If you’ve just tried to send JPY to family in Kathmandu, Kochi, or Cebu and the app froze at a screen asking for “My Number,” you’re not alone.
Since 2016 the Japanese government has required every cross-border remittance to be tagged with the sender’s Individual Number (通称マイナンバー).
No My Number = no transfer, no matter how small.
The good news: once you link the 12-digit card once, most Japan-based remit platforms (Wise, SmileRemit, JpRemit, BrastelRemit, CityRemit, JapanRemit, KyodaiRemit) will:
- Drop the ¥500–¥1,200 “identity re-verification” fee
- Raise your monthly sending limit from ¥100,000 to ¥1 million or more
- Cut payout delays from 3 days to 10 minutes for cash pick-up in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines
Below is the shortest, least-stress route to get your number on file—and the traps that stall 7 out of 10 first-time applicants.
What Exactly Is the “My Number” Requirement?
Japanese law (Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds) treats every remittance as a potential money-laundering path.
To close the loophole, providers must store:
- Your My Number (12 digits, no letters)
- A photograph of the plastic My Number card front and back OR the basic notification paper + passport combo
Until both pieces are “Approved” in the app, the provider’s bank partner (MUFG, SMBC, or Japan Net) will reject the outgoing wire.
That rejection is why you see the generic error: “Additional documents required.”
Step-by-Step: Registering My Number on Each Major Japan Corridor App
Pick the provider you already downloaded—every flow is slightly different.
Wise (Japan) – JPY → NPR, INR, LKR, BDT, PHP
- Open the Wise app → Profile → Verify identity → “My Number Card”
- Take a photo of the front (name & photo visible) → snap the back (number itself)
- Record a 3-second selfie video when prompted
- You’ll receive “Verified” email in 5–30 min; limits jump to ¥1 million per transfer and ¥7 million per year
- Choose Nepalese Rupee, Indian Rupee, Sri Lankan Rupee, Bangladeshi Taka or Philippine Peso—same fee (¥199) regardless of currency
Pro tip: If you only have the paper notification, upload that + passport photo. Approval takes 24 h instead of minutes.
SmileRemit – JPY → NPR & PHP Specialist
- Menu → 本人確認 (“Identity”) → 個人番号 (“My Number”)
- Upload card images; type the 12 digits manually (no spaces)
- SmileRemit auto-matches the name on your Residence Card; katakana spelling must be identical
- Once “認証完了” (authentication complete) you unlock zero-fee transfers to eSewa wallets in Nepal and GCash in the Philippines for amounts under ¥200,000
JpRemit – JPY → NPR, INR, BDT Corridor
- My Page → 追加書類 (“Additional Documents”) → My Number
- JpRemit asks for both sides in one merged PDF (use free “CamScanner” app)
- Manual review batch is 10:00 & 16:00 JST on business days; upload before 09:30 to be included same morning
- After approval the flat ¥490 fee drops to ¥290 for transfers above ¥300,000
BrastelRemit – JPY → PHP (cash pick-up)
- Login on PC (mobile site does not allow upload) → Account → My Number Registration
- Brastel accepts the digital My Number card in the マイナポータル app: screenshot the QR code and upload
- Philippine cash pick-up limit rises from ¥50,000 to ¥500,000 per day once approved
CityRemit, JapanRemit, KyodaiRemit – identical backbone
All three share the same KYC engine.
Navigate to “Verify Identity” → tick “I possess a My Number Card” → upload images.
Approval is overnight; you receive an SMS in English.
KyodaiRemit additionally gives a ¥1,000 Amazon coupon if you complete My Number linkage within 7 days of account opening—keep the screenshot.
Common Blockers (and the 5-Minute Fix)
| Error Message | Why It Happens | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Number format invalid” | You typed hyphens or full-width digits | Re-enter using half-width numbers only |
| “Name mismatch” | Your Residence Card shows middle name; My Number card does not | Ask the app’s chat to “merge names” and upload both sides of Residence Card |
| “Expired card image” | Glare over the hologram | Retake under indirect daylight, 30 cm distance, no flash |
| “Digital card not accepted” | Provider’s OCR can’t read QR | Switch to plastic card or use マイナポータル PDF export |
How My Number Lowers Your FX Mark-up
When the provider’s bank can prove full KYC to the BOJ, it accesses the inter-bank mid-rate instead of the tourist rate.
Real example 13 Nov 2025, 10:00 JST:
- Wise (My Number verified): ¥1 = ₱0.415, fee ¥199 → receiver gets ₱41,301 on ₱100,000 order
- SmileRemit (My Number missing): ¥1 = ₱0.402, fee ¥500 + ¥300 document surcharge → receiver gets ₱39,798
Difference: ₱1,503 (≈¥3,600) lost in one transfer.
Multiply by 12 months of salary remittances and you’re gifting a round-trip ticket Manila-Tokyo to the FX desk.
Monthly & Yearly Sending Limits After My Number Linkage
| Provider | Daily | Monthly | Yearly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | ¥1 million | ¥7 million | ¥36 million | Can split into several transfers same day |
| SmileRemit | ¥500,000 | ¥3 million | ¥20 million | Higher if you also submit income certificate |
| JpRemit | ¥300,000 | ¥3 million | ¥20 million | Flat fee discount tier kicks in at ¥300k+ |
| BrastelRemit | ¥500,000 | ¥5 million | ¥20 million | Cash pick-up in PHP only |
| CityRemit | ¥200,000 | ¥2 million | ¥15 million | Bank deposit to India in 30 min |
| JapanRemit | ¥200,000 | ¥2 million | ¥15 million | Nepal banks until 15:00 JST same-day |
| KyodaiRemit | ¥300,000 | ¥3 million | ¥20 million | Coupon campaign running now |
Security: Who Sees Your My Number?
The data is encrypted at the device level and stored in Japan (Amazon Web Services Tokyo region).
Only the licensed money-transfer operator and its partner bank can view it; it is never printed on the transfer receipt your family receives.
You can request deletion 90 days after you close the account under the Personal Number Act article 29.
Quick Checklist Before You Hit “Send”
- Plastic My Number card within arm’s reach (both sides clean)
- Residence Card name spelled exactly the same way
- Phone camera set to HDR off, flash off
- Upload between 08:00–15:00 JST for same-day approval
- Compare live rates for JPY→NPR, INR, LKR, BDT, PHP on RatesRemit's Comparison Tool before locking the transfer
Bottom Line
Linking My Number is a one-time, 10-minute investment that permanently reduces fees and lifts sending caps on every Japan-born remittance.
Complete it today and your next salary transfer to Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or the Philippines will sail through—cheaper, faster, and fully legal.
Safe transfers!