Phone contract in Japan as a foreigner: documents, payment and installments

To sign a phone contract in Japan as a foreigner, bring your residence card (在留カード) and passport: docomo, au, SoftBank and LINEMO ask for both unless you are a permanent resident. With less than 3 months of stay left at docomo, or 90 days at au, you must pay by credit card in your own name. Phone installments must end before your period of stay does. Rules are from carrier pages, as of October 2026.

What documents do I need for a phone contract?

Every voice contract in Japan needs an identity check by law. Since April 1, 2026, online sign-ups must in principle read the IC chip on your card, and in-person contracts follow from April 2027, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省). Uploading a photo of your ID or mailing a copy is being phased out.

What each carrier asks foreign residents for:

SoftBank won’t sign anyone whose card shows no status of residence (在留資格) (資格なし), and asks for originals only. If the address on your card is different from where you live, SoftBank wants a 住民票 (residence record) or a utility receipt showing your address, issued within the last 3 months. au asks for extra documents if your card’s address says 未定 (not decided).

What about the new residence cards?

Residence cards issued since June 14, 2026 no longer print the period of stay; it’s stored only on the IC chip, according to the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁). Getting the combined residence and My Number card (特定在留カード) is optional, and old-style cards remain valid. LINEMO says its app can’t read the new cards yet and asks you to choose ID check at delivery (配達時に本人確認).

How much time must be left on my residence card?

There is no single rule. These are the limits carriers publish:

• docomo: less than 3 months until your period of stay ends, or no residence card shown, means you must pay by credit card in your own name.
• au: less than 90 days left means monthly fees can only be paid by credit card in your own name.
• povo: your period of stay must have at least 90 days left to use the residence card.
• Installments at docomo, au and SoftBank: your period of stay must last past the end of the installment term.

If your renewal (在留期間更新) is in progress, finish it and bring the new card. Our visa renewal guide explains the process.

How can I pay without a Japanese credit card?

The bank account route only works once your account is open; see bank accounts for foreigners. A credit card in your own name avoids the short-stay limits above; our credit card guide covers which issuers accept newcomers.

Can I buy a phone on installments?

Yes, but the installment term must fit inside your period of stay.

• docomo says installments may not be available if the period on your residence card is shorter than the installment contract.
• au asks non-Japanese customers with a period of stay for a document showing it and a credit card. It may refuse if your stay is shorter than the payment period, and foreign residents can’t use its 60- or 72-payment plans.
• SoftBank won’t sign an installment contract if your period of stay ends before the installment period.
• Rakuten Mobile won’t let you pay for a phone by bank transfer at all, whether one-time, 24 or 48 installments. Cash on delivery is the alternative.

So if you have a 1-year visa, a 24- or 48-month plan will likely be refused. The simpler route is to buy the phone outright (一括払い, ikkatsu barai) or bring a phone from home and get a SIM only. ahamo, for example, offers both one-time payment and 24 installments for phones.

How do I get a Japanese number before I have a bank account?

Two providers sell voice SIMs without a Japanese bank account or card:

• Sakura Mobile: pick up the SIM with your passport, or get it delivered in 1 to 3 days once you have a registered address. Pay by international credit or debit card, or cash at Lawson, FamilyMart or MiniStop.
• Mobal: voice SIMs with a 070, 080 or 090 number for passport holders aged 18 or over. Pay by debit or credit card, or PayPal.

GTN Mobile also takes convenience-store payment. Compare prices and our scores in SIM cards for foreigners.

What to say at the shop

The big carriers have English help. docomo’s information line (0120-005-250, 9am to 8pm) takes calls in English, Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish, and every docomo shop offers a phone interpreter. au has toll-free lines in English, Nepali, Vietnamese, Tagalog and four other languages. SoftBank’s English line is 157 then 8 from a SoftBank phone.

Useful phrases:

• “I want a SIM only”: SIMだけお願いします (SIM dake onegai shimasu).
• “I’ll pay for the phone in one go”: 一括払いでお願いします (ikkatsu barai de onegai shimasu).
• “I want to pay from my bank account”: 口座振替でお願いします (kōza furikae de onegai shimasu).

Already have a number and want to move it? Read how MNP works.