How long does it take to move to Japan?

There's no fixed number of days - it depends on appointment availability and how much paperwork you're bringing. The guide breaks the move into 5 stages (Before you leave, Your first 14 days, Settling in, If you're moving with children, If you're buying property) covering 15 individual steps, so you know what's next instead of guessing.

What catches people out when moving to Japan?

You must file the moving-in notification at your municipal office within 14 days of settling at an address. My Number, National Health Insurance enrollment, and often your bank account and phone contract all key off this registration - miss it or delay it and every downstream step stalls, sometimes with a small fine risk on top.

How much of the Japan guide can I see for free?

The first three steps of your route are free to preview, no account needed. The full route - every step, what to bring, the cost and the official source - unlocks with one payment once you've picked where you're moving from.

Settle Steps / Moving to Japan

Moving to Japan, step by step

15 steps for your move to Japan - which office, what to bring, what it costs and how long it takes - checked against official sources where an official answer exists, and marked clearly where it depends on your situation instead.

See the free preview for Japan

How the move breaks down

1
Before you leave
Visa route, Certificate of Eligibility, and documents to sort out from home
5 steps
2
Your first 14 days
Residence card, address registration, My Number - the foundation everything else depends on
3 steps
3
Settling in
Bank account, health insurance, pension, phone and utilities
5 steps
4
If you're moving with children
School enrollment through your local Board of Education
1 step
5
If you're buying property
Japan has no residency or citizenship requirement to own real estate
1 step

9 of the 15 steps are checked against an official source, with the date it was checked. The rest depend on your own circumstances, or are practical guidance no authority publishes - each step says which.

If you get stuck in Japan

110 Police
119 Fire / Ambulance
03-5796-7112 Immigration Information Center (English/multilingual)

Things people don't expect about moving to Japan

Missing the 14-day address registration window resets everything else
You must file the moving-in notification at your municipal office within 14 days of settling at an address. My Number, National Health Insurance enrollment, and often your bank account and phone contract all key off this registration - miss it or delay it and every downstream step stalls, sometimes with a small fine risk on top.
The digital nomad route is not a stepping stone to living in Japan
Japan's digital nomad status is capped at 6 months with no extension and no residence card issued - you cannot roll it into residency, bring a laptop-and-move-in plan, or use it to 'try before you commit.' If you want an actual long-term base, you need a real work, spouse, student or investor/business visa instead.
No pension refund without doing the paperwork before you leave for good
If you pay into Japan's pension system for under 10 years and then leave the country permanently, you can claim a lump-sum withdrawal payment (dattai ippaikin) - but you must apply within 2 years of leaving, and if your home country has a social security agreement with Japan, contribution periods may instead be totalized toward your home pension rather than refunded. Many people simply forget and lose the money.

Questions people ask about moving to Japan

How long does it take to move to Japan?
There's no fixed number of days - it depends on appointment availability and how much paperwork you're bringing. The guide breaks the move into 5 stages (Before you leave, Your first 14 days, Settling in, If you're moving with children, If you're buying property) covering 15 individual steps, so you know what's next instead of guessing.
What catches people out when moving to Japan?
You must file the moving-in notification at your municipal office within 14 days of settling at an address. My Number, National Health Insurance enrollment, and often your bank account and phone contract all key off this registration - miss it or delay it and every downstream step stalls, sometimes with a small fine risk on top.
How much of the Japan guide can I see for free?
The first three steps of your route are free to preview, no account needed. The full route - every step, what to bring, the cost and the official source - unlocks with one payment once you've picked where you're moving from.

Moving to Japan from an EU country, or from outside the EU

The steps differ depending on where you're moving from. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens generally register locally with no visa required; moving from outside the EU usually means a visa or residence permit arranged before you travel. Pick your own country on the guide and you'll only see the steps that actually apply to you - not a generic list for everyone.

Get the full guide

Pick where you're leaving from on the main guide, and the first three steps are free. The full route for Japan - every step, what to bring, the cost, the timing and the source - unlocks with one payment, on the page itself.

Choose your route to Japan

Moving to Japan, step by step

How the move breaks down

Before you leave

Your first 14 days

Settling in

If you're moving with children

If you're buying property

If you get stuck in Japan

Things people don't expect about moving to Japan

Missing the 14-day address registration window resets everything else

The digital nomad route is not a stepping stone to living in Japan

No pension refund without doing the paperwork before you leave for good