Gaikokujin Touroku Shoumeisho

From Kuma-i

The Gaikokujin Touroku Shoumeisho is required for all foreigners living in Japan for an extended period of time. It's simply a form of identification and a convenient way to register your existence with the local government.

Getting the Gaikokujin Touroku Shoumeisho is a simple process, though it is wise to bring a Japanese friend with you to help with all the details. You will need your passport and visa and two small photos of yourself (passport size was too big).

Go to Kumamoto City Hall located right across from Kumamoto Castle. On the first floor there are various sections of the local government; look for the one that says Foreign Registration or something of that nature. You will have to fill out a form or two, predominately in Japanese. Make sure to have an address and a phone number or else you cannot apply for the card yet.

After filling out the forms and completing the process, it is wise to request a temporary form that shows you have applied for the card. These cost 300 yen a piece, and you probably only really need one. These exist because getting the actual card takes over two weeks, and if you don't have the card, you can't get a cell phone or a bank account. The temporary paper lets you do these things. Docomo actually required the actual card while au did not, as a side note.

Until you get your card, you will also have a paper stapled in the back of your visa. This has information as to when you can pick up your card. YOU HAVE TO GO PICK UP YOUR CARD. I waited a very long time for mine to come in the mail. When I asked a friend why it hadn't shown up yet, she said I had to go pick it up. Even though I accidently went a good two weeks after my pick up time, they didn't give me trouble at all. Though I think it would be a wise decision to pick it up in the time allotted.