Japanese Phrases for Moving-In Procedures

At a Japanese municipal office, say 転入届を提出したいです (tennyuu todoke o teishutsu shitai desu): “I would like to submit a moving-in notification.” Then explain whether you arrived from overseas, another municipality or moved within the same city.

Address registration is the anchor procedure. Health insurance, pension, My Number and family services often depend on the new resident record.

Key takeaways

• Register the new address within the official deadline.
• Bring original residence and identity documents.
• A move from another municipality normally needs moving-out evidence.
• The residence-card address is updated at the municipal counter.
• My Number remains the same after ordinary moves.
• Ask about insurance, pension and child procedures in the same visit.
• Start utilities and book gas opening before move-in when needed.
• Learn the new municipality's garbage rules rather than using old rules.

In this guide: vocabulary | city hall | documents | insurance | utilities | scripts | problems | practice

Essential moving vocabulary

The correct form depends on origin and destination.

Moving-in notification at city hall

From another Japanese municipality:

[City] から転入しました。転入届を提出したいです。
[City] kara tennyuu shimashita. Tennyuu todoke o teishutsu shitai desu.

From overseas:

海外から入国し、この住所に住み始めました。
Kaigai kara nyuukoku shi, kono juusho ni sumihajimemashita.

Within the same municipality:

市内で引っ越したので、転居届を出したいです。
Shinai de hikkoshita node, tenkyo todoke o dashitai desu.

Ask the deadline:

届出期限を確認したいです。
Todokede kigen o kakunin shitai desu.

Immigration Services Agency guidance says relevant foreign residents must file within 14 days after settling at a new address. Municipality counter availability can be narrower than general office hours.

Asking about required documents

必要な原本をすべて教えてください。
Hitsuyou na genpon o subete oshiete kudasai.

在留カードと転出証明書を持ってきました。
Zairyuu kaado to tenshutsu shoumeisho o motte kimashita.

家族関係を証明する書類は必要ですか。
Kazoku kankei o shoumei suru shorui wa hitsuyou desu ka.

外国語の証明書に、日本語訳を付ける必要がありますか。
Gaikokugo no shoumeisho ni, nihongoyaku o tsukeru hitsuyou ga arimasu ka.

代理人が手続きする場合、委任状が必要ですか。
Dairinin ga tetsuzuki suru baai, ininjou ga hitsuyou desu ka.

Shinjuku's 2026 guide says original family-relationship evidence may be required, with a Japanese translation naming/contacting the translator when the original is foreign-language.

Confirming residence card and resident record

在留カードの住所もここで変更されますか。
Zairyuu kaado no juusho mo koko de henkou saremasu ka.

住所の表記を確認させてください。
Juusho no hyouki o kakunin sasete kudasai.

住民票を二通取得したいです。
Juuminhyou o nitsuu shutoku shitai desu.

住民票にマイナンバーを記載しないでください。
Juuminhyou ni mai nanbaa o kisai shinaide kudasai.

Only request My Number on a resident-record copy when the receiving procedure explicitly requires it. Treat such copies as sensitive.

My Number procedures

マイナンバーカードの住所変更もお願いします。
Mai nanbaa kaado no juusho henkou mo onegai shimasu.

暗証番号を忘れました。再設定できますか。
Anshou bangou o wasuremashita. Saisettei dekimasu ka.

海外から再入国しました。以前のマイナンバーを使いますか。
Kaigai kara sainyuukoku shimashita. Izen no mai nanbaa o tsukaimasu ka.

The Digital Agency says people whose resident record is newly created receive My Number notification by mail, and a returning resident keeps the prior number.

Insurance, pension and family procedures

Health insurance:

会社の健康保険に入っていないので、国民健康保険も手続きしたいです。
Kaisha no kenkou hoken ni haitte inai node, kokumin kenkou hoken mo tetsuzuki shitai desu.

Pension:

国民年金の加入または住所変更は必要ですか。
Kokumin nenkin no kanyuu matawa juusho henkou wa hitsuyou desu ka.

Children:

児童手当と子どもの医療費助成も申請したいです。
Jidou teate to kodomo no iryouhi josei mo shinsei shitai desu.

前の自治体から引き継がれるものと、再申請が必要なものを教えてください。
Mae no jichitai kara hikitsugareru mono to, saishinsei ga hitsuyou na mono o oshiete kudasai.

Use Japanese health insurance phrases for detailed clinic and eligibility questions.

Utilities, mail and garbage

Electricity and water

10月25日から電気と水道を使いたいです。
Juugatsu nijuugo-nichi kara denki to suidou o tsukaitai desu.

使用開始の手続きはオンラインでできますか。
Shiyou kaishi no tetsuzuki wa onrain de dekimasu ka.

Gas

ガスの開栓に立ち会いは必要ですか。
Gasu no kaisen ni tachiai wa hitsuyou desu ka.

予約できる日時を教えてください。
Yoyaku dekiru nichiji o oshiete kudasai.

Official Tokyo guidance notes that gas opening commonly needs an in-person appointment, while water/electricity can often be started online. Provider terms vary.

Mail forwarding

郵便物の転送届を出したいです。
Yuubinbutsu no tensou todoke o dashitai desu.

University of Tokyo guidance points to Japan Post's one-year forwarding service and identity/address verification.

Garbage

ごみの分別表と収集日をください。
Gomi no bunbetsuhyou to shuushuubi o kudasai.

粗大ごみは予約が必要ですか。
Sodai gomi wa yoyaku ga hitsuyou desu ka.

Do not leave furniture or appliances at the collection point without following local rules.

Complete moving-in scripts

City hall counter

You: 海外から入国し、10月20日からこの住所に住んでいます。転入届を提出したいです。
Staff: 在留カードとパスポートをお願いします。
You: はい。家族も一緒です。家族関係の証明書と日本語訳も持ってきました。在留カードとマイナンバーカードの住所変更、国民健康保険、児童手当も同じ日にできますか。

Moving from another city

You: [Old city] から転入しました。転出証明書があります。住民票を作成した後、保険と子どもの医療費助成で再申請が必要なものを教えてください。

Utility call

You: 10月25日に入居します。ガスの開栓を予約したいです。午後に立ち会えます。必要な契約情報と当日の注意点を教えてください。

Common problems and corrections

Missing document:

不足している書類と、再来庁するときの受付窓口を書いてください。
Fusoku shite iru shorui to, sairai-chou suru toki no uketsuke madoguchi o kaite kudasai.

Address spelling error:

住所の建物名と部屋番号が違います。訂正をお願いします。
Juusho no tatemonom e to heya bangou ga chigaimasu. Teisei o onegai shimasu.

Correct pronunciation when speaking: tatemonom e should be tatemono-mei for building name.

Interpreter:

通訳をお願いしたいです。予約が必要ですか。
Tsuuyaku o onegai shitai desu. Yoyaku ga hitsuyou desu ka.

Shinjuku asks groups or people needing interpreters to contact the counter in advance. Local rules differ.

Updating school, employer, bank and license records

City-hall registration does not automatically update every private or separate public record.

Employer:

住所が変わりました。会社で必要な変更手続きを教えてください。
Juusho ga kawarimashita. Kaisha de hitsuyou na henkou tetsuzuki o oshiete kudasai.

通勤経路と交通費も変更になります。
Tsuukin keiro to koutsuuhi mo henkou ni narimasu.

School/daycare:

子どもの住所と緊急連絡先を変更したいです。
Kodomo no juusho to kinkyuu renrakusaki o henkou shitai desu.

転校の手続きと必要書類を教えてください。
Tenkou no tetsuzuki to hitsuyou shorui o oshiete kudasai.

Bank and cards:

口座の登録住所を変更したいです。本人確認書類は何が必要ですか。
Kouza no touroku juusho o henkou shitai desu. Honnin kakunin shorui wa nani ga hitsuyou desu ka.

Driver's license:

運転免許証の住所変更は、どこでできますか。
Unten menkyoshou no juusho henkou wa, doko de dekimasu ka.

Create a checklist for employer, school, bank, cards, phone, internet, insurer, driver's license and subscriptions. Use each organization's official procedure and deadline.

Moving out of the old home

Moving in also creates closing tasks at the old address.

旧住所の電気・ガス・水道を停止したいです。
Kyuujuusho no denki, gasu, suidou o teishi shitai desu.

最終利用日は10月24日です。
Saishuu riyoubi wa juugatsu nijuuyokka desu.

退去時の立ち会いは必要ですか。
Taikyoji no tachiai wa hitsuyou desu ka.

鍵の返却方法と、最終精算の時期を教えてください。
Kagi no henkyaku houhou to, saishuu seisan no jiki o oshiete kudasai.

Photograph the old property's condition, keep meter readings and preserve return/inspection records. Do not mix landlord procedures with municipal moving-out notification; both may be required through different channels.

A first-week schedule

Before move: book gas, electricity, water, internet and moving company; submit moving-out notice when applicable.

Days 1-3: confirm utilities, locks, emergency contacts, garbage days and building rules.

Within the official period: submit moving-in or address-change notice, update residence/My Number cards and handle insurance, pension and child services.

Week 1: update employer, school, bank, phone, driver's license and mail forwarding. Keep a folder with receipts, reference numbers and unresolved actions.

Practice plan

1. Explain whether moving from overseas, another city or within the city.
2. Ask for documents and deadline.
3. Combine residence card, My Number and insurance questions.
4. Practise gas appointment, mail forwarding and garbage rules.

Practise a moving-in counter visit, repeat a missing-document scenario, and try a gas-opening appointment using fictional addresses.

Use Japanese speaking practice with AI, how to practice speaking Japanese alone, Japanese shadowing practice, and a 30-minute Japanese study routine.

Related Japanese resources

• Japanese apartment repair phrases.
• Japanese redelivery phone phrases.
• Japanese tax office phrases.
• Japanese health insurance phrases.
• Japanese police and lost property phrases.
• Japanese meeting phrases.
• Japanese client meeting phrases.
• Japanese conversation at work.
• Best Japanese apps for work.
• Best free Japanese conversation apps.
• Best apps to learn Japanese speaking.
• JLPT N5 guide for dates and basic requests.

Final checklist

Confirm:

• Correct notification type and deadline.
• Residence card/passport and moving-out evidence.
• Family relationship proof/translation.
• Residence-card and My Number address.
• Insurance, pension and child services.
• Utilities and gas appointment.
• Mail forwarding.
• Garbage and bulky-waste rules.

End with:

今日完了した手続きと、残っている手続きを書いていただけますか。
Kyou kanryou shita tetsuzuki to, nokotte iru tetsuzuki o kaite itadakemasu ka.

How we researched

We checked Immigration Services Agency municipal-procedure guidance, Digital Agency My Number FAQs, Tokyo living guidance, Shinjuku's 2026 foreign-resident address procedure and University of Tokyo moving guidance on 22 October 2026.

This article provides language support, not immigration, insurance or municipal legal advice. Procedures and documents differ by move type, status and municipality.

Sources

• Immigration Services Agency municipal procedures
• Digital Agency My Number FAQ
• Tokyo official moving-in guide
• Tokyo living and administrative procedures
• Shinjuku 2026 foreign-resident address procedures
• University of Tokyo moving procedures

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