Documents Needed to Get a Phone Plan in Japan as a Student

Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Guide日本語

By Mirai, Rakuten Mobile employee · Not the official Rakuten Mobile website

Do you want a phone plan in Japan? You need the right documents first.

This guide explains what international students and foreign workers need. It uses simple English and short steps.

All details here were checked on the Rakuten Mobile website in October 2026. Rules and fees can change.

What you need to prepare

For a new number or an MNP transfer, Rakuten Mobile asks for three things.

• Identity verification documents (papers that prove who you are), such as a residence card or a special permanent resident certificate
• Rakuten member ID and password (your Rakuten ID for shopping and services)
• Credit card or bank account information for payment

MNP transfer means keeping your phone number when you switch carriers.

If you are under 18, you need a written consent and signature from a legal representative. This can be a parent or guardian.

Your residence card: check these points

Most international students use a residence card. Please check it carefully before you apply.

• Upload or show the front and the back. For a Specified Residence Card, the front only.
• Your name, address, and date of birth must match the information on your application.
• The card must be within its expiration date.
• It must show your address and face photo.
• Specified residence cards and second-generation residence cards are accepted.

If your name is written in both kanji and romaji, enter it in romaji on the application.

The details on your ID must also match your Rakuten membership information. Please fix your Rakuten account first if the name or address is old.

If the application and the ID do not match, the application cannot be accepted. Incomplete uploads also stop the process.

Applying online as a foreign resident

You can apply online in English. Rakuten Mobile has English pages and an English online application.

For identity verification, foreign residents have two online methods.

1. Simple Mobile ID Verification: your phone reads the IC chip in your residence card or special permanent resident certificate.
2. Verification by Mailing a Copy of Residence Certificate: you send a copy of your residence certificate (juminhyo). It must be issued within the last 6 months. It must not show your My Number or the residence certificate code. Photocopies of a copy are not accepted.

You may also see an option called “verify at home upon delivery”. That method is for Japanese nationals only.

So, if you are a foreign resident, choose one of these three ways:

• Simple Mobile ID Verification
• Mailing a copy of your residence certificate
• Going to a Rakuten Mobile shop

Applying at a shop

A shop is a good choice if you want help in person. Bring your documents with you.

For foreign nationals, shops accept these IDs:

• Residence card
• Special permanent resident certificate
• Diplomatic ID card, and consular, international-organization, or MOFA IDs

Always bring the original card. A copy is not acceptable at a shop.

Please note one rule change. Health insurance cards are no longer accepted after December 2, 2025.

Also, from April 1, 2026, ID verification methods for online applications were updated. This follows a law about preventing illegal use of mobile phones.

New number or MNP transfer?

The documents are almost the same. The difference is your phone number.

MNP One Stop is a system that lets you switch without getting a reservation number first.

Not sure if your current carrier supports it? Please check the Rakuten Mobile website or ask at a Rakuten Mobile shop.

Plan prices to know

The Rakuten SAIKYO Plan price changes with your data use. These are standard prices, tax included, as of October 2026.

• Up to 3GB: 1,078 yen per month
• Up to 20GB: 2,178 yen per month
• Over 20GB (unlimited): 3,278 yen per month

Some other fees, as of October 2026: the contract fee is 0 yen up to the 4th line. An eSIM reissue is 0 yen. A SIM card reissue is 3,300 yen.

Cancellation within 1 year of your plan usage start date costs up to 1,078 yen. After 1 year it is 0 yen. Prices may change, so please check the official site.

Before you apply: the referral login

There is an employee referral campaign for people referred by a Rakuten Mobile employee. You can get Rakuten Points when you apply for the Rakuten SAIKYO Plan or Rakuten SAIKYO U-NEXT.

• 14,000 points per line for an MNP transfer
• 13,000 points in other cases, such as a new number

The important step is the referral login. You log in with your Rakuten ID from the referral link. It is free. It does not sign you up for a plan.

Do this before you apply. An entry within 7 days including the application day may still be accepted. But you may be asked to confirm it.

Use the same Rakuten ID for the entry and the application. A different ID is not counted.

After the entry, you must finish three things by 23:59 on the last day of the second month after your entry day:

1. Your application
2. Starting to use the line (plan usage start date)
3. A call of 10 seconds or more from the Rakuten Link app

For example, if you enter in September, the deadline is November 30.

The call can be to a family member or your own other number. Calls to numbers starting with 0570, # numbers, calls with a prefix number, and special numbers like 188 are not counted.

Points come in 3 parts, starting 4 months after the month of your entry. They are time-limited Rakuten Points, valid for 6 months including the day they are given.

Up to 5 lines per person are covered. Shop applications and returning customers are covered too. The campaign may change or end without notice, so check the conditions after you enter.

Summary

• Prepare your residence card, Rakuten member ID and password, and payment information.
• Foreign residents cannot use the at-home check on delivery. Use Simple Mobile ID Verification, mail a copy of your residence certificate, or visit a shop.
• Your name, address, and date of birth must match your application and your Rakuten account.
• Do the referral login first, then apply, start the line, and make a 10-second Rakuten Link call before the deadline.

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