paperwork to them and waited for about 45 minutes and were done. Being honest we thought it was going to take A LOT longer. This was a pleasant surprise.
While in the waiting room we were talking and came to the conclusion that we should probably go to the town hall to update our resident cards as well. We had to originally register them with town hall when we moved so thought that would be a step we had to take now.
BUT it was not. Our address had been printed on the new resident card thus not requiring us to get it stamped on the back like before. I also updated our “My Number” cards as they expire the same time as our resident cards. This was also something I thought was going to take the whole day, but due to the lack of other people it was done in less then ten minutes.
I guess the lessons learned for us; is go to government offices on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Less people, not much of that “Monday” crowd. All in all we only spent an hour waiting. MUCH better then the 5 we had set aside.
In any case some pro - tip information for you all new to Japan:
Resident Cards or Zairyu Cards are your ID and proof of visa / address. You get them upon entry into the country with a valid visa (they print it at the airport). You need to register them with the town hall in the city you are moving to and need to carry them with you at all times.
Have extra “passport” size pictures of yourself when you move. So far I’ve needed 5 for the miscellaneous things we have applied for. And trust me, if you’re not prepared you’ll end up having a UGLY picture like I have on my “my number card”.
Wait till Tuesday or Wednesday to do government paperwork. It’s less likely to be busy. And go early in the morning. Any time after 10 will show an increase in people.
If you have family with you or a spouse have a Power of Attorney drafted and stamped. My brother and I have power of attorneys for one another and it allows me to do most if not all of his paperwork without him there. This can be very useful for those of you who have to work everyday or have time commitments elsewhere.
Get a hanko or inkan made and register it with the city. Once you have a hanko registered you can use it for the power of attorney. A hanko or inkan is a personal seal designed specifically for you. You buy them at shops that specialize in this practice. But with the hanko it is easier to validate the paperwork as the stamp is made only for you.
In any case were here for another year! I’m so excited to continue our journey through Japan, exploring more of Hokkaido and of course sharing our experiences with all of you!
So until the next one!
