On April 20, the House of Councillors unanimously passed a bill to partially amend the Passport Law at a plenary session.
With the passage of this bill, the passport application process will be digitized.
The computerization of applications will be done in phases, with the first step being that applications for renewal procedures will be able to be made from a computer or smartphone.
Three items are required for electronic application: (1) passport with expiration date, (2) my number card, and (3) photograph.
Until now, the application and receipt of the certificate had to be made at the counter (in principle, at the municipality where the resident is registered in Japan, and at the consulate in foreign countries).
This amendment is especially good news for those who reside abroad.
If there is a consulate in the area where you live, that is fine, but if it is far away, you only have to go to the consulate twice, once for application and once for issuance, at the cost of transportation.
Although limited to renewal applications at this time, it appears that new passport applications will also be digitized once the digitization of family register information progresses.
It will also allow credit card payment of the fees required for the application.
Since some other areas have been locked down due to the new Corona, passports applied for abroad should not lose their validity if they are not received within the time period (within 6 months from the date of issue).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs may decide to reduce or exempt the application fee in the event of a catastrophe.
In the event that the visa space in a passport runs out, a new passport of the same type with the same expiration date will be issued.
This revision is greatly welcomed by expatriates and their reservists.
