How to change your Address in Local Ward Office in Sapporo
After moving to a new apartment, you also need to register your new address in local ward office of your new apartment. You will have address changed in both of your residence card and national health insurance card. It is better to do this procedure within two weeks after you move into new place! Make sure you go to the right ward office of your new area! For people living in Sapporo, here is list of ward offices:
- Kita Ward: 6-1-1, Kita-24-jonishi, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Chuo Ward: 2-9, Odorinishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Higashi Ward: 7-1-1, Kita-11-johigashi, Higashi-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Nishi Ward: 7-1-1, Kotoni-2-jo, Nishi-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Minami Ward: 2-2-1, Makomanaisaiwaimachi, Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Toyohira Ward: 10-1-1, Hiragishi-6-jo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Shiroishi Ward: 8-1-1, Minamigodori, Shiraishi-ku, Sapporo
- Atsubetsu Ward: 5-3-2, Atsubetsuchuo-1-jo, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Kiyota Ward: 1-2-1, Hiraoka-1-jo, Kiyota-ku, Sapporo-shi
- Teine Ward: 11-1-10, Maeda-1-jo, Teine-ku, Sapporo-shi
After confirming the ward office of the area of your new apartment, make sure to follow these steps to make your trip to ward office smoother!
1. Make sure to bring your Residence Card and National Health Insurance Card!
Residence card (Zairyu card, 在留ーカード, zairyu kado).
National Health Insurance Card (国民健康保険, kokumin kenkou hoken).
2. Take queue number
In Sapporo, there is only one office for each ward, so expect the office to be crowded during work days! It is highly advised to first take a number when it is crowded, so you may be able to be ahead several people when you fill out the application form.
3. Fill out the Change of Address Form
There will be several different empty forms that are prepared inside the ward office. Note that the appearance of the form may be different, but make sure to fill out the one that says, 転入・転居届 (Tennyuu/Tenkyo todoke). Make sure to fill out all necessary information inside the form (see sample below)
- 民名：FULL NAME
- 電話番号: PHONE NO.
- 新住所: NEW ADDRESS
- 前住所: OLD ADDRESS
- 世帯主: HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD
- 生年月日: BIRTHDAY
- 新世帯主との統柄: RELATIONSHIP WITH HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD -> 本人 means yourself
Make sure you FULL NAME and OLD ADDRESS match what is written on the residence card!
4. Wait for your turn
After your number is being called, go the counter with the application form and residence card ready. The staff in the counter will do all the procedure for you, and even help you complete and confirm some information in the form! Your residence card will be taken for a while, and you will be given another queue number and copy of your application form.
5. Wait for your Residence Card to be returned
After waiting for around 10 minutes, your number will be called and your residence card with new address written will be returned. For changing address in your National Health Insurance Card, you need to go to another counter and take another queue number!
7. Go to Insurance Counter and take queue number
After your residence card is returned, you need to do separate procedure to change address in your National Health Insurance Card. Make sure to go to 保険 (hoken) counter and take another queue number in that counter.
8. Wait for your turn
For insurance part, you do not need to fill out another form. Make sure to prepare both your copy of application form (retrieved from Step 4) and insurance card. When your number is called, just give all the documents to the staff and in less than 5 minutes, the staff will change the address in your insurance card!
The total time spent for changing address in both residence card and insurance card just take around 15 minutes total! The longest time is definitely the waiting time! Make sure to come as early as possible to avoid waiting in line too much! There may not be someone who can speak English available in the office, so having your Japanese friend to come with you will be handy!
