Understand the roles of branch offices and administrative service corners, convenience store issuance, and consultation desks for foreign residents, and be able to choose and use the right counter for your purpose.
Explanation
Certificates such as a copy of your resident record (住民票の写し) can sometimes be obtained not only at the main city or ward office building, but also at branch offices (出張所・支所) and administrative service corners (行政サービスコーナー) located near stations and elsewhere. However, some procedures, such as moving notifications, are not handled there. Locations, hours, and available procedures differ by municipality, so check the website.
In some municipalities, if you have a My Number Card (マイナンバーカード), you can get a copy of your resident record, a seal registration certificate, and other certificates from a machine at a convenience store (コンビニ交付). It can be used early in the morning and at night (6:30 to 23:00) and on weekends and holidays.
Some municipalities have a "one-stop consultation center" (一元的相談窓口) that accepts consultations about all aspects of daily life in multiple languages. For general questions about residence procedures, you can contact the Foreign Residents Support Information Center (外国人在留総合インフォメーションセンター, 0570-013904).
Which is correct about branch offices and administrative service corners?
You can do all the same procedures as at city hall
You may be able to get certificates but not do things like moving notifications
Foreign residents cannot use them
A reservation is always required
AnswerB. You may be able to get certificates but not do things like moving notifications
Some counters mainly issue certificates and do not handle notifications such as address changes. Check what you can do there on your municipality's website.
Q2
What do you need to use convenience store issuance?
A passport
A bank cash card
A health insurance eligibility certificate
A My Number Card
AnswerD. A My Number Card
Convenience store issuance uses your My Number Card. Whether it is available and which certificates you can get differ by city, ward, town, or village.
Q3
When can you use convenience store issuance?
6:30 to 23:00, including weekends and holidays
Only weekdays 9:00 to 17:00
Any time, 24 hours
Only on weekends
AnswerA. 6:30 to 23:00, including weekends and holidays
It can be used early in the morning and at night (6:30 to 23:00) and on weekends and holidays. However, days when it is unavailable and the types of certificates differ by municipality, so check the guidance.
Q4
What is a municipality's "one-stop consultation center"?
A counter only for paying taxes
A counter that grants visas (status of residence)
A counter where foreign residents can consult in multiple languages about all aspects of daily life
An information center only for tourists
AnswerC. A counter where foreign residents can consult in multiple languages about all aspects of daily life
It accepts consultations in multiple languages about all aspects of daily life, such as residence procedures, work, medical care, welfare, child-rearing, and education. Whether one exists depends on the municipality.
Q5
Where can you call with general questions about residence procedures?
110
The Foreign Residents Support Information Center
119
A nearby convenience store
AnswerB. The Foreign Residents Support Information Center
You can consult the Immigration Services Agency's Foreign Residents Support Information Center (0570-013904, weekdays 8:30 to 17:15).
Frequently asked questions
Q. What languages can I use at the Information Center?
A. By phone, it supports 11 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Thai, Burmese, and Sinhala. From an IP phone or from overseas, call 03-5796-7112.
Q. Can I ask about the status of my own application?
A. No. The Information Center gives general guidance about procedures and does not answer questions about the status of individual applications or the likely result.
Q. It is hard for me to go out, and I cannot go to a counter.
A. If you have a My Number Card, you may be able to use convenience store issuance. Some municipalities also let you request certificates by mail, so check your city, ward, town, or village website.
Practice: answer the questions on this page
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Systems and procedures may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live and on the time of year. Please check the latest information from your local government or the relevant organizations. Content checked on: 2026-10-03
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. If the translation and the original differ, the Japanese version takes precedence. View the Japanese original