Immigration Offices in the Kanto Area: Jurisdiction, Reception Hours, and Reservation Notes
If you are planning to file an immigration application in the Kanto area, such as an extension of period of stay, change of status of residence, permanent residence, dependent visa, or work visa, one of the most common questions is: Which immigration office should I go to?
The Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau covers a wide area. In addition to the Shinagawa main office, applicants may need to check the Yokohama Branch Office, Kawasaki Branch Office, Tachikawa Branch Office, Saitama Branch Office, Chiba Branch Office, Matsudo Branch Office, Mito Branch Office, Takasaki Branch Office, and others.
It can also be confusing because the relevant office may depend on the applicant’s residential address, the location of the sponsoring company or family member, and the type of application.
In this article, we explain the major immigration offices commonly checked in and around the Kanto area, including who should check each office first, what to confirm before visiting, and practical points that can help avoid mistakes.
Important Note
Immigration guidance in Japan may differ depending on the office’s jurisdiction or assigned area, the type of application involved, and whether a reservation system applies. The starting time for ticket-number distribution is also not necessarily fixed or uniformly published for every office. Please check the latest official guidance before visiting.
Immigration Offices in the Kanto Area | Which Office Should You Check First?
| Office | Who should check this office first? | What should you confirm before visiting? | Practical notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Shinagawa Main Office) | People handling cases in Tokyo, and those unsure which branch office may apply to them | Whether your residential address is actually handled by Shinagawa, whether your procedure is subject to a reservation system, and whether result collection requires a reservation | Even within Tokyo, some areas and procedures may require checking another office such as Matsudo. Because Shinagawa uses an application reservation system and a result collection reservation system for certain procedures, simply arriving early does not always guarantee smooth handling. |
| Yokohama Branch Office | People living in Kanagawa Prefecture, and those filing based on a company or family member located in Kanagawa | Whether your address or company location is handled by Yokohama, or whether Kawasaki Branch Office is the correct office | This is the main office for Kanagawa, but some areas are handled through Kawasaki Branch Office. It is safer to check based on your address rather than assuming that every Kanagawa case goes to Yokohama. |
| Kawasaki Branch Office | People in relevant areas of Kanagawa, and people living in Machida, Komae, Tama, or Inagi in Tokyo | Whether your matter is a residence-related application or a Certificate of Eligibility application, and whether the relevant location is your address or the sponsor’s address | Even if you live in Tokyo, Machida, Komae, Tama, and Inagi may fall under Kawasaki Branch Office. Likewise, not every Kanagawa case automatically goes to Yokohama. |
| Tachikawa Branch Office | People in western Tokyo, Sagamihara City in Kanagawa, and Yamanashi Prefecture | Whether your residential address falls under Tachikawa, and whether your specific procedure requires checking another office | This is an important office for western Tokyo area cases. For applicants in Sagamihara or Yamanashi, it is safer to rely on the official assigned area rather than simple geographic intuition. |
| Saitama Branch Office | People living in Saitama Prefecture | The latest assigned area, reception method, and required documents | Official guidance states that from April 1, 2023, the handled area became “Saitama Prefecture only.” For most readers in Saitama, this is the first office to check. |
| Chiba Branch Office | People living in Chiba Prefecture, and people related to Ibaraki cases who are unsure which office applies | The current address of the office, the relevant procedure, and whether Chiba is truly the correct office for your case | This office moved on September 24, 2024. To avoid going to an old address shown in outdated blogs or older posts, it is wise to confirm the latest location before visiting. |
| Matsudo Branch Office | People in Chiba Prefecture, some Ibaraki-related cases, and people living in Arakawa, Adachi, Katsushika, or Edogawa in Tokyo | Whether your address falls under Matsudo, and where to collect the result if your case was previously filed at another office | From April 1, 2024, four eastern Tokyo wards—Arakawa, Adachi, Katsushika, and Edogawa—were added. In addition, applications filed by March 29, 2024 are generally still collected at the office where they were originally filed. |
| Mito Branch Office | People in Ibaraki Prefecture, and those in North Kanto who are unsure which office to check | Whether your type of application is actually handled through Mito, and whether another office’s guidance also applies | In North Kanto, the correct office is not always obvious from general geography alone. For Ibaraki-related matters, some official guidance may also refer to Chiba, so it is safest to confirm the office on the page for the exact procedure involved. |
| Takasaki Branch Office | People living in Gunma Prefecture | Whether your case in Gunma falls under Takasaki, and what documents and reception method apply | For applicants in Gunma, Takasaki is generally the first office to check. If you are traveling from far away, confirming the required documents in advance is especially important to avoid a second visit. |
Basic Rule: How to Decide Which Immigration Office Applies to You
The first step is to identify what kind of application you are making.
- Residence-related applications: extension of period of stay, change of status of residence, permanent residence, permission to engage in activity other than that permitted, and similar applications
- Certificate of Eligibility applications: applications used to invite someone to Japan from overseas
In general, residence-related applications are often checked based on the foreign national’s place of residence, while Certificate of Eligibility applications are often checked based on the location of the sponsoring company or family member.
However, it is risky to rely only on intuition. Even within Tokyo, some areas may need to check Matsudo instead of Shinagawa, and even within Kanagawa, some cases are better checked through Kawasaki rather than Yokohama.
What Are the Reception Hours?
Many official office guidance pages show immigration counter hours as 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
However, some procedure-specific pages describe the available time as 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you are traveling from far away or taking time off work, checking the exact procedure page in advance is highly recommended.
What Time Can You Get a Ticket Number?
This is one of the most practical questions for applicants: What time should I line up? and What time does ticket-number distribution start?
That said, the official websites do not provide one fixed and uniform starting time for ticket-number distribution across all immigration offices in the Kanto area. For that reason, it is safer not to write a fixed rule such as “tickets always start at ___ every day.”
In reality, the flow may differ depending on the office, the day’s congestion level, the type of application, and whether a reservation system applies. The safest approach is to confirm the latest official guidance, the signs posted at the building, and the actual instructions given at the counter on the day of your visit.
Procedures Where Reservation Systems Matter
At Shinagawa in particular, reservation systems can be very important depending on the procedure.
- Application Reservation System: for eligible users, reservations are available in 30-minute slots from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Result Collection Reservation System: Tokyo and Yokohama are among the offices where a reservation system is used for collecting the results of residence-related applications.
- Reservations do not necessarily apply to other offices: a reservation made for Shinagawa may not be usable at Tachikawa, Chiba, Matsudo, or other offices.
For that reason, it is more practical to guide readers to confirm the relevant office, the specific procedure, and whether a reservation is required, rather than simply telling them to go early.
Points That People Commonly Get Wrong
- Not every Tokyo case goes to Shinagawa
Tokyo residents should not automatically assume that Shinagawa is always the answer. Arakawa, Adachi, Katsushika, and Edogawa wards require special attention to Matsudo Branch Office. - Not every Kanagawa case goes only to Yokohama
Kawasaki Branch Office handles some relevant areas, so your address matters. - Chiba Branch Office has already moved
Please be careful not to rely on outdated address information. - If you are in Saitama, check Saitama Branch Office first
Official guidance since April 1, 2023 states that the handled area is “Saitama Prefecture only.” - The place where you collect your result may follow the office where you filed
Especially around changes in assigned areas, result collection may still remain at the office where the application was originally submitted.
When Advance Consultation Is Especially Helpful
- Your residential address and your employer’s address are different
- You are not sure whether your case is an extension, a change of status, or another type of application
- Your case involves many documents, such as dependent visa, permanent residence, or Business Manager status
- You are unsure which immigration office applies to you
- You are coming from far away and want to avoid making a second trip
In these situations, checking the correct office and organizing the required documents in advance can reduce the risk of wasted travel and repeat visits.
Support from Tommy’s Legal Service
Tommy’s Legal Service supports a wide range of immigration procedures in Japan, including work visas, dependent visas, permanent residence, Business Manager status, extension of period of stay, and change of status of residence.
We can assist from the very beginning, including checking which immigration office to use, whether a reservation may be needed, and what documents should be prepared. Consultations are available at our office in Ishikawacho, Yokohama, as well as online.
Contact
Tommy’s Legal Service
102, THE HUB Yokohama Motomachi, 1-13-2 Ishikawa-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0868, Japan
TEL: 045-550-5135
Email: mail@gyosei-tominaga.com
Official Information Links
- Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
- Yokohama Branch Office
- Application Reservation System (Summary)
- Reservation System for Collection of Results
- Notice on the Change in the Assigned Area of Saitama Branch Office
- Notice on the Expansion of the Assigned Area of Matsudo Branch Office
- Notice of the Relocation of Chiba Branch Office
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日系理化学機器輸入商社、日系センサーメーカー、外資系真空機器メーカー、外資系化学装置メーカーでの国内外業務を経て、令和2年度行政書士試験に合格。令和3年4月、トミーズリーガルサービス行政書士事務所を開業。
現在は入管業務（VISA・在留資格）を中心とした専門事務所として、外国人の雇用・受け入れ、企業の国際人材戦略、在留手続のオンライン申請支援を行う。
企業・個人いずれのクライアントにも寄り添い、迅速・丁寧で負担の少ない手続きをモットーとする。
また、国際業務の経験を生かし、英語での各種案内・申請支援にも対応。
趣味： バイク（CB1300SB）、ツーリング、テニス、ゴルフ
English:
After working in Japanese and foreign-affiliated companies in the fields of scientific instruments, sensors, vacuum equipment, and chemical processing machinery, I passed the national Administrative Scrivener examination in 2020 and founded Tommy’s Legal Service Administrative Scrivener Office in April 2021.
My practice is specialized in immigration procedures—visa applications, extensions, changes of status, and online filings for both companies and individuals. I support employers and foreign nationals with fast, accurate, and stress-free application processes.
English guidance and bilingual documentation are also available.
Hobbies: Motorcycles (Honda CB1300SB), touring, tennis, golf
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