[Easy on Your Phone] How to Renew Your Japanese Passport Online

Passport, Visa & Other ID Photos #ID Photo #Digital Photo Submission #Passport & Visa

March 29, 2023November 9, 2026 Chiharu

Applying for a passport online with a smartphone

Since March 27, 2023, you can renew your Japanese passport online! Being able to apply from home or on the go, instead of making a trip to an office, is a real convenience. You can also skip the wait at the passport center, making renewal faster and easier.

Planning an overseas trip? Have you checked your passport's expiry date?
If yours is about to expire, use this guide to online passport applications to get your renewal done!

Only "renewal applications" can be filed online in every prefecture
What do you need to apply online?
How to renew your passport online
We recommend getting your passport photo taken at a studio
Summary

Only "renewal applications" can be filed online in every prefecture

There are several types of passport applications, and some can be filed online while others can't. Which ones are available also varies by prefecture, so be careful.

The only application type available online in every prefecture is the "renewal application" for replacing a passport you already hold.

You are eligible if either of the following applies to you.

① Your passport has less than 1 year of validity remaining

Every passport has a validity period. If less than 1 year remains, you can renew it.
You can check the date under "Date of expiry" on the photo page of your passport.

② Three or fewer blank double-page spreads remain in the visa pages

The visa pages are the pages where visas are affixed and entry stamps are applied.
If the blank space is down to three double-page spreads or fewer, you can renew even if your passport still has more than 1 year of validity left.

The following applicants can apply online only in some prefectures.
Please check the website of your prefecture for details.

・First-time passport applicants
・Those whose passport has already expired
→New application

・Those whose legal surname in the family register (koseki) has changed, for example through marriage or adoption
・Those whose registered domicile (honseki) has moved to a different prefecture
・Those adding their spouse's surname as a separate name, for example after an international marriage
→Changes to name, registered domicile, etc.

・Those whose passport was lost, destroyed by fire, or stolen
→Loss report and new application

What do you need to apply online?

You need to have 4 things ready when you apply online!

① Your current, still-valid passport
② The applicant's My Number Card (Japan's government-issued IC chip ID card)
　・The password for the user authentication certificate (4 digits)
　・The password for the signature certificate on the My Number Card (6 to 16 alphanumeric characters, half-width, with letters in uppercase) *　　
③ A smartphone compatible with the Mynaportal app
④ The Mynaportal app (the government's online portal app for administrative procedures)

* This is an electronic certificate stored on your My Number Card, used when you complete government procedures online. It must be set up in advance.

How to renew your passport online

Here is how the online passport renewal process works on a smartphone.
Registering for Mynaportal in advance from here will make things go smoothly.

STEP 1　Log in to the Mynaportal app

Choose the office where you will pick up your passport.

STEP 2　Follow the on-screen instructions to do the following

・Take or upload your face photo
　→You can also upload a photo file you prepared yourself! More on this below.
・Take a photo of your signature
・Enter your applicant information (name, registered domicile, etc.)

STEP 3　Submit your application data

Before submitting, you will scan your My Number Card and passport.
Once the signature certificate has been attached, submit the data and you're done.

When the review is complete, the scheduled issue date and a receipt slip will arrive in Mynaportal.
Show the receipt slip at the counter, pay the fee (*), and you can pick up your passport.

* Payment is generally made in cash or with revenue stamps. In some municipalities, you can also register credit card details and pay by card.

If you don't collect your new passport within 6 months of its issue date, it becomes invalid.
Be sure to pick it up as soon as you can.

We recommend getting your passport photo taken at a studio

A job-hunting ID photo shoot at 19Studio

For an online application, you can use a face photo in either of these 2 ways.

① Take a photo on the spot with the camera inside the Mynaportal app
② Use an image saved on your smartphone

Option ① means taking a selfie with your phone's regular front camera.
This method is officially accepted, but it is very hard to get a clean-looking result.
Finding an indoor spot where light falls evenly on your face, while holding the camera yourself and keeping a good posture, is a tall order.

Compared with a phone selfie, a photo taken at a studio is higher in quality and more reliable.

That's why we recommend having the photo for your online application taken at a studio!
It's best to choose a studio that delivers the photo data to your smartphone.

Since you file the online application from your phone, you can submit the photo right after receiving it, which makes things easy!

At 19Studio, we send your photo data via LINE!
Same-day delivery is available, so you can have your ID photo taken and file your passport renewal on the same day.

We keep things simple with just one photo plan. A printed photo is included too, so even if you decide to apply at the counter instead of online, you're covered.

Summary

In this article, we walked through how to apply for a passport online!

Being able to file your renewal efficiently online is a great convenience. If you're eligible, give it a try!

▼ Things to watch out for when taking a passport photo

Japanese Passport Photos: What to Watch Out For

You need an ID photo to get or renew a passport. Here is a summary of the rules to watch for with photos for Japanese passports!

19Studio Shinjuku | Job-Hunting Photos, Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price

Chiharu: Loves writing articles and is studying copywritingI love writing and I'm currently studying copywriting. I turn the questions our guests often ask and the things I notice in the studio into easy-to-read articles about job-hunting and ID photos, so that even first-timers can understand them.