photo by Pictures of Money
National Health Insurance is a very important lifeline to protect you from day to day medical costs while staying in Japan. This highly acclaimed health insurance system of Japan is separately administrated by local municipalities. Therefore, it is important to keep the residential address up to date when moving house. Also, you are required to go through different procedures depending on whether you are moving within the same municipality or moving to other city. This column will present a detailed explanation on process to change your address with National Health Insurance system.
Procedures vary depending on where you are moving to
When you change your residential address, you are required to notify the municipal offices of change of address, return the National Health Insurance card with old address and get a new insurance card with new address. Importantly, there are two types of procedures depending on your situation if you are;
- Changing address within the same municipality, or
- Moving out to other municipality
1. Changing address within the same municipality
When you are moving within the same municipality, what you need to do is quire straightforward. Just visit your municipality office, fill in the application form and hand it in. Each municipality has its own application form. In this section, Fukuoka city’s change of address form is used as an example.
①Address of head of family
②Name of head of family & inkan ※No inkan required if head of family is filling this form
③Occupation and company name of head of family
④Phone number of head of family（Landline/Mobile）
⑤Individual number of head of family
⑥Insurance identification number of head of family
⑦Names, DOB, sex, individual number and relationship to head of family (including head of family him/herself) of all members who are changing address
⑧Former address
Who can apply
Person who is changing address or his/her family who is listed under the same family register
Deadline to file change of address
14days from the date of moving
What to bring
- Insurance card of all members who are changing address
- Photo ID (Driver license, residence card, passport etc)
- Proof of individual number (My Number card, notice letter of individual number)
- Authorization letter if applied by other than head of family
- Inkan
※Requires documents and items vary by each musicality. Inquire your local office beforehand.
※New insurance card will be sent to your new address once application is submitted.
2. Moving to other municipality①: Leave NHI of old address
When moving to another municipality, you need to leave National Health Insurance at the municipal office of your former address. Fill in the application form at the counter and return insurance cards of all the family members who are changing address. Each municipality has its own application form. Again, Fukuoka city’s form is used as an example.
①Address of head of family
②Name of head of family & inkan ※No inkan required if head of family is filling this form
③Occupation and company name of head of family
④Phone number of head of family（Landline/Mobile）
⑤Individual number of head of family
⑥Insurance identification number of head of family
⑦Names, DOB, sex, individual number and relationship to head of family (including head of family him/herself) of all members who are changing address
⑧New address
Who can apply
Person who is changing address or his/her family who is listed under the same family register
Deadline to withdraw from NHI
14days from the date of moving ※Application can be made before you move to new address
What to bring
- Insurance card of all members who are changing address
- Photo ID (Driver license, residence card, passport etc)
- Proof of individual number (My Number card, notice letter of individual number)
- Authorization letter if applied by other than head of family
- Inkan
※Requires documents and items vary by each musicality. Inquire your local office beforehand.
※File a moving-out notification before leaving NHI.
2. Moving to other municipality②: Join NHI at new address
Once you have withdrawn from National Health Insurance at the previous municipality, newly join the insurance at your new address. Visit your new municipality office and fill in the form to join National Health Insurance. Fukuoka city’s form is used as an example below.
①Address of head of family
②Name of head of family & inkan ※No inkan required if head of family is filling this form
③Occupation and company name of head of family
④Phone number of head of family（Landline/Mobile）
⑤Individual number of head of family
⑥Names, DOB, sex, individual number and relationship to head of family (including head of family him/herself) of all members who are changing address
⑦Old address
Who can apply
Person who is changing address or his/her family who is listed under the same family register
Deadline to rejoin NHI
14days from the date of moving ※Application can be made before you move to new address
What to bring
- Residence card or special permanent resident certificate
- Proof of individual number (My Number card, notice letter of individual number)
- ATM card, or bank book and inkan registered with the bank for direct debit
- Authorization letter if applied by other than head of family
- Inkan
※Requires documents and items vary by each musicality. Inquire your local office beforehand.
※File a moving-in notification before joining NHI.
※New insurance card will be sent to your new address once application is submitted.
Be updated
National Health Insurance program of Japan is separately administrated by local municipalities rather than being operated under government management. That is the reason why you must notify them of your latest residential address. When moving house within the same city, you only need to notify the local office of change of address. But if you are moving to another city, make sure you withdraw from National Health Insurance at an old address first, then rejoin it at a new address.
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