Updating Alien Registration Card - How long?

[Mr Doricar]

Hi all,

I've just realised my ARC has expired and I need a new one ASAP. I registered first time on tourist visa so only was valid for 90 days.

I still didn't convert my license and I want to do it as soon as poss. How long do they take to change the length of stay in Japan on the card? Is it a few weeks/month like applying for it in the first place?

If so if there any way to speed up process.

Cheers

James

EDIT: I just looked at card...

It says PERIOD OF STAY: ２００８　０７月１２日
But then it says Renew with 30 days starting from 2009 04-22

Would that mean that I could still use this card to get my driving license or is it not valid as im still in Japan past my period of stay! Do I need to get the period of stay changed first????

[bolt_krank]

The time it takes - I think it depends on where you are.
When I was in Tokyo - I got it done in the Sibuya office - took a month.
In Kobe - it only took a week.

But my advice is do it ASAP. I've been in Japan with an expired card - and nothing happened BUT, I know of others that weren't so lucky.

[FG Lurker]

You just need to get your Period of Stay updated. You can do this at your ward office (or city office if you're in the boonies). It will take 20 or 30 minutes and you may have to write a "i'm sorry" letter stating why you didn't come in soon after your visa changed. Just say you were busy or that you had to travel to Tokyo or something.

[Mr Doricar]

Oh really? shit, didnt realise it was a serious thing. Will get off to ward office today! cheers guys

[omae mona]

Just to add to what FGL said, there are two different dates to be concerned about: the expiration of your visa, and the expiration of the alien registration card itself.

It says PERIOD OF STAY: ２００８　０７月１２日

This is merely a copy of the information on your visa. Obviously this is out of date and you need to get it updated. If a cop stopped you and asked to see your ARC he'd think you overstayed by 11 days. Presumably your actual passport has a more recent visa.

But then it says Renew with 30 days starting from 2009 04-22

That's your Alien Registration Card expiration. Don't forget to visit the ward office next April to renew. Important even if your visa is still valid.

Note that to change items printed on the front of the card (e.g. "period of stay"), they will NOT reprint your card. The new data will be entered, handwritten and with an official seal, on the back of your card. As FGL said, this only takes a few minutes for them to do.

Next year when your ARC itself expires, you'll get a fresh card, and your current data will be printed on the front of the card. This process takes several weeks during which you have no ARC at all, and you'll receive a paper substitute which says that your card is being processed.

Note that it's a real pain to keep your ARC up-to-date, but you're supposed to do it. In addition to the ARC expiry, you need to visit the ward office whenever any of the data items change, like visa expiration, visa status, home address, employment status, etc.

[FG Lurker]

Oh really? shit, didnt realise it was a serious thing. Will get off to ward office today! cheers guys

It's not such a big deal, the letter is just a formality. Some gaijin get pissed off about it but actually Japanese have to write the same sort of letter if they are slow to update their own data when they move. Yep, Japanese have to register their addresses too...

[FG Lurker]

Note that it's a real pain to keep your ARC up-to-date, but you're supposed to do it. In addition to the ARC expiry, you need to visit the ward office whenever any of the data items change, like visa expiration, visa status, home address, employment status, etc.

This is another great thing about having PR status. The gaijin card of a PR holder does not show employer, passport number, or period of stay (permanent). Basically just the PR holder's name, address, DOB, sex, and nationality. My card is also valid for 7 years, a nice change from having to go in every 3.

[FG Lurker]

One more thing to add... You have to go to the ward office within 30 days AFTER April 22 next year. If you go before they will turn you away and make you come back after the 22nd. Fucked but that's the way it is.

[CrankyBastard]

This is another great thing about having PR status. The gaijin card of a PR holder does not show employer, passport number, or period of stay (permanent). Basically just the PR holder's name, address, DOB, sex, and nationality. My card is also valid for 7 years, a nice change from having to go in every 3.

I renewed mine recently. But unlike yours mine does include passport number, date of expiry and date of landing.

[omae mona]

This is another great thing about having PR status. The gaijin card of a PR holder does not show employer, passport number, or period of stay (permanent). Basically just the PR holder's name, address, DOB, sex, and nationality. My card is also valid for 7 years, a nice change from having to go in every 3.

I am very irritated about having to keep the "sex" item up to date on my card. These visits to the ward office are very time-consuming. BTW, like CrankyBastard, my card also shows my passport number. You sure your card doesn't have it?

[TFG]

I've just realised my ARC has expired and I need a new one ASAP. I registered first time on tourist visa so only was valid for 90 days.
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You mean, you originally came on a tourist visa then changed to some other kind of visa?

If not, I fail to see how you got an Alien Registration Card on a tourist visa.

[GomiGirl]

I learned the hard way that any changes on your visa status must also be registered at the Ward Office and refected on the back of the ARC. I had a valid visa but I forgot or just couldn't be bothered trucking all the way to the ward office to let them know I had a visa extension.

I was picked up by the cops and they gave me a hard time and drove me to where my passport was at so they could see my valid visa. I got a lecture for not updating the card as it looked like I was an overstayer.

I went to the ward office the next day, wrote my "I'm sorry letter" and the ARC was updated immediately.

So if you make any changes to your life - address, job, visa status, type of visa etc, you must go to the ward office to have the changes updated on your ARC.

What sort of visa are you on now?

[Greji]

I've just realised my ARC has expired and I need a new one ASAP. I registered first time on tourist visa so only was valid for 90 days.
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You mean, you originally came on a tourist visa then changed to some other kind of visa?

If not, I fail to see how you got an Alien Registration Card on a tourist visa.

At any rate, if your ARC has expired, the city/ward office is required to notify the police by letter within two weeks (that could have changed). This also includes you being responsible for making the address change notifications and so forth within a similar short period of time.

Since the city/ward offices are always behind the power curve these notifications are always equally late. So you need to get to their office ASAP, if not sooner. As Gomi says, a lot of the time, they'll just make you sign the "I"m sorry, me bad" letter and that's the end of it. But you need to get there to do this before they get around to it. If they discover it first, anything you do will just be considered responding to their wonderful administrative control of the FG system. Plus they may well then officially report it to the police, which providing your visa is still valid is no problem, but it is a pain in the ass, because you will have to make several trips to the Buto Bakko house to be interviewed to determine that you are not an illegal.

[FG Lurker]

Here is a scan of my gaijin card:




Not so long after I got PR my ARC expired. When I went to renew it the ward office was going to put my employer and passport number on it so I mentioned that I thought that PR holders didn't need that info on their card. (Not sure where I heard that, could've been here on FG for all I know!) Anyway they checked it and sure enough if you have PR you do not need to list your passport or employer on the card. Period of stay is of course not listed as if you have PR you're permanently fucked.

[CrankyBastard]

Hey, Lurker i wasn't doubting you. I just thought it typical that J bureaucracy would have discrepancies.

[FG Lurker]

Hey, Lurker i wasn't doubting you. I just thought it typical that J bureaucracy would have discrepancies.

No worries! Thought it might be useful to be printed it off and taken in as a sample.

[Blah Pete]

You also need to update your ARC if you get a new passport issued after going to immigration to get the visa transferred.

[Mr Doricar]

I've since left Japan and come back. When I left Narita they took the card off me. Now what do I do? Do I have to apply for new one at Ward Office or what? It's a bugger as I need it ASAP to open new bank account.

Ta in advance again

[Behan]

I guess I am stating what everyone knows but if you get a re-entry permit, they won't take it off you. But I don't know what would happen, for example, if you got a re-entry permit just days before your visa was about to expire.
I also wonder what happens if you leave Japan with you ARC, your visa expires, and then later come back to Japan with a new visa. Could you still use the same ARC?

[omae mona]

Doricar, what is your visa status now? Are you here on a tourist visa?

[Mr Doricar]

WH Visa

[Greji]

WH Visa

I assume the procedure would be the same for a WH as other visas. You must go to your city/ward office and apply for the card, regardless. They will give you the document to be used for ID, pending receipt of the formal card and most major banks will accept that, with of course your passport and visa, backing it up.

[Mr Doricar]

Greji,

Oh great. That's awesome. I'll ask for the documents.

[james]

I renewed mine recently. But unlike yours mine does include passport number, date of expiry and date of landing.

BTW, like CrankyBastard, my card also shows my passport number. You sure your card doesn't have it?

same here..

i'd like to find a source of info for the bit about the passport. obviously lurker has posted some rather incontovertible proof that it's true, or at least someone at the time agreed that it was.

i've emailed debito and would certainly like to find the relevant legal texts. i've found nothing online.