I have removed my old post, done more research and nailed down my concrete questions that I simply cannot find an answer to online. I've exhausted every potential avenue to find these answers so I am hoping the pros here can help me out!
I have a few really odd questions about My Number Cards that is really stressing me out. I'm hoping to get some help! I'm so sorry this is so long.
I will be moving to Japan in January 2025 on a working holiday visa. I will be there until May 2025 and then returning back to Canada.
The Japanese Embassy here in Canada told me that in order to get a Working Holiday Visa I need to visit multiple places. To accomodate this, I will live in a sharehouse in Tokyo for 5 weeks before traveling the country for a few months, returning back to the sharehouse in April. I will have mail being forwarded to me at that time and my registered address will remain at the sharehouse. I'll return there in April to stay a few more days and complete the moving out process before returning to Canada. I thought I had it all figured out until my friend living in Japan mentioned the December merging of My Number Carda and the national health plan.
I won't be working in Japan during my time there, so I need to enroll in NHI. The problem is, in the past you could simply get your health insurance card. This was very conducive to the Working Holiday Visa and is what all my friends who live in Japan did. However, with it now being tied to My Number Cards, the My Number Card application process is incredibly slow and I won't be in one spot long enough to receive a card.
I will be at the sharehouse still when I receive my "Application for Issuance of an Individual Number Card" (which comes 2 – 3 weeks after I move) so I could apply for a My Number Card, but then the notice to pick up the card doesn't come for another 4 weeks after that and I will be long gone by then. This stresses me out a bit and I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone can help me out with:
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Given that I will only be in Japan for 6 months and won't be opening a bank account, buying a home or buying a vehicle, is there anything beyond healthcare that I would need it for?
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Will a My Number Card be absolutely essential for healthcare? I will have a My Number, just not the plastic card and I will be paying for NHI. On the off-chance I need healthcare, would I be able to just give them my My Number and not the card?
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If I absolutely need one, how does the notice to pick up a My Number card arrive? I will have mail forwarding from the sharehouse to wherever I am – when the notice arrives would I simply be able to fly back to Tokyo and pick it up from my ward office at my convenience? Or is it more complicated than that? Can someone even receive this notice on my behalf or will I need to sign for it?
I really don't know what to do here and I'm stressed – I'd appreciate any help. Hopefully I'm just overthinking this!
by TransmissionAD