If you lose your residence card (在留カード) while traveling or temporarily returning to your home country, the first thing you should do is report it to the local police and get a certificate of loss or theft. You will need this document when you apply for a new card.
You cannot apply for a new residence card while overseas. When you return to Japan, you must apply for a new card at your local immigration office within 14 days. The new card will generally be
issued on the same day as your application.
A Major Risk to Be Aware Of: Denial of Boarding
Losing your residence card abroad can put you at risk of being denied boarding by your airline, even if you have a re-entry permit.
This is particularly an issue for non-visa-exempt nationals who need to prove their re-entry permit is still valid. Without your card, you may not have a way to prove this.
We recommend checking with your airline about their policy before going to the airport.
Certificate for the Re-entry Permit Deadline
To avoid this risk, you will need a "Certificate for the Re-entry Permit Deadline (再入国許可期限証明書)".
To get this document, you'll need a proxy in Japan to apply for it at your regional immigration office. Once they have the certificate, ask them to send it to you. When you check in for your
flight, be sure to have both this certificate and the police report of loss or theft.
Alternatively, you can hire an immigration lawyer to obtain a Certificate for the Re-entry Permit Deadline on your behalf. Our firm is also available to assist you.