My Number Cards Expire

I found out the hard way that My Number cards have an expiration date. 

I am sure there was mention of it when mine was issued and I just didn't pay attention / was distracted by all the city hall background noise and wanted to get out of there.

We are all somewhat new to the My Number. It is not the neverending US Social Security Card. There is a date at the bottom marked something like 有効期限 with the date it is good for.

I have not used my card in more than a year. After I finally remembered to bring it because my pharmacist asked for it three times, she was like... Um, it's expired.

(italics are paraphrased translations)

I learned online that there is a period after the expiration that you can still renew My Number cards. It's not like a year long though. In my case, I had to reapply entirely.

The Process:

At my branch city hall, require three staff to help me because this is a new (by Japanese standards) thing. Fill out two forms. Surrender the expired card (or have it punched if I need to keep it for some reason), take another form to fill out and mail in with a photo OR the online option. 

Just a note, the last form is not exactly the correct form. Maybe it doesn't exist yet or need to. The My Number Application Form digital certificate/renewal application form has hand written at the top, Reapplication (with fee) due to Expired Card.

(Japanese Form: 個人番号カード交付申請書　兼　電子証明書発行／更新申請書　

With the added: 再発行（有料）有効期限切れ)

I got a QR code on the form specific to my application. I opted to use the QR code so I can use my own photo taken with a Photo ID app instead of going to a photo booth. 

I didn't prepare the photo in advance and had to restart. You need to have the photo on your phone ready to upload when you start the online application. It was fairly straight forward to submit on my smart phone. I may have copy and pasted something into a translation app to make sure I understood correctly.

After the email confirmation comes and everything is submitted, it takes around a month to get a letter in the mail notifying you to go to your city hall and pick up the new card.

I hope you don't need to do this. Please check your My Number card's expiration date and simply renew it as needed.

(Actually, check all of the things for expiration dates and set reminders. My library card also expired without me noticing about a week after the My Number thing...)