Your first 90 days in Asia: deadlines nobody warns you about

The table below covers the registration deadline for each country — the single most time-sensitive task after landing. Everything downstream (banking, insurance, identity checks) typically waits on this step. See the every first-90-days playbook for country-specific checklists.

Japan's chain reaction is the other one to internalize: the move-in notification at the city office isn't just an admin box. It triggers My Number issuance, National Health Insurance enrollment, and the address record banks and phone carriers require. Leave it undone past 90 days and the law gives immigration grounds to revoke residence status. The visit itself is quick — the consequences of skipping are not.

Taiwan's trap is stale information. The ARC application window was extended from 15 days to 30 days under the amended Immigration Act in 2024, but older guides — and plenty of expat forum posts — still cite 15 days. Late applications draw escalating fines regardless of what you read elsewhere.

Indonesia's overstay penalty runs Rp1,000,000 per day, and past 60 days means deportation and blacklisting. The SKTT civil registration — a separate step at the Dukcapil office, separate from the immigration queue — is easy to overlook because it feels optional. It resurfaces at renewals, banking, and marriage registration.

Most countries issue a tax identification number as a byproduct of registration rather than a separate application. South Korea's Residence Card number functions directly as the national ID and tax number. Taiwan's ARC carries the Unified Identification Number. Japan's My Number notice arrives by mail after the move-in notification. In each case, the registration deadline is effectively the tax-ID deadline too.

The exceptions are where a separate application is needed. Indonesia's NPWP (Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak) is distinct from the KITAS and the SKTT — you'll need it for payroll withholding at resident rates, some banking, and vehicle or property transactions. The Philippines' TIN through the BIR is needed for employment payroll, some bank forms, and government transactions. Malaysia's TIN through LHDN / Inland Revenue Board becomes relevant once the 182-day tax-residency mark approaches.

Thailand added a wrinkle in 2024: foreign income remitted by 180-day tax residents became assessable, making the Revenue Department TIN relevant to a much wider group than before.

Across every country here, the full local bank account waits on the registration document — the KITAS in Indonesia, the Residence Card in South Korea, the ARC in Taiwan, the ACR I-Card in the Philippines. That gap can run weeks. Banking that works before the local account exists covers the bridge options in detail; the short version is that Wise plus a digital or postal bank is the near-universal early stack.

• Indonesia: full rupiah accounts commonly need the KITAS; some banks also ask for an NPWP. Passport-only accounts exist at a few banks with limits.
• Japan: many banks screen out the first 6 months under foreign-exchange rules; Japan Post Bank and online banks are the standard entry point.
• Malaysia: a valid long-term pass plus passport is the baseline; US persons complete FATCA forms everywhere.
• Philippines: ACR I-Card plus proof of local address is the common requirement; digital banks and GCash fill the early gap.
• South Korea: Residence Card and a Korean phone number are effectively prerequisites; new accounts open 'limited' until employment or utility proof upgrades them.
• Taiwan: passport plus ARC is the baseline; Chunghwa Post is the classic first account. US persons sign FATCA paperwork everywhere.
• Thailand: requirements differ per branch and often include a long-stay visa plus work permit or immigration residence certificate.
• Vietnam: passport plus a long-stay visa or residence card; outbound transfers face documentation checks.

Every country here gives arriving foreigners some grace period on their home license or an International Driving Permit (IDP). The windows and conversion paths vary sharply.

• Indonesia: an IDP covers visitors; KITAS/KITAP residents apply for an Indonesian SIM at a Satpas office — theory and practical tests officially apply, and the SKTT/NIK is commonly requested in the paperwork.
• Japan: an IDP covers the first year after landing; US license conversion (gaimen kirikae) requires a knowledge check plus a strict practical test for most states — multiple attempts are normal. A few states swap test-free.
• Malaysia: a home license in English (or with IDP/translation) covers visitors up to 90 days. JPJ ended general license conversion in May 2025 — EP, MM2H, and diplomatic holders from approved countries remain conversion-eligible.
• Philippines: a foreign license stays valid 90 days from arrival; after that, LTO conversion to a non-professional license needs a valid foreign license, medical certificate, and fees. An expired license means sitting the exams.
• South Korea: an IDP works up to a year; US licenses exchange at a Driver's License Examination Office — many states swap test-free under reciprocity, others add the written exam.
• Taiwan: a foreign license plus IDP commonly covers 30 days; longer stays need the IDP validated at a Motor Vehicles Office (up to a year) or a full conversion — US reciprocity varies by state.
• Thailand: an IDP or valid foreign license covers short stays; a Thai license (2-year temporary first) needs an immigration residence certificate plus a medical certificate — tests commonly waived with a valid home license.
• Vietnam: US IDPs (1949-convention) are not recognized — Vietnam honors the 1968 convention. Converting to a Vietnamese license requires a residence card or long-stay visa, and driving unconverted voids insurance.

Vietnam's IDP situation is the sharpest surprise: most Americans carry a 1949-convention IDP, which Vietnam doesn't recognize. Driving on one voids insurance. If Vietnam is on the itinerary, check which convention your IDP is issued under before you arrive.

A few country-specific details don't fit neatly into categories but matter enough to flag.

Indonesia: The STM police registration was scrapped for most foreigners in March 2025. The SKTT — which assigns a NIK (national ID number) — comes from the Dukcapil civil registry office, not immigration. Two separate offices, two separate queues. The Indonesia arrival playbook walks through the sequence.

Japan: The city-office visit commonly bundles the move-in notification, National Health Insurance enrollment, and pension enrollment in one trip. Healthcare enrollment by country covers what that means for coverage timing. See the Japan arrival playbook for the full sequence.

Malaysia: The Employment Pass is employer-bound — resignation triggers cancellation and a short exit window. MM2H terms have changed repeatedly; confirm the current conditions against the approval letter. The Malaysia arrival playbook tracks current program rules.

Philippines: The ACR I-Card issuance commonly takes weeks after the biometrics appointment at a Bureau of Immigration office. The card carries an annual-report obligation: an in-person Annual Report every January 1 through March 1, with fines and a motion fee if missed. After 6 or more months in-country, an Exit Clearance Certificate (ECC) is required to leave. Both catch first-year residents off guard. The Philippines arrival playbook has the full checklist.

South Korea: HiKorea reservation slots in metro areas book out weeks ahead. Book the appointment the day you land — or before. The Residence Card takes about 2–3 weeks to issue after the appointment, and until the card number exists, full bank accounts, phone contracts, and identity-verified apps are out of reach. The South Korea arrival playbook covers the slot-booking process.

Taiwan: Gold Card holders skip the standard ARC process — the card is visa and ARC combined. For everyone else, the ARC costs NT$1,000 and takes about 10 working days. The 30-day window runs from entry on a resident visa, not from any later date.

The general pattern across all 8 countries: confirm the landlord's filing obligation on day one (Thailand, Vietnam), book any appointment-based registrations immediately (South Korea, Indonesia), and get to the registration office within the first week even when the deadline is longer. Everything else — the tax ID, the bank account, the driver's license conversion — moves faster once the primary registration document exists.

Set up a Wise account or equivalent before landing. It bridges the gap between arrival and the first local account, handles international transfers without the documentation burden of a local bank, and buys time to do the registration steps without the pressure of running out of accessible funds. Banking that works before the local account exists has the current options.

Each government makes the actual determination on registration, timing, and any penalties — the published rules here are the starting framework, not a guarantee of outcome. When in doubt, go to the office early.