What foreign residents need to know about the Residence Card and My Number card integration
Japan’s Immigration Services Agency will begin operating a new Specified Residence Card (SRC) on 14 June 2026. The SRC integrates two documents foreign residents already hold — the Residence Card (Zairyu Card) and the My Number card — into a single IC-chip card. Adoption is voluntary: this is not a new visa category, and it is not a mandatory replacement. Existing Residence Cards remain valid.
What official sources confirm about the Specified Residence Card
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan has confirmed the following:
- The Specified Residence Card (SRC) begins operation on 14 June 2026.
- The SRC integrates the current Residence Card (Zairyu Card) with the My Number card into a single IC-chip document.
- Foreign residents who undergo immigration procedures on or after Sunday, 14 June 2026 will be issued the new-format card.
- Applications for the SRC at regional immigration bureau windows begin the next business day, 15 June 2026.
- Visa details such as type of visa and period of stay will no longer be printed on the physical card surface; they will be stored on the embedded IC chip.
- Adoption is voluntary, and existing Residence Cards remain valid without immediate replacement.
What the SRC launch means for foreign residents
If you apply for a new visa, renewal, or change of status on or after 14 June 2026, you will be issued the SRC in place of the current Residence Card. The earliest you can apply at a regional immigration bureau window is 15 June 2026, the first business day after launch. If you already hold a valid Residence Card, you can continue using it until its expiration date — there is no need to rush a replacement. One practical point: because visa details will now sit only on the IC chip, you may need a working chip-reader on hand when presenting the card to authorities or service providers.
Questions the official guidance hasn’t yet answered
The official materials do not yet specify several practical points:
- Whether any fee applies to voluntarily switching to the SRC.
- Whether every immigration office can issue the SRC from the launch date.
- How existing expiration dates will be treated under the new system.
- Whether services and businesses will need time to update their systems.
Applicants should confirm these details with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan or a licensed administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) before making plans that depend on the new card.
Zagdim Analysis
Integrating the Residence Card and My Number card into one document is a significant administrative change that could streamline how foreign residents deal with government services, banking, and healthcare. Because key information moves from the card surface to the chip, residents may meet some initial friction where service providers have not yet updated their chip-reading systems.
Two points are worth watching, both drawn from non-official sources and not confirmed by the Immigration Services Agency:
- Professional analysis suggests in-person biometrics may be required to obtain the new card, though this is not stated in official materials.
- A commercial advisory (Fragomen) reports that Seven Bank has temporarily suspended certain new-card procedures while updating its systems, so confirming with your own bank before relying on the SRC is sensible.
On balance, the change asks for cautious planning rather than urgency: confirm early with the relevant parties, and there is no need to switch before you are ready.
For most foreign residents in Japan, the SRC launch changes little right away — your current Residence Card stays valid, and switching is voluntary. What’s worth understanding is that the new card stores visa details on a chip rather than printing them, and that some services may need time to adjust. If you’re weighing whether and when to switch, start by working out how the change affects your own setup. Still have questions after reading? Tell us your situation here and we’ll look into it for you.
This article is based on officially verified sources current as of 9 June 2026. Requirements change frequently. Always confirm your specific situation with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan or a licensed administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) directly.
