Hello Everyone! This is Part Four of my series on changing my name here in Japan. If you haven't already, please check out my other parts on changing my name on my residence card, passport, and bank account. This part will touch briefly on each miscellaneous entity that I needed to change my name. Of course, everyone's experience will vary slightly due to contracting with different companies, but I just want to give you an idea or help someone who may be at a lost as to how to begin the procedure.
HEALTH INSURANCE
If you are currently employed with a company full time, you are most likely on Shakai Hoken/ 社会保険 or Social Insurance. This is health insurance sponsored by the company you work for. In order to change your name, you will most likely have to request a name change form from the company you work with and turn in your health insurance card. Within a few weeks, you will receive a new one.
If you are not employed or on your husband's insurance, you are most likely on the National Health Insurance scheme/国民健康保険. If that is the case, you will have to visit your ward office to complete the procedure.
PENSION
If you are currently employed with a company full time, you are most likely enrolled in the Japanese pension system through your employer and they take out the payments every month from your paycheck. If this is the case, you have to request a name change form through your employer, fill it out and return it along with your blue pension booklet.
If you are currently self-employed, not employed, or on your husbands pension, you will have to visit the ward office to begin and complete the procedure.
INTERNET
I currently contract with NTT East and Asahi Net. Both companies request that you call them to begin the name changing procedure. Both NTT East and Asahi Net have dedicated English phone lines, which makes the process much easier if you don't speak Japanese. The only downside is that you have to change your name separately with each company.
When I called Asahi Net, they were able to accept my name change over the phone and no other action was needed. When I called NTT East, however, they told me that they would send me a name change form through the mail. The name change form was all in Japanese, and I was also required to send in a copy of my passport with my new name or a copy of the family register. NTT also provided a prepaid envelope, so that made returning in the completed form easy!
PHONE COMPANY
I currently contract with Line Mobile. I was able to download a name change form from their website. Once I printed out the form and filled it in, I was then required to send a copy of my passport photo page and an official copy of my juminhyo that shows both my maiden name and married name. They do not provide prepaid envelopes, so you have to go to the post office and pay postage to mail it to the headquarters.
CREDIT CARD
I currently have a credit card with SMBC. Although they don't have a dedicated English line, I was able to request for an English speaker. Over the phone, basically, they told me they would send out a form that I would have to complete. I received the form about a week later, filled it out, and mailed it in the prepaid envelope. The phone representative told me that once they received the returned form, they would send out a new card within 10 days, and that I should cut up my old card once I receive the new card.
DEBIT CARD
I currently have a Mijica Card through Japan Post, which acts like a debit card. You cannot change your name through the post office, you must call the dedicated phone line on the back of the card. I asked for an English speaker and they connected me with a translator on a three way call. They first asked me if I changed my name on my Japan Post Account, to which I did (I highly recommend you change your Japan Post Bank Account name first), and then they asked me all the details concerning the name change. They then told me they would be sending out a new card, and to just cut up the old one.
TRANSFERWISE
As an expat, there are times I need to send money home, so I've been using this service called Transferwise for about two years now to do so. Because transferring money is such a sensitive act, I wanted to make sure I changed my name and address as to not interfere with any transactions in the future. Therefore, I signed in, clicked on view personal account, then clicked on edit profile. I was able to edit my surname field, but I was not able to edit anything else. So, that was a problem.
After editing my last name, I got an automated e-mail asking me to verify my new name by uploading a few documents (marriage certificate, Zairyuu card,etc.). I clicked the link provided in the e-mail, but it wouldn't let me upload anything. So, I ended up contacting Transferwise directly through e-mail and they were able to get everything fixed! I was able to upload my marriage certificate, zairyuu card, and passport through their online portal. My name and address was then changed in about two days after they verified my documents.
No comments:
Post a Comment