povo2.0: what it costs, and who it accepts
povo2.0's plans for people living in Japan, what it takes to sign up, and the real monthly cost including the setup fee. Everything here comes from povo2.0's own official pages.
povo2.0 states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents, and a residence card is accepted as ID; its lowest real monthly cost is ¥1,870 at 3GB a month (12-month cost including setup fees) (checked October 6, 2026). Whether your application is approved is the carrier's decision.
Language support: Japanese, English, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese. The povo website is available in English, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese. The identity-verification page does not say whether support (chat and so on) is offered in those languages.
povo2.0, 3GB a month, 12-month cost horizon
povo2.03–30GB
12-month total ¥22,440Setup fee ¥0 (included above)eSIM available
- Real monthly cost: the plan price, plus the one-off fees spread over 12 months, plus 20 minutes of calls a month (3 minutes per call); no discount that needs a condition.
- Whether your application is approved is the carrier's decision, not ours.
Who povo2.0 suits
- You hold a residence card — this carrier states officially that it accepts residents.
- You want to use the residence card itself as ID.
- You have no Japanese credit card — paying without one is conditional; the payment question below says what applies.
povo2.0 plans
Monthly price before the setup fee, tax included. The real monthly cost above is the plan price, plus the one-off fees spread over 12 months, plus the call charges for 20 minutes of calls a month (3 minutes per call) at the carrier's own per-call rate, with no paid call option and no discount that needs a condition (family, fibre bundles). Calls a plan already includes are free, and discounts with no condition are counted.
| Data | Monthly from | eSIM | Setup fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–30GB | ¥990 | Yes | ¥0 |
Sign-up conditions
From povo2.0's own official pages, checked on October 6, 2026. "Not stated" means we could not find it addressed, which is different from a "no".
| Condition | What the official site states |
|---|---|
| Accepts foreign residents | Yes (stated officially) |
| Residence card as ID | Yes |
| Min. remaining validity | 90 days |
| Support language(s) | Japanese, English, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese. The povo website is available in English, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese. The identity-verification page does not say whether support (chat and so on) is offered in those languages. |
| Credit card | Accepted |
| Debit card | Not accepted |
| Bank transfer | Only through Paidy (pay later). povo itself cannot be paid by bank debit, but a Paidy bill can be settled by direct debit (no fee) or by bank transfer. |
| Convenience-store payment | Only through Paidy (pay later). A Paidy bill can be settled at a convenience store (fee up to ¥390). |
| Setup cost | ¥0 |
| Minimum term | None |
| Cancellation fee | None |
On povo, a residence card whose address is shown as "undecided", or whose back side has an update entry, cannot be used for the online procedure. Use a My Number card, or have the residence card reissued and try again.
The exact list of accepted ID documents is long and partly Japanese-only legal text, so we link to the source rather than translating it: povo2.0 official page on ID documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does povo2.0 accept residence-card holders, and does it run a credit check?
Yes — povo2.0 states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents. Residence card as ID: Yes. The card needs at least 90 days of validity remaining. On povo, a residence card whose address is shown as "undecided", or whose back side has an update entry, cannot be used for the online procedure. Use a My Number card, or have the residence card reissued and try again. Being accepted as a foreign resident is a separate question from credit screening for the line contract itself: screening terms exist; see the official page.
Can I pay povo2.0 without a Japanese credit card?
Yes, through Paidy (pay later): you can sign up without a credit card and settle the Paidy bill by direct debit (no fee), bank transfer or at a convenience store (fee up to ¥390). You need an email address and a mobile number that can receive SMS.
Is eSIM available from povo2.0?
Yes, at least one povo2.0 plan supports eSIM (see the plan table for which).
Sources
- povo2.0 official page 1 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 2 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 3 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 4 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 5 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 6 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 7 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 8 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 official page 9 (checked October 6, 2026)
- povo2.0 plan page (checked November 1, 2026)
Back to the resident SIM ranking · Paying without a Japanese credit card · What the residence-card requirement means · Full plan details (Japanese page)
Before you apply to povo2.0
At 3GB a month the real cost is ¥1,870/month. Check the accepted ID documents and payment methods on povo2.0's official site before applying.
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