[Changes from June 2026] What Has Changed on the New “Residence Card”? Specified Residence Cards and Key Points for Companies

Hello! This is Legal Gate Immigration Lawyer Office in Oita Prefecture.

From June 14, 2026, the rules and design of the “residence card” (在留カード) — the most important form of identification for foreign nationals living in Japan — have been significantly renewed.

The highlights of this change are the birth of the “Specified Residence Card” (特定在留カード), which is merged with the My Number Card, and the “changes to the items printed on the card face” for the standard card. These are extremely important changes not only for foreign nationals themselves but also for the staff of companies employing foreign nationals, so we will explain them clearly from a specialist’s perspective.

1. Three Changes to the Standard Residence Card (New Format)

The conventional standalone “residence card,” which is not integrated with the My Number Card, has also been switched to a new format at this time. The main changes are the following three:

• 
  u2460 Some information on the front side is no longer visible The four pieces of information previously printed on the front side — “period of stay (1 year, 3 years, etc.),” “type of permission (extension, change, etc.),” “date of permission,” and “date of issuance” — have disappeared from the front side and are now recorded only in the IC chip. *The “date of expiration of the period of stay (validity period)” will continue to be printed on the front side as before.

• 
  u2461 The age for requiring a facial photograph has been lowered to “1 year old and above” Previously, cards for foreign nationals under 16 years old did not include a facial photograph, but under the new format, a facial photograph is required from “1 year old and above.” Households with small children will need to prepare a photograph at the time of renewal.

• 
  u2462 Redesign The design has changed from the conventional bluish design to a new design with a reddish tone. Anti-counterfeiting measures have also been further strengthened.

2. Merged with the My Number Card! What is the “Specified Residence Card”?

The biggest news in this legal revision is the introduction of the “Specified Residence Card,” which combines the functions of the residence card and the My Number Card into a single card.

Obtaining it is “optional (voluntary)”

The Specified Residence Card is not mandatory. Only those who wish to obtain it may apply, and it remains possible to hold two separate cards — a “residence card” and a “My Number Card” — as before.

The greatest benefit is “one-stop procedures at the Immigration Bureau”

Until now, when a foreign national renewed their visa, two troublesome procedures at two different locations were required: ”
u2460 Receive the new residence card at the Immigration Bureau” → ”
u2461 Go to the city hall and renew the validity period of the My Number Card.” There were also many cases of trouble where people forgot the procedure at the city hall and their My Number Card expired.

If you obtain a Specified Residence Card, simply renewing your visa at the Immigration Bureau counter will also complete the renewal of the My Number Card function at the same time (one-stop service). Of course, it can also be used as a My Number health insurance card at hospitals and other facilities.

3. [For Companies] Major Points to Note When Employing Foreign Nationals

With the introduction of the new format, HR and labor management staff at companies employing foreign nationals need to urgently review their “methods for checking residence cards.”

You cannot determine the period of stay by “visual inspection” alone!

As mentioned above, the front side of the new residence card (or Specified Residence Card) does not display the period of stay such as “1 year” or “3 years.” In addition, with counterfeiting techniques becoming increasingly sophisticated these days, it is extremely risky to hire someone based only on the expiration date shown on the front side.

At the time of hiring and during periodic checks, please make it a firm internal company rule to download the “Residence Card Reader Application” provided free of charge by the Immigration Services Agency to a smartphone or similar device, read the card’s IC chip, and verify the accurate information on screen. Neglecting this carries the risk of unknowingly facilitating illegal employment.

Leave visa renewals and the establishment of rules for employing foreign nationals to our office!

With the change in residence card rules, it will be necessary to inform foreign employees and review your company’s internal employment management system.

If your company is thinking, “We are concerned about complying with the new rules” or “We would like to entrust our employees’ visa renewals to a professional all at once,” please feel free to consult Legal Gate Immigration Lawyer Office in Oita Prefecture.

Based on the latest laws and regulations, we support safe and secure employment of foreign nationals!