Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 2 entries shown

Country All countriesAQAntarcticaAUAustraliaBRBrazilCACanadaCNChina (Mainland)EGEgyptFRFranceDEGermanyHKHong KongIEIrelandITItalyJPJapanMXMexicoMAMoroccoNLNetherlandsNZNew ZealandPTPortugalSGSingaporeZASouth AfricaKRSouth KoreaESSpainAEUnited Arab EmiratesGBUnited KingdomUSUnited States
Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 1 Dec 2025
In force Residency

Residence Card and My Number Card integration

Phased integration of the Residence Card (zairyū kādo) functions into the My Number Card from December 2025, reducing the need to carry two physical cards. Practical effect: simpler municipal interactions, fewer reprint cycles. Mandatory adoption from late 2026.

Who it affects: All non-Japanese residents holding both a Residence Card and a My Number Card.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · Cabinet Office of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jun 2025
In force Residency

Permanent Residence revocation framework expanded under 2024 amendments

Diet amendments to the Immigration Control Act (June 2024, in force June 2025) expanded the grounds on which Permanent Residence (eijuken) can be revoked — explicitly including failure to pay tax or social-security contributions and certain criminal convictions. A controversial reform that critics argue erodes the security of long-term-resident status; supporters frame it as integrity enforcement.

Who it affects: Permanent Residence holders, especially those reliant on social-security or tax payment compliance.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan ↗ · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan ↗ · verified 2026-04-19