Residence Card Postal Delays: Changing to Counter Pickup After an Online Application | September 2026
Residence Card Postal Delays: Changing to Counter Pickup After an Online Application | September 2026
Check your processing status and receipt method before simply waiting for the post.
Checked September 20, 2026 · Postal notice as of September 16
日本語で読む
- The Immigration Services Agency reports that receiving residence cards by post is taking time.
- A change to counter pickup is possible when the status is 「申請完了」 or 「審査中」.
- A change is not available when the status is 「完了」 and the examination-completion email has been received.
If your residence card has not arrived after an online application, first check the processing status. This guide focuses on receiving an ordinary residence card after an online extension-of-stay or change-of-status application.
Later delivery of a card not issued at an airport, and the integrated My Number / specified residence card procedure, are separate processes. English status descriptions below are explanations; check the Japanese labels shown in your system.
When will the residence card arrive?
In its notice dated September 16, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency states that postal receipt is taking time between sending the required documents to its Odaiba office after the examination-completion notice and receiving the card. It recommends choosing counter pickup at the time of application if you want to receive the card sooner.
The current postal notice and related FAQ do not give a specific delivery timeframe. Neither delivery within a stated number of days nor faster receipt at a counter can be guaranteed.
Source: Immigration Services Agency postal receipt notice (Japanese)
Time spent examining an application is different from time spent completing collection procedures and postal delivery. See our guide to immigration processing times for examination-period information.
When can postal delivery be changed to counter pickup?
Check the processing status under 「申込内容照会」. 「申請完了」 means that the application has been submitted; it does not mean the examination is finished.
Check your processing status
Application submitted / under examination: a change can be requested. Check the change-result notification afterwards.
The receipt method cannot be changed. Send the required documents and continue the postal receipt procedure.
Do not assume a change is available. Check the official FAQ and your notification.
Based on the Immigration Services Agency notice as of September 16, 2026. A change to counter pickup does not guarantee a collection date.
Not having read the email, or not yet having posted the documents, does not by itself make you eligible to change the receipt method. If you want to collect at an office other than the one that accepted the application, consult the accepting office first.
How to request the change
- Check your current processing status.
- Go to 「オンライン申請手続き」 → 「手続き一覧」 → 「受領方法変更」.
- Check both the request-acknowledgement email and the later email confirming whether the change is possible.
An acknowledgement alone does not confirm that the receipt method has changed. If an administrative scrivener or your employer submitted the application, coordinate with that person. For counter pickup, follow the examination-completion notification and required-document instructions. Our Kanto immigration office guide covers jurisdiction, opening hours and reservations.
Source: Official FAQ, Q5-2 and Q7-2 (Japanese)
Documents when continuing with postal receipt
Follow the instructions for your application. The FAQ also states that, if the status is 「発行待ち」 (awaiting issuance), the required documents should be sent even if the examination-completion email has not arrived.
| Document | For extension / change applications |
|---|---|
| Current residence card | Send the original. Prepare a colour copy before posting it. |
| Return envelope | Check postage for simplified registered mail, the current delivery address, and the application receipt number on the back. Update registered user information where necessary. |
| Fee payment form | Under the existing method, attach the required revenue stamps and enter the receipt number and applicant’s name. For applications accepted from October, check the new payment instructions below. |
| Designation document | If issued for Highly Skilled Professional, Specified Skilled Worker or Designated Activities status, detach it from the passport and send the designation document alone. |
Do not post your original passport or My Number Card. The FAQ allows the required documents to be sent by simplified registered mail or Letter Pack. Its return-envelope instructions are separate: do not assume the same envelope type is specified for both directions.
Source: Official FAQ, Q6-1 and Q6-5 (Japanese)
While the original card is not with you
The official instructions require you to carry a colour copy of the residence card until the new card is received. On the reverse, record the online-system user’s name, occupation and telephone number, the application acceptance date and receipt number, and the fact that an online application is in progress. Carry your passport as well if you have one.
The FAQ states that you cannot depart under the special re-entry permission system without possessing a valid residence card. If you have travel plans or your period of stay / applicable special period is approaching its end, check the required action promptly rather than simply continuing to wait for the post.
Source: Official FAQ, Q5-8, Q6-3 and Q6-5 (Japanese)
Payment changes from October 1, 2026
| Online application accepted | Payment method |
|---|---|
| By September 30, 2026 | The previous fees and revenue-stamp payment method apply even if permission or issuance occurs in October or later. |
| On or after October 1, 2026 | Pay through a convenience store or bank. A payment-processing charge applies in addition to the prescribed fee. Revenue stamps, credit cards and QR-code payments are not accepted. |
Under the new method, payment instructions follow the examination-completion email. The official page identifies @service-dgft.com as the sender domain. As checked on September 20, detailed operating instructions were still marked for later publication. Check the latest official guidance and the individual notification for payment and mailing requirements.
Collecting a card at a counter does not turn an online application into an application submitted at a counter. Do not determine the fee or payment method solely from the pickup location. See our October 2026 immigration fee and payment guide for the fee amounts.
Source: Official online application fee and payment notice (Japanese)
Frequently asked questions
Will counter pickup definitely be faster?
No individual collection date or same-day issuance is guaranteed. The official recommendation for people seeking earlier receipt does not confirm the timing of a particular case.
Can I change after receiving the examination-completion email?
The notice says a change is not possible when the status is 「完了」 and that email has been received. Consider the receipt method while examination is still in progress.
Can I start activities under my new status when the email arrives?
Do not rely on the email alone. For postal receipt, the official FAQ states that permission takes effect when the residence card is delivered. Employment start dates also require attention to the individual circumstances. See our guide to the start of permission for renewal and change-of-status applications.
Source: Official FAQ, Q6-8 and Q6-12 (Japanese)
Related guidance
- Online residence applications: eligibility, deadlines and documents
- Specified residence cards and My Number Card integration
Need help with receipt or post-application procedures?
Tell us your current processing status, residence expiry date, selected receipt method and the notifications received. We will review the circumstances and explain the scope and cost of any assistance. We cannot guarantee an earlier collection date or faster examination.
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