The TranSenz Guide to Applying for a Certificate of Eligibility and Spouse Visa for Japan
This guide is a follow-up to our guide to Getting Legally Married in Japan and is based on a translation of Sawa’s original article, 国際結婚手続き 配偶者ビザ編.
An updated version of this guide, including step-by-step instructions, translations and annotations of all required materials, and sample forms is now available for purchase in your choice of ebook formats.
I wrote this guide based on my own experience. Sawa and I were living together in Bangkok, Thailand when we decided to move back to Japan so we had to rely heavily on my parents-in-law in Japan for assistance. You will need someone in Japan to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) on your behalf- whether that be family or an attorney. I will walk you through what that person needs to do as much as possible.
Difference Between Certificate of Eligibility and Visa
Even though the title of this article says “Spouse Visa,” the first and most difficult step is acquiring the “Certificate of Eligibility,” (CoE) or 在留資格認定証明書 (zairyu shikaku nintei shomeisho). The CoE takes anywhere from 1-3 months to acquire. Once you have it in hand, applying for your visa takes about one week.
A CoE is essentially a mandatory prerequisite to applying for your visa, no matter what type of visa you want. It is technically possible to apply for a visa without a CoE, but you will have to submit all of the same documents that you would submit for the CoE, plus a convincing explanation as to why you couldn’t apply for the CoE first. In this case, you are basically applying for both CoE and visa simultaneously but, since the CoE process is conducted only in Japan, all of your documents will have to be mailed back and forth, lengthening your application process significantly especially if there are any mistakes in your application.
The Immigration Bureau has Certificate of Eligibility application instructions on its website, but we learned during application that the instructions in English and the instructions in Japanese are, in fact, vastly different in specificity. If you follow only the English procedures, you’ll likely wind up in months of tsuika shorui (追加書類) hell. Tsuika shorui means submitting additional documents and accounts for the reason the process takes 1 to 3 months: One month if you follow the Japanese directions (or my translation, below). Three months if you content yourself with the English explanation and then submit supplemental documents, one-by-one.
Certificate of Eligibility Application Documents (English and Japanese)
| English List | Japanese List | Japanese list translation |
|---|---|---|
| Application form [PDF] or Application form [Excel] | 在留資格認定証明書交付申請書 [PDF] 1通 or 在留資格認定証明書交付申請書 [Excel] |
(same) |
| Photos (4cm×3cm) 1 copy (The photos must be clear enough without background, must be taken within 6 months before the application procedure and cover upper body with uncovered head.) | 写真（縦４cm×横３cm） １葉 ※ 申請前６か月以内に正面から撮影された無帽，無背景で鮮明なもの。 ※ 写真の裏面に申請人の氏名を記載し，申請書の写真欄に貼付して下さい。 |
Photos (4cm×3cm) 1 copy *The photos must be clear enough without background, must be taken within 6 months before the application procedure and cover upper body with uncovered head. *Write applicant’s name on the reverse of the photo and paste it to the appropriate place on the application. |
| A return-mail envelope affixed with stamp(s) worth 404 yen (for the recorded delivery purpose) | 404円切手（簡易書留用）を貼付した返信用封筒 ※ 返信用封筒には，あらかじめ宛先を記載して下さい。 |
Return-mail envelope with a 404 yen stamp (for registered mail) *Return address should be clearly written on the envelope (Note: this is for domestic post, within Japan) |
| Documents certifying that the person concerned is a spouse of the Japanese national and the copy of his or her resident card. | 配偶者（日本人）の方の戸籍謄本 １通 ※ 戸籍謄本に，婚姻事実の記載がない場合には，戸籍謄本に加え婚姻届出受理証明書の提出をしていただきます。 ※ 発行日から３か月以内のものを提出して下さい。 |
Japanese spouse’s Koseki Tohon 1 copy *If the marriage is not recorded in the Koseki Tohon, then a Certificate of Acceptance of Application for Marriage must additionally be submitted. *Documents must be issued within three months of the application. |
| 日本人の方の世帯全員の記載のある住民票の写し １通 ※ 発行日から３か月以内のものを提出して下さい。 |
Residence Registration Certificate (Juminhyo) of the Japanese spouse, showing all family members. *Documents must be issued within three months of the application |
|
| Documents certifying that the profession and the income of the person concerned or his or her spouse. | 配偶者（日本人）の住民税の納税証明書（１年間の総収入、課税額及び納税額が記載されたもの。） １通 ※ ただし、納税証明書に総収入、課税額及び納税額の記載がない場合は、課税証明書及び納税証明書の提出をしていただきます。 ※ 発行日から３か月以内のものを提出して下さい。 |
Japanese Spouse’s Certificate of Receipt of Juminzei (Residence Tax) Payment, that shows both the amount of tax and amount of payment for one entire year, 1 copy. *If the Residence Tax certificate does not show both the amount of tax and the amount of payment received, then separate certificates of taxation and of payment must be submitted *Documents must be issued within three months of application. |
| A letter of guarantee by the person living in Japan. (PDF) | 配偶者（日本人）の身元保証書 １通 [Japanese] or 配偶者（日本人）の身元保証書 １通 [English] or ※ 身元保証人には，日本に居住する配偶者(日本人)になっていただきます。 |
Letter of Guarantee written by the Japanese Spouse. *This letter must be filled out by the spouse if they are residing in Japan |
| A document that proves the status (if a legal representative or agent submits the application form on behalf of the applicant) | 代理人の身分を証する文書等 | Documents proving the identity and validity of the proxy, if necessary. |
| (No instructions provided in English) | 申請人の国籍国（外国）の機関から発行された結婚証明書 １通 ※ 申請人の方が，韓国籍等で，戸籍謄本が発行される場合には，お二方の婚姻が記載された外国機関発行の戸籍謄本の提出でも差し支えありません。 |
Wedding Certificate issued by the foreign spouse’s country, 1 copy *If the applicant’s country also issues family registers (e.g. Korea), then a copy of the family register showing the marriage may be submitted instead. |
| 質問書[PDF] １通 | Questionnaire Form The form is also available in other languages, but if written in another language, it must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. |
|
| スナップ写真（夫婦で写っており，容姿がはっきり確認できるもの）２~３葉 | Snapshots of the husband and wife together that clearly indicate married relationship, 2-3 photos |
This chart is meant to show that, while the English site’s general descriptions give the false impression that a wide range of documents might be acceptable, they are in fact looking for very specific proofs- proofs that would not be immediately obvious to anyone who hasn’t done this before. I will go over each of these requirements in more detail below.
One more piece of advice on turning in documents: If you require an exception to a particular condition- for example, your spouse does not have proof of residence tax payment because s/he is not employed in Japan, call the immigration bureau nearest your spouse’s hometown ahead of time to confirm what would be accepted as an alternative. Also, tell your representative in Japan to insist on turning in every document that you have prepared. The person at the desk may say that they are not all necessary, but our experience is that the person who told us that was wrong. If you have been told at any point (over the phone, etc.), or remotely suspect, that a particular document is necessary, turn it in, regardless of the desk worker’s protests. In our case, a document that was determined to be “unnecessary” at the desk, was requested by phone less than 24 hours later. Our parents, who had driven over an hour each way to the Immigration Bureau the day before had to drive back to turn it in again.
Applying for a CoE When Husband and Wife are Both Overseas
It’s easier to apply for the CoE if your Japanese spouse is working in Japan and has an established record of working there. But, if that were your case, you probably wouldn’t need this guide. If both you and your Japanese spouse are working overseas or if your Japanese spouse is in Japan but not working, the process requires a few extra steps, and a lot of mail between you and your representatives in Japan.
If your Japanese spouse is also working overseas, s/he will not have a current Juminzei and will not be able to fill in the letter of guarantee. You will also need a proxy applicant. According to the Immigration Office’s website, family members of either spouse who are legally resident in Japan can serve as the proxy. If you do not have family members in Japan, then a person with a letter of attorney or a legal scrivener can apply on your behalf.
Before You Apply: Are You Changing your Name?
If, following your marriage, either partner wants to change their legal name, do so before continuing with the CoE process (and make sure to update your name in the Japanese spouse’s Koseki!), so that you have the same legal name throughout your paperwork. Since we were moving to Japan, I decided to adopt my wife’s Japanese name. Laws on name changes vary by country (and US State), but I was able to change mine with no more documentation than a certified translation of our wedding certificate.
Important: If you change to a Japanese last name, know that you are not legally allowed to use kanji to write your name. You must continue write your name in English letters! I screwed this up and it has caused me no end of trouble.
Application Documents in Detail
Attention to detail and accuracy are absolutely critical in Japan, whether you’re applying for a CoE, college admission, or a job at Seven Eleven, so be extremely careful! Careless errors will lead to delays or possibly rejection of your application. Fill in forms digitally when possible. If using a pen, make sure it is a black, ball-point pen, and write in all capital letters. Forms will be rejected over the use of blue pen. To make corrections, do not use correction fluid. Draw a double line through the mistake and write the correction above it.
Documents below are listed in the order that they appear on the Japanese checklist. Japanese bureaucrats like it when documents are submitted in order, with multi-page documents joined by paperclips, not staples. (The first thing anyone will have to do with your document is to remove the staples to make photocopies, and careless staple removal may physically damage your application. I’ve seen it happen.)
1. Application for Certificate of Eligibility
Download from: the Immigration Bureau website. Be careful, as there are different forms for different visa types!
Notes for completing the application:
- The “Regional Immigration Bureau” is the regional HQ, not the branch office to at which you plan to apply. For example of your representative in Japan will apply in Kyoto, the regional bureau is Osaka. You can find a list of the regions and their offices on the Immigration Bureau website.
- “Nationality” in Japan means “country of nationality”. For example, “America” is correct, “American” is not. Your application is not going to get rejected over this, though.
- “Name”: Refer to the line near the bottom of the information page of your passport. You should see a code like: P<USATRANSENZ<<TRAVIS<TARO<<<. Ignore the three-letter country code (USA in the example) and write your name in the exact order it appears. Everything before the double < is your “last name” and everything after it is your “first name.” Japan considers middle names to be part of your first name.
Vietnamese applicants: Write your name in this order, even if the last name in the list is your “first name.”
Thai applicants: The “last name” field in your passport may show Mr. or Miss, but do not write that as part of your name! - “Place of Birth” and “Hometown”: If these appear in your passport, then what you write in the application must match the passport. Otherwise, write the name of the city and country.
- “Occupation” should be your job before emigrating to Japan, regardless of your intended profession once you enter the country.
- “Address in Japan” and phone numbers: Enter the address of the person who is applying on your behalf (with their concurrence, of course).
- “Accompanying Persons”: Write the number and their relationship. (i.e. Wife and 2 children, total 3 persons.) If you have none, write “None”
- “Family in Japan”: It is only necessary to enter your wife or children if they are already in Japan. If you have no immediate family in Japan, write “none.”
- If you got married under Japanese law, like we did, you may not have had to register your marriage legally in your home country. Leave question 22(2) blank.
- Fill in Section 27 with your proxy’s information and have them sign. Section 28 is only necessary if you’re having a lawyer, etc., file for you.
2. Japanese spouse’s Koseki Tohon
If you were married outside of Japan and your marriage has not been entered in your Japanese spouse’s Koseki, you will need both the Koseki and a Wedding Certificate (with translation, if the certificate is not Japanese). The Koseki will have to be acquired from your spouse’s hometown city hall and the wedding certificate from wherever you legally registered your wedding.
These documents are there to prove your relationship to your spouse. Even if your marriage is not recorded in the Koseki Tohon, you still have to submit it. . . in order to prove that your marriage is not recorded therein, otherwise your alternative documentation might not be accepted. Yes, this is as ridiculous as it sounds.
3. Wedding Certificate issued by Foreign Applicant’s home country
If you are from a country that has a similar family register system (e.g. Korea), then a Koseki-equivalent, that shows the marriage will also suffice.
If you were married under Japanese law and are from a country that doesn’t issue any certification for marriages conducted under foreign law (such as the US), write a note titled “Foreign Wedding Certificate” and explain in one-to-two sentences that your country does not issue them. Have your spouse translate this into Japanese and sign it.
4. Japanese Spouse’s Certificate of Juminzei (Residence Tax) Payment
This serves as the “Proof of occupation and income.” Specifically, Immigration is looking for proof of employment (sufficient funds to support your lifestyle) in Japan. Tax records overseas aren’t sufficient here, since it’s assumed that overseas employment will no longer be valid once you’re living in Japan. If both spouses lack employment records in Japan, you will need a Japanese sponsor, such as a parent-in-law, to submit their Juminzei and act as your sponsor (this person incurs additional paperwork responsibilities, too, including your Letter of Guarantee).
If neither you or your spouse have income in Japan, and you have no family in Japan to provide this certificate on your behalf, contact the Immigration Bureau directly to find out what to submit.
For maximum coverage, you could also submit your overseas employment records, accompanied by an explanation of exchange rates and what the same/ similar job would pay in Japan (we did). However, submitting these documents alone will not be sufficient.
Juminzei records are issued in June and refer to the 12-month period that ended with the preceding December, so you/your spouse would have to be employed full-time in Japan a minimum of 18 months, if you timed it perfectly, in order to have a report that covered one full year. In some cases, a Certificate of Employment (在職証明書, Zaishoku Shomeisho) and Tax and withholdings report (源泉徴収票, Gensenchoshuhyo) may be an acceptable substitute. As always, make sure you get approval for substitutes before trying to submit your package.
5. Letter of Guarantee written by the Japanese Spouse
Even though it clearly says “written by the Japanese Spouse,” the spouse is ineligible to fill out the letter if they are not living in Japan. The Letter of Guarantee must be written by a Japanese citizen who is working inside the country. Generally speaking, whoever submitted the Juminzei for your application should also fill out this letter.
6. Residence Certificate (Juminhyo) of the Japanese spouse, showing all family members
If your Japanese spouse is not residing in Japan, they will not be able to get a Residence Certificate, so you will need to submit the Juminhyo for whoever provided documents 3 and 4, above. At this point, you may want to also consider getting this person a thank-you gift.
7. Questionnaire Form
Get ready for an invasion of privacy unlike anything you have experienced outside of a counterintelligence interrogation cell. This sneaky form doesn’t show up on the English checklist, and does not appear to exist in English. It has to be filled out in Japanese, so you’ll likely be turning to your spouse to fill it out.
According to the instructions at the top of the form, this is an important form for consideration of your application, all answers should be as detailed as possible, and any falsehoods will result in the rejection of your application for a COE.
The foreigner is the “Applicant” (申請者 , shinseisha) and the Japanese Spouse is the “Spouse” (配偶者, haigusha). Here is the information you will need to enter:
- Applicant’s nationality, name, and sex.
Spouse’s name with furigana, nationality, address, phone number, household members
Spouse’s type of housing (owned/rented), monthly rent, and number of rooms (in LDK format)
Spouse’s employer (including address and phone), position, and date he/she started working there.
*In this case, fill out the spouse’s information, regardless of whose documents you turned in for 3-5, above. - When, where, and how you first met and a detailed explanation of your relationship up to the date of your marriage. Include dates and be as detailed as possible. You may attach additional sheets, as necessary, and may also attach photos, letters, and international phone bills to verify your statements. (We did not attach any of the latter).
Were you formally introduced (matching service, etc.)? If applicable, enter all of the following:
Nationality, name, sex, birthday, address, phone number, residence card number of your match-maker
Date, location, and method of your formal matching introduction
Relationship between the applicant and the matchmaker as well as the relationship between the spouse and the matchmaker, in detail. Writing “friend” or “work colleague,” is not sufficient. - What language do you use in your home?
What are the applicant’s and spouse’s native languages?
To what degree do you understand each other’s native languages?
If the applicant understands Japanese, describe in detail where and when he or she studied it.
When you can’t understand one another’s language, how do you make yourselves understood? (If you use an interpreter, the interpreter’s details are necessary) - If you were married under Japanese law, fill in your witnesses’ information.
- Fill in the details of your wedding ceremony/reception, if you held one.
- Fill in information about the applicant’s/spouse’s previous marriages, if applicable.
- Fill in the number of times, dates of, and reasons for the applicant’s previous visits to Japan. If the applicant previously resided in Japan, then the “reason” should refer to the residence status at that time.
- Fill in the number of times and dates of the spouse’s visits to the applicant’s home country, before & after marriage.
- Has the applicant ever been deported (received a deportation order) from Japan?
If yes, fill in the reason, date, your passport information at that time, and whether you and your spouse had lived together in a married state before that time. - Fill in details of the husband’s family, wife’s family, and your children, including relationship, name, age, address (enter “dead” for deceased relatives), and phone number. If you have no children together, you must enter “none” (なし) in table (2)
- Circle the family members that are aware of your marriage.
8. Snapshots of you as a couple.
Two to three standard-size photos that clearly show both husband and wife and indicate that you are a couple.
9. Application photograph
4 cm high by 3 cm wide, showing head and shoulders face-on, with no hat or head cover and no background. Pictures must be taken within the past six months, have the applicant’s name on the reverse, and be glued to the appropriate place on the application form. Japanese bureaucrats will compare the photo you submit to your passport photo and any other photos of you they have and check the dates to see if they can prove that the photo is more than six months old. If they determine that it’s too old, your application will be held up until they get a new photo.
10. Self-addressed envelope with at 404 yen in stamps (thanks to reader Iifu for pointing out the price change with the recent tax hike!)
You must apply for the COE within Japan, so there is no provision here for an international reply. Once again, you’ll have to rely on your domestic sponsor to receive your documents and forward them to you by EMS, etc.
11. Other
Other items may be necessary, depending on your situation.
- Your Guarantor’s inkan (personal seal). Alternatively, the guarantor can simply seal the document in advance, but if your guarantor is Japanese, the chances are good he/she carries his seal everywhere, anyway. A Ginko-in is sufficient (but a shachihata, rubber stamp, will not be accepted).
- If you are applying by way of a proxy, documents that prove the proxy’s relationship and suitability to serve in that position.
In the case of Spouse Visa, acceptable proxies include family members. Your proxy’s Juminhyo (if it shows the relationship) and government ID should be sufficient. If your proxy is your guarantor, they they’re already submitting their Juminhyo anyway.
If a lawyer or legal scrivener is applying for you, you’ll need a letter of attorney or contract, in Japanese, of course. But then, the lawyer or scrivener ought to be able to supply that. - Anything else that is arbitrarily determined to be necessary at any time during the evaluation of your application.
Submitting Your Application
The decision on where to submit your applicant will depend on your location: if you reside in Japan, or your spouse/proxy’s location. It is rumored that the more distant the Regional Office is from major cities/ concentrations of foreigners, the faster it will be able to process your application, but it really depends on the office’s backlog at any given time. It is certainly best to avoid areas that have a lot of international college students in the Feb-Mar and Jul-Aug time frames, as these offices tend to get flooded with applications from the area colleges.
In our case, we applied to the Sendai Regional Office during January and got approval within a month, despite a few delays that resulted from the Immigration Office flip-flopping on whether certain documents were necessary (insist on turning in everything, regardless of the desk clerk’s opinion).
My mother-in-law did all the running back and forth to the Immigration Office (an hour drive each way) and my father-in-law provided all the necessary certificates. Without their help, this process would have been even more of a nightmare, so I am eternally grateful!
Validity Period and Entering Japan
Check the validity period on your Certificate of eligibility- it should be 3 months from the date of issue. You have to be in Japan before the CoE expires, so get going on your visa application and travel arrangements right away! The last thing you want to do is go through all that work a second time, right? (Thanks to Vernon Reid for pointing out that this should be in here.)
Now, it’s time for the Visa
The Certificate of Eligibility is the hard part, so once that’s done, only a simple application and a week or so of waiting stands between you and your visa! Generally, Japanese embassy websites will tell you that the visa application process takes 1-3 months, but that is assuming that you don’t have a Certificate of Eligibility and are completing both processes at once. If you have a CoE, then the visa will be a breeze.
In most places, you’ll apply directly to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate for your visa, following the instructions on their website. In Bangkok, however, the Embassy has contracted out management of the application process to a private, Thai-owned business called the Japan Visa Application Center. I assume this is due to the volume of applications received in Thailand. The JVAC office was larger and busier than many travel agencies I have seen, and appeared quite profitable, despite charging about 500 baht for their services.
*Trusting my passport in the hands of a private Thai business seemed like a risky proposition to me, based on past experiences, but when I called the Embassy to ask if the business was trustworthy, they got offended at my question. The JVAC is on the up-and-up, so don’t be worried.
Requirements for the Visa Application
Fortunately, there are no sneaky differences between the Japanese and English explanations here. The visa application process is straightforward and simple and takes about a week to complete.
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Applicant’s Passport
- 5 cm by 5 cm ID-style photo (see above for description and warnings
- Visa Application Form
- (Another) Questionnaire
*Whether or not this questionnaire is necessary seems to depend on the country from which you are applying, rather than your nationality. The primary purpose of this questionnaire appears to be a weak effort to stop Trafficking in Persons (TiP). - Visa fees (There are no fees for Americans, but if there are fees for your country, don’t get upset- fees are based on your country’s visa treaty with Japan, and whether or not your country charges visa fees to Japanese.)
If you want more detail, an updated version of this guide, including step-by-step instructions, translations and annotations of all required materials, and sample forms is now available for purchase in your choice of ebook formats.
Single- or Multiple-Entry?
It doesn’t matter. Once you’re in Japan, you’ll get a residence card that will double as a re-entry permit for almost all situations. Multiple entry only matters if your period of stay in Japan is 90 days or lesss, because you don’t get a residence card in that case. Not a problem for Spouses.
Congratulations! It’s time to book your flight!
If you’ve been following our guides from the beginning, you’ve probably been working on this process for nearly three months, or so, beginning with your international marriage. Now, you’re finally ready to move to Japan! お疲れ様です!
If you found this guide useful or if you have anything that you think we should add, please let me know in the comments below!
Very weird, my wife’s mother submitted the documents which were all good, but they said, despite my wife not being my supporter at all or listed as such, that we needed her bank statements and also that we needed to submit a document swearing we would go to HelloWork to find work and live with my parent-in-laws immediately upon entering the country, or something like that. They said it is because of increased marriage fraud due to Japan being closed recently. So they want us to mail these additional documents (the HelloWork one, I have no idea what they want)… very stupid. This was in Sapporo. None of this is mentioned anywhere online and they never said this on the phone when we called.
Hi Adam,
Thank you for your sharing your experience. I must say that’s one I’ve never heard before! I think it serves to highlight just how much individual variation you can get at different immigration offices. . . or even if you are talking to different people at the same office.
I can imagine that you must be rather frustrated with these arbitrary and unannounced additional documents!
For the HelloWork statement, something like the following might work:
“After arriving in Japan, we commit to seeking employment as soon as possible, including Searching for jobs via HelloWork. Until that time, we will live with NAME, Guarantor.”
「渡日後、速やかにハローワークを訪問し、就職することを約束します。仕事を見つかるまで、身元保証人の〇〇と一緒に暮らすことにします。」
Your wife might want to correct my Japanese! But I think something that simple should be fine, if signed by both of you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again. This is just out of curiosity, but about the photo I include that’s pasted to the application form: Do you know what they want this photo for? Is it just for their reference, or is it used on the actual CoE paper that they issue (or as the visa photo)?
I hope they aren’t super anal about the size as I think I am a millimeter or something off if you were to measure it and look closely. I guess the photographer had to cut the picture to get it to size so it isn’t as perfect as a Japanese photo machine.
Hi Adam,
I think it is just for reference and MEXT’s final records. When I handled applications at the university level, we had to submit the original application form with the photo to MEXT, and I’m not certain what they did with it after that, but I cannot imagine them removing all of the photos and sending them to embassies for the visa application.
I don’t think it’s a problem if it is off my a millimeter or so!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
“Fill in forms digitally when possible. If using a pen, make sure it is a black, ball-point pen, and write in all capital letters. ”
I filled out the applications/supplemental documents digitally already but not in all capitals. Do I only need to write in all capitals if I write in pen?
Also do they want me to include a copy of my passport? If my name is all capitals in my passport it needs to be that way everywhere?
Hi Adam,
You only need to use all capitals if you are writing by hand. If you are typing, please write normally. Writing in all capitals is simply for the sake of legibility, but that is not an issue for typing.
Immigration does not require you to submit a copy of your passport any more, but they might ask for it as an additional document to double-check the spelling of your name, your nationality, etc., so I think it would be a good idea to provide it to the person who will be applying on your behalf, just in case it is requested, in order to save yourself time later.
You do not need to write your name in all capitals just because it appears that way in your passport. However, you cannot use any special characters (like accented letters) in your name. Make sure that you spell your name as show in the machine-readable text at the bottom of your passport page.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you!
I’m also a little confused; in your book, it says that proof of marriage (from abroad) needs to be issued no more than 6 months ago, but we married a year ago so it’s from a year ago. There is nothing on the certificate that says when it was issued, though, so I think even if I order a new copy it will not show any difference.
And does the marriage certificate need to be:
1) The original (not a color photocopy), and
2) Translated into Japanese? And if so, by a professional, or can my wife translate it? It is in very, very simple English that I think is self-explanatory… (mostly just Name, Place of Birth, Date, etc.). We asked the immigration office one time and they said it didn’t need to be translated, but we only asked one person and your book/the Internet says differently.
And can non-official documents be in English? Such as screenshots with some English at the bottom explaining the context, letters from family to support the application, etc.?
Thank you so much… I am almost ready to submit this time-consuming monster…
Hi Adam,
I’ve only reported the requirements I could find. I am aware that some immigration offices make exceptions to a few of them – like accepting some documents in English – but since that doesn’t apply everywhere and is ultimately an exception to the written rule, I’ve stuck to the rules in the book rather than lead someone astray. You never know when you’re going to have the bad fortune of coming across one of those immigration officers who is a stickler for doing everything by the book. (There’s one in my local office, and it can be a bit of a pain.)
For your marriage certificate, if there is nothing that indicates the date it was issued, then I suppose there is no way they can tell whether it’s within 6 months. In that case, as you said, ordering a new one wouldn’t make any difference.
1. It does need to be an original or certified (notarized) copy.
2. Technically, if you ask the immigration services agency, they will most likely tell you that it must be completely translated into Japanese and done by a professional translator who can certify that it is a true and accurate translation. However, if you just bring it into the office accompanied by a self-done translation that indicates the important parts of the document, they might accept it. Particularly since they will have your wife’s Japanese records to cross-reference.
For unofficial supporting materials like screenshots of communication, there should be no problem if it is in English. The point is just to show that communication was occurring, not the detailed contents. I don’t think that a supporting letter in English would do much good though, since immigration would not be likely to read it. It can’t hurt, though.
If I recall correctly, you and your wife are currently living together outside Japan, so you really shouldn’t have to do much to prove the validity of your marriage beyond submitting the questionnaire. The only times I have seen people have to submit extra documentation, communication records, etc., was when the relationship had been primarily remote with little or no cohabitation.
On the other hand, I certainly understand the motivation to make sure that the application is ironclad and sure to be approved!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you! I submitted the documents to Japan and it looks like they will be delivered soon. I think we will be approved, but if not, I at least know way too much about the process now thanks to you!
Hi Adam,
I wish you the best of luck! Please let me know how it goes.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
This might be an issue: “All parts of this application must be on JIS size A 4 Paper (210㎜×297 ㎜).” Where I live, the paper size is slightly different (letter size). 8.5 x 11 inches (215.9 mm by 279.4 mm). Should I try importing the paper they want and print everything in that size…?
Hi Adam,
Ultimately, someone in Japan is going to have to submit the application on your behalf, in person, at the Immigration office, so rather than important the paper, I would suggest completing all the required forms digitally and asking that person to print them out for you in Japan. You will still have to post your proxy any original documents that you need to supply (those can be letter size, if necessary), but at least that way you can get the forms printed easily on A4.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I hope this’ll be my last question spree!
On question 5 of the questionnaire (page 5/8) it asks for details of the wedding ceremony and who attended (only family is an option). It then says: “Attendees from both sides ____total people”. What if none of those options attended but there were 2 witnesses (they were not family/friends, just people the marriage officiant knew) and 1 marriage officiant (3), and of course me and my wife (2). Do we put down zero attendees “0” (as none of the choices attended) or 3 (two witnesses and the marriage officiant) or 2 (just the witnesses) or 5 (everyone actually at the wedding including me and my wife)? We married during covid so couldn’t have family there.
And for question 8 on the same page (5/8), if my wife is still currently in Canada, do we put “Present” in the “to” space?
Example: After Marriage (1 times). 2021/4/5 ~ Present (in year field)
And finally…just to confirm, even if the questionnaire is supposed to be done entirely in Japanese, the names and addresses of English-native names and places should be written in English with no katakana?
Thank you!
Hi Adam,
For page 5/question 5, based on my reading, it should be “0”.
For page 6/question 8(2), “present” (現在に至る) seems appropriate.
Yes, English proper nouns/addresses should be written in English. You can include katakana written above the English names to be sure, if you like.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, great guide and resource. Sorry if I missed it, but my Japanese wife and I are currently residing in the U.S. and planning on moving to Japan next year. Should I apply for the COE at a consulate in the U.S. 3 months prior to leaving for Japan, or just do it when we arrive in Japan? I can’t seem to find the best way to go time it. Thanks in advance.
Hi Brian,
You will need a CoE in order to apply for your visa, so someone would have to apply for it on your behalf before you travel to Japan. Typically, it must be issued within 90 days of the day that you arrive in Japan, so applying for it about 3 months in advance would be a good plan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Got it. Thanks, Travis.
-Brian
Sorry, about this: “Residence Registration Certificate (Juminhyo) of the Japanese spouse, showing all family members.”
My wife had this but recently got rid of it because she lives in Canada with me now (she was going to be paying fees in Japan even though she didn’t live there, apparently). Is it okay not to include this document and instead include an explanation, or should she re-apply for a Juminhyo and get it, even though she doesn’t live in Japan now? I think maybe the guarantor (wife’s mother) will include a Juminhyo, which may or may not have my wife’s name on it. Just wondering in terms of if they will reject/delay the application without this document.
Thanks again…
Hi Adam,
I think it might be best to ask the Immigration Services Agency office where you plan to apply directly to be sure.
There is a document called a “Zairyu Shomei” 在留証明 that is used as the equivalent of a Juminhyo for Japanese citizens who are living overseas and are not registered as residents in Japan, such as in your wife’s situation, for official paperwork. You should be able to apply for it at your nearest Japanese embassy/consulate. However, I do not think that it shows the other family members living with her. I recommend checking with the Immigration office to see if they will accept that.
If your wife has moved out of Japan and cancelled her residence there, then she would not be listed on her mother’s Juminhyo. The Juminhyo is a record of residence, different from family registry, so it does not show family members who live in other locations.
Even if the Zairyu Shomei is not the answer, there should be some alternative available to you, but checking directly would be best!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much. She called an office and they told her to include a letter explaining why she doesn’t have the Juminhyo. No template, just a custom letter. I hate to trust them though because as you mentioned they give contradicting info sometimes. But I searched for the document you mentioned and could only find information about it related to the USA, so not sure about Canada. And since we don’t live close to a Japanese embassy it would cost us $300+ minimum to travel to the closest Canadian city which has one. So I’d like to avoid doing that, so we will include the letter and hope for the best!
Hi Adam,
Thank you for sharing that update!
That’s also the solution for what to do if you don’t have a marriage certificate from the non-Japanese spouse’s home country, so it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. The letter wouldn’t have to be anything fancy, just something that states the facts.
If the Immigration Services Agency didn’t mention the other document, there’s no sense in spending a lot of money to travel and go get one now!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much. And thanks for the updated form you sent me. In that form it asks if I applied for a CoE before; I had gone to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa before, but I don’t remember if I applied for a CoE for that. I think not?
Hi Adam,
According to the application information for the Working Holiday Visa, a CoE does not appear to be one of the requirements. There is also no information on how to apply for a Working Holiday CoE on the Immigration website, so I think it’s safe to say that you didn’t have one.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
And when writing down English names, do I always write them LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – MIDDLE NAME even if it does not specify how to write them? I think I will do that for consistency. Anyway, I will try not to bother you anymore! You’ve been very helpful.
Hi Adam,
For legal purposes in Japan, you have only two names: Your family name and your “Given name”, which includes your middle name. Your middle name will always be considered a part of your first name here, so you should fill out any official forms as you suggested, including First Name – Middle Name in the “First name” or “Given name” lines.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Oh, one more question… for “intended length of stay” do they mean I have to have 80,000 yen for each month of each year that I intend to stay? So 5 years means I need a ton of money but 3 years means I need less?
Hi Adam,
In general, yes. You would either need to have all of that money in an account or a recurring source of income. But don’t let that stop you from applying for 5 years.
When I first applied, I applied for 3 years (that was the maximum length then), but they only gave me 1 because I was relying my bank account and didn’t have income. Once I arrived in Japan and started working, I was able to apply for an extension a year later and get the maximum length.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for this. I have a question. For “guarantor” (my Japanese wife’s mother) on question 24(1), do I need to also list them in 24(3) or is 26 sufficient?
The breakdown is:
1) Self (81,000 yen per month) as I have around 2.3 million yen in a TransferWise account (I moved the money there because all my money was in various places and I want to submit the application this month, and they are the only financial institution that allows custom date ranges for bank statements). I will not include any salary/job documents since I don’t have them and won’t have them in Japan.
2) Supporter from abroad. I plan to put down my mother. And place her in 24(3). She is retired, so in “place of employment” should I write “retired”? I will include her bank statements and T4 tax document as proof. I will list her at 41,000 yen per month…although this could be much higher since she not only has her income but her husband’s income as well. 80,000 yen for her alone is maybe doable. Do you think I should increase the number? Although she’s retired she makes similar money to my guarantor.
3) Guarantor aka Japanese wife’s mother (only 10,000 yen per month). I am wondering if I even need to put her. She will be including the necessary tax documents showing her salary which is around over 2 million yen per year. But her bank account, according to her, is essentially empty, so I couldn’t include her bank statements. But if I do, it would only go in 26, correct?
My wife is living with me in Canada now so I cannot include her for financial support or as a guarantor.
Also, quick question for the ID photo – does it need a stamp on the back showing the photo studio that took it and the date? Or just my name written on the back in black pen?
Thank you!!
Hi Adam,
Your guarantor in Japan does not necessarily have to provide you with financial support, to it is fine to not list them under the support category. You and your mother would be more than sufficient.
I think you might be looking at an older version of the form. Currently, question 25 is where you list your financial support and 27 is your contact in Japan. You can get the newest version of the form (as of April 2022) here.
1) For your proof or resources, your account information is fine.
2) For your mother, “retired” is fine.
3) I don’t think you need to put her, though you still will need her tax statements.
For your photo, it does not need to have the studio’s stamp or date.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Oh thank you! If I used the old version would they reject me? Do you have a link to all the latest forms?
One caveat I discovered today: Most my mothers money is in a retirement investment account (RRSP I think? It is 3-4 million yen) which you said in your book won’t count. I can get a statement of that, but it’s not strictly a bank account. So her actual, other bank savings statements would look not enough (under 1 million yen).
I’m thinking of asking my uncle to also be a supporter if that is needed. If I have multiple overseas supporters, do I tick the box once, add up both their monthly money support, and attach a sheet with the extra name(s) and information?
And while my wife is overseas with me she actually makes money online with iTalki so she has around 2 million yen. Could she use iTalki earnings statements if I list her as a supporter? And if I list her would it be under “Others”?.. . Maybe that’s making it over complicated with too many supporters and I should avoid using her altogether.
On an unrelated note;
As for the extra paper that is entirely in Japanese about the expanded or elaborated details of the relationship (past/present/future), is it okay if we go overboard and supplement it with actual receipts, flight tickets, many photos (10-20), etc?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Adam,
If you use the old form, I think they will just ask you to resubmit using the new form. In general, they will always give you a chance to resubmit a problematic or missing document before considering rejecting your application.
You can find the most up-to-date forms on the Immigration Services Agency website. The form is slightly different for each type of CoE application.
For your proof of financial resources, if your mother’s accounts are in an investment plan, then unfortunately that would not be sufficient, but since you had mentioned that you were already planning to contribute 80,000+ based on your own resources, that is already over the minimum threshold (80,000 – 120,000 is the usual target), so even if your mother’s resources are lower, you should still be in a safe position and I don’t think you would need to seek additional supporters.
Of course, if your wife has regular earnings that will continue after you travel to Japan and you can show her proof of salary, that would be ideal! Recurring income is stronger than static resources. In that case, she should probably also be your guarantor.
For the Questionnaire (relationship details), you can go overboard, but if you and your wife have been living together in Canada for some time and can show that you are at the same residence, then you really don’t need to worry about going too far with the proof. A large part of this document is to ensure that yours is not a sham marriage designed just to get you into the country. If you can comfortably show that is not the case, then you wouldn’t need to go much further than that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks! Yes, if my wife were my guarantor it’d be easier; but she isn’t in Japan so I thought she cannot be my guarantor. And while my wife is popular on iTalki and makes more than she did in Japan at a “regular” job, she is self-employed and the salary varies, so it may not be stable when we move to Japan and the time zone shifts. Thus, it may not be good to use her.
Another question (sorry lol): In the questionnaire form (in Japanese), when it asks the place/date we first met, what do we put if we met online but met in person 2-3 months later? The place we met online (the name of the application/website) or the place we met in person (and then explain we first met online but the place we first met in person, which is Tokyo at the airport, is what we wrote down?).
Another couple of miscellaneous questions:
1) For the ID photo, is it to be paper-clipped to the form, or can it be glued/taped? The photo place that did my photos gave me like 5 of them, so I think I will include 2 extras in the application package in case they get damaged.
2) We need to send all these documents to my wife’s mother in Japan by mail, and we are worried about it getting damaged, etc. Can we use paper (sleeve) protectors or folders/binders/envelopes for photos, etc.? When submitting the application, if it is by mail, does it matter how bulky it is since we really don’t want it to be damaged. I suppose once it arrives in Japan her mother will submit the application package for us in-person and not by mail (this is possible, right? The self-addressed envelope is only for them to mail the COE) so maybe the application only needs to be protected from Canada –> Japan.
Hi Adam,
I understand the situation with your wife. But if she has her own savings, too, then it could still be possible. You’d probably be looking at a 1-year period of stay to begin with, but at least it would get you into the country so that you could find stable income to apply for a renewal later for a longer period. I think it’s still worth asking the Immigration Services Agency.
For the place/date of meeting: I recommend that you refer to your first physical meeting. You can mention that you were communicating online in advance, but despite the pandemic, I think “meeting” still means “in person” in the case of this form.
1) ID Photo: I think you need to attach it with a glue stick. Including extra photos (in a plastic baggie, if possible) is a good idea in case they get damaged in transit.
2) I certainly recommend using a sleeve or document protector when you mail the documents to your mother-in-law. She will have to submit the application in person at the Immigration Services Agency, so you only need to worry about protecting it for the posting to her, and when she mails your completed CoE back to you. As far as I know, Immigration will only mail the CoE within Japan, so the self-addressed envelope would have to be back to your mother-in-law, and she would then send it on to you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for this guide, it has been quite helpful. I would really appreciate it if you could provide some guidance with my situation:
– My Japanese wife and kids recently arrived in Japan and have registered their Juminhyo
– My wife is transferring from Canada to a new Japanese branch of her company
– I will be unemployed when entering Japan (I’m a software developer by trade)
My wife and I won’t have Juminzei of course, so my plan was to list her as supporter (and guarantor) and then she could provide a letter from her company proving employment, as well as showing a bank statement if necessary, etc.
The thing is, when she contacted the local immigration office in Kofu to ask some questions, apparently what she was told was basically that her information was not so important, and that she could even be unemployed, it was really just my information that mattered and being able to prove I could support myself.
Originally I had her as providing 10,0000 yen per month as supporter, but she suggested I move that to “self” rather than supporter based on her conversation. I have the equivalent of about 2,300,000 yen savings in my bank account that I could show for the application.
So as it stands now:
– My wife is listed as supporter and guarantor
– For support, I have 60,000 per month listed under “self”, and I just decided to write “Apartment rent” under “supporter” to at least indicate that she is covering the cost of rent.
I’m skeptical about this based on your guide though. It’s hard for me to tell if there was some miscommunication somewhere. Apparently my wife was also told “don’t worry it’s not pass or fail, if we need more info we’ll just ask you for the extra documents”. But as you say, we don’t want to be stuck in back-and-forth if we can avoid it.
I’m a bit stressed about this to tell the truth, so I’m hoping you can provide some objective guidance here, thanks!
Hi DMilton,
I can imagine your frustration!
Normally, I wouldn’t want to question an Immigration Agency worker who should, presumably, know what their talking about. But not all government civil servants are equally competent, and it sounds like this one may have given you some suspect advice. (Incidentally, in my own case, the Immigration staff told my mother-in-law that a few of the documents we submitted were “unnecessary” and that she should take them home with her. Then they called back and said, “Oh, yeah, those were necessary after all” and made her drive an hour each way back to the office to turn them in. . .)
I think your plan to list her as your supported and guarantor and to provide a letter of employment/proof of salary from her company is a good one. If she is listed as your supporter in question 26 (not 25(3)) and guarantor, that should indicate to the immigration office that she will be the “breadwinner” for the family and you will be relying on her income. So, in that case, her employment and salary should be the deciding factor. (I wonder if the person she talked to was a bit sexist and assumed that you would be the primary salary earner after arrival.)
In addition, to be safe, if you list self-support as well and provide proof of your bank account balance, then that should doubly prove that you are in a position to support yourself.
In that case, I recommend that you list 100,000 again as your wife’s support contribution and list 60,000 (or 80,000, since your account seems able to bear it – that’s a bit of a “magic number” for minimum support, based on what I’ve seen in the past), then there should be no question at all about your financial support coverage. Even if they say that only one is necessary, try to insist that they accept both documents and only refer to the one that they need.
I do think that what your wife was told – it’s not pass/fail but they will ask for additional documents if necessary – is accurate, but if you can save yourself the trouble and get the application processed faster, that would be better!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Just wanted to post a quick follow up:
I received my CoE; the process took about 1 month from application (better than expected, we were given 2 months as an estimate).
In addition to the original application, we were asked to provide:
– Letter of proof of my wife’s employment
– Dates for the 3 ‘relationship’ photos (they actually returned them by mail and asked us to date and resubmit)
– Screenshots of our recent chat history
Thanks again for your help!
Hi DMilton,
Thank you for sharing the additional guidance from the Immigration Services Agency!
I have heard of others being asked for screenshots of chat history when they are physically separated prior to the application (when I applied, the guidance was to submit phone records indicating calls to one another. . . times have changed), so that makes sense. Asking for dates on the photos is a new one, though. I will add that to the guide!
I’m glad to hear that you were able to get it issued so quickly!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
I got your guide for a spouse visa and it has helped me and my husband immensely in understanding the application process, so thank you so much for your work.
I just have one question about the financial supporter questions on the COE application form. So I am unemployed and my husband in Japan will be my main supporter (I want to get a job in Japan after I arrive) and he makes enough to cover the minimum. But we thought to bolster my application further my brother agreed to be a supporter from abroad. So my question is where do I write both of their information as supporters. Do I write my brother’s details in 25(3) (new format; numbers are a bit different) and then my husband’s details in 26?
Thank you once again for the really helpful guide!
Hi DJ,
Thank you for your kind feedback! I am very happy to hear that the guide was helpful to you.
It’s always tricky when you have multiple supporters. However, in your case, I think your suggestion would be ideal. Although you mentioned that you want to work in Japan after arrival, if you don’t have a job lined up, then for now, it seems to make sense to list your husband as your supporter (long-term supporter/provider) in 26 (as well as your guarantor in 27), then list your brother as your additional supporter in 25(3).
For 25(1), I would recommend filling in the contribution from your husband in the “Guarantor” blank, rather than “Supporter in Japan” blank. “Guarantor” is a stronger relationship and indicates long-term support, so that should make your application easier to approve.
Good luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much!
Thanks to your guide and advice, I got my spousal visa for Japan!
Best wishes from Bulgaria.
Hi DJ,
Thank you for sharing your great news and feedback. I am thrilled to hear it and hope that you have a safe journey to Japan, soon!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have a question and hope you can help me with.
As this pandemic causes alot of restriction on country’s border. To get the Wedding Certificate issued by the foreign spouse’s country is quite impossible for us. As me and my husband are not staying together (I’m Malaysian staying in Singapore and my husband is in Japan) we recently got married as you know get married in Japan doesn’t need both parties to be presence. Now we’re facing a challenge that Malaysia embassy will not recognise or cannot be re-register the marriage if both parties cannot submit the Japanese marriage certificate in person. Kindly advise if the COE process can skip this part or submit later when I in Japan with my husband?
Thank you.
Angela
Hi Angela,
I don’t know for sure if they will make an exception due to travel restrictions. There’s no particular rule that I am aware of, so it is going to be a case-by-case decision.
In cases where countries do not re-register marriages conducted abroad, then in place of the foreign marriage certificate, you simply have to include a note saying that your country’s government will not re-register marriages conducted abroad (this was the case for me, as a US citizen). So, one thing you could do is write an explanation that the Malaysian government will not re-register a marriage unless both partners appear together at the embassy, which is not possible until after you receive your visa and come to Japan, due to COVID travel restrictions, and see if they will accept that.
I would also suggest asking your husband to contact his local Immigration Services Agency office in Japan to ask in advance if that would be acceptable. They may be able to give him a more definite answer.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your advise! Your answer is very helpful!
Thank you!
Hello Travis, I keep re-reading this article, as my wife and I are planning to retire to Japan in 2 years. Rules may change by then, but here is the scenario: My wife s a Japanese citizen and we live in the US. My monthly income will be around $1800 at retirement, and we have our savings. We intend to sell our house here and build new in Japan. As for a sponsor, her parents are already retired and I don’t know if their pensions would be considered enough to sponsor me, and my wife is not working either. How would we use my monthly income as a guarantee? Is there a minimum level of income before they will consider my eligibility? Hope you have some insight. Thank you.
Hi Mark G,
Your financial sponsor and your guarantor in Japan can be two different people. Your guarantor does not necessarily have to be someone who will be a continual source of financial support for you, they just need guarantee that you have access to sufficient funds to support your life in Japan (i.e. help you out if you’re in a pinch). In general, you can be your own financial sponsor. There is a place on the form to indicate that you are self-financed. As for your guarantor, your parents-in-law could serve in that role, but I have also seen cases where both spouses were moving to Japan from overseas together and the Japanese spouse could be the guarantor, even though they didn’t have any income, themselves. When you’re ready to apply, I recommend that your wife contact the immigration office directly and seek their advice about who should fill that role.
$1800/month could be tight for two to live on, but for the Immigration Services Agency’s perspective, they typically look to see about 80,000 – 120,000 per month for a single person, so between that income and your savings/house sale proceeds, you should be fine for the financial criteria.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Terribly sorry to bother. Just wanted to make sure that some of the things listed like included postage are current for 2021. The article “very good by the way” was originally written in 2015. Also planning on buying your book but also wanted to check on revision history for current info.
Also my wife and I are married by Proxy and officially registered correctly in Japan as of June 10, 2021. However thanks to COVID we haven’t seen each other since January of 2020. I have lots of other “together” pictures but nothing post-nuptials. Any suggestions?
Many thanks for your site and your posts.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Russell Ridge,
Thank you for checking!
I have updated the postage reference, in particular, a few times since originally posting the article, usually when readers pointed out the change. However, I checked today (29 Oct 2021) and 404 is still the correct amount!
However, I have not updated that information in the book yet. The book is still in its original 2015 state.
As for the other items, the Immigration Services Agency has changed the wording of the description of a few items, but the required documents are the same.
For your proof of relationship post-COVID, it makes sense that you don’t have any photos. Do you have any other record of continued communication? Such as text messages, email records, logs of phone calls, etc.? I have seen those kinds of records requested in the past to verify long-distance relationships.
If you talk on Zoom, Skype, etc. and have photos or screenshots of those conversations (though realistically, I know few people would take photos of that!), those could be useful, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! Me and my husband are currently filling in the spouse COE application form and had questions:
1. On question 21 it asks about family in Japan, my husband is Japanese and lives there so should we put his information there or do we not need to do that?
2. On question 23 we have to write place of notification of marriage, so we married in Finland and he registered it in Japan when he went back there, so should we put both where we married in Finland and where he registered it in Japan?
3. on question 25 it says “Method of support and an amount of support per month (average)” I don´t know what to put here, because his mother will be my supporter on the COE application but she will not give me like a specific amount of money every month or anything, but she will let me and my husband stay at their house until I get a job in Japan (my husband has a job, but we want to both have jobs before getting our own apartment).
4. On the end of the application it says “Signature of the applicant (representative)” so it means my husbands signature right?
Sorry for having many questions, this COE application progress is just so confusing for me haha
Thank you in advance!
Hi Jenny,
1. Question 21 is about your family members and specifically asks about your spouse, so you would fill in his information there, but not your in-laws.
2. For Question 23 (1) you will fill in the municipality in Japan and for Question 23 (2) you would fill in the municipality in Finland, as well as the dates that you filed the marriage report in each country.
3. I recommend estimating what the equivalent amount would be to the practical support that she will be providing – such as what rent, utilities, and food would cost per month if you had to pay for it on your own. Typically, the ISA wants to see a figure of at least 80,000 yen per month, though higher is better.
4. Since your husband will be submitting the form on your behalf, he should fill in question 28 with his information and sign at the end.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Okey thank you so much for the help 🙂 I can’t even explain how grateful I am to have found this website!
I do have 3 more questions though sorry, so do we have to put all the information in Japanese, for example when it asks about my occupation or my family information, do I put his name, nationality and workplace name in English or Japanese? Also, what is the difference between “supporter in Japan” and “guarantor” on question 25 and which one should I choose? Last question, is it okey to fill in some of the form digitally and some with a black ballpoint pen?
Sorry I forgot to add the question about if we can translate the wedding certificate from my country by ourselves or if we need a translator, and in that case are there any limitations on what translator we can use?
Hi Jenny,
For government-issued documents, you cannot translate them yourself, even if you are competent to do so. You would have to get a certified translation done by a translator. There is no particular formal qualification for translators, but it would have to be someone who swears that they are competent to translate the document and have done so with no errors, then signs/seals the translation to that effect.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Jenny,
In general, I recommend filling in the information in Japanese, if possible, but English is also fine. However, if there is something like a foreign address or foreign business name (employer), that should not be translated to Japanese.
Your “guarantor” is the person who will take responsibility for you in Japan, ensure that you follow the laws, and also provide you with support to leave the country if necessary. That person also has to submit proof of their finances and relationship to you as part of the application. (In the case of a Spouse visa application, it should be your spouse in most cases). A “Supporter in Japan” is anyone other than your guarantor who will be supporting you financially. So, if your husband is your guarantor and your mother-in-law is also giving you support (such as room and board), you could list the amount of support you will receive from each one separately, fill in your mother-in-law’s information in 25 (3) and your husband’s information in 27. (Supporter in 26 is someone who will be supporting you permanently if you have no intent to seek employment on your own in Japan).
It should be fine to mix digital entries and writing by black pen (especially for check boxes and signatures, etc).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Okey thank you. His mom will actually be my guarantor since my husband does not have enough income and recently went back to Japan. At least from what I understand from your post, the guarantor should be the one who submitted the financial proof. Is it fine that his mom is my guarantor and how does she prove her relationship to me, does she have to get a Koseki for showing that she is my husbands mother?
Hi Jenny,
Even if your husband has relatively little income, my understanding is that he should still be your guarantor and that your mother-in-law would be an additional financial sponsor, but perhaps the best thing to do would be for him to contact the local Immigration Office and ask them directly who should be the guarantor in your case. I can only speak to general rules, but they should be able to give you a clear answer on complicated cases!
The guarantor does need to submit financial proof and ideally it should be tax returns from the previous year, but it sounds like your husband won’t have that, so he would also need to ask what alternate proof he should submit. Proof of employment with salary should be sufficient, but this is going to be up to the office that accepts your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Also, I saw on a post that people said it’s fine to submit English documents if I apply in Tokyo and that they do not have to be translated to Japanese, is this true? The only non-Japanese document we have is the marriage certificate (which is in English)
Hi Jenny,
I have not heard that, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I have not been able to keep track of differences in decisions at the regional level.
The best way to find out for sure would be for your husband to call the office where he plans to apply and ask.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sorry for having many questions and thank you so much for the help. Can I somehow donate money to you for the help I received? Also I have 1 last question before I can finish the form. The immigration said it’s fine for my mother in law to be my guarantor, so should I only fill her information in question 25 (1) and 27, and leave question 25 (3) and 26 empty if I’m not to be supported permanently? And I don’t understand question 25 (2) can I write there how much cash I will bring when I arrive?
Again, thank you so much for your help
Hi Jenny,
I’m happy to help!
Yes, in your case you would fill in your mother-in-law’s information in 25(1) and 27. You would leave 25(3) blank (unless you have another financial supporter) and 26, as well.
For 25(2), you would only need to complete it if you filled in any amount under “self” or “supporter living abroad” in 25(1). For example, if you will withdraw money from an overseas bank account regularly to support yourself, or if you plan to bring a lump sum with you on arrival that you will use to cover a significant portion of your expenses long term. If you’re only bringing cash for initial expenses and it is not a large amount that will contribute to your monthly support, then you can leave it blank.
Thank you for your offer to send a donation! I tried to set something like that up in the past, but donations through paypal and other one-time “tip jars” don’t seem to be available in Japan. I do have a Patreon page. That is more of a recurring support platform, but if you wanted to join for one month then cancel, that would have the same effect (though that’s a bit of work if you’re not using the platform already).
In any case, it’s really not necessary at all, but I do appreciate the sentiment.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis, thank you very much for all your guides. They are all very useful for so many different aspects of dealing with migration to Japan.
This time I have a question about the processing time for the CoE. Anywhere I look it up, it says that it will take from 1 to 3 months to process. It’s been already 3 months since I sent my documents but I have received no answer so far. Do applicants get a rejection notice in case that happens? Or is it just a Covid-19 related delay? Is it possible that the processing time has been extended?
Hi Pete,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
You should always get a reply one way or another to the application. Typically, if it there is a problem they will first contact you to ask you to submit additional supporting documents rather than just rejecting the application outright, at least as far as I have seen in the past.
Even before COVID, I heard of some cases where some applications took more than the three months to process (about a year before COVID hit, the Immigration Bureau was reorganized and adopted a much more expanded mission. That is when I started seeing processing times get longer, so I suspect they may be short-handed still).
In your situation, I would say that it is worth calling up the office where you applied, let them know that it has been more than three months and ask if there is any problem or anything additional they need from you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
I am from Pakistan. I just need some information regarding the COE. Actually, I got my admission notification from my university in March. I have paid the admission fees also and submitted all the necessary documents for enrolling in university. With regard to the COE, the university has applied on my behalf in the immigration department at the beginning of June. They said that “Hopefully
it will be issued by the end of June or the beginning of July. We will let you know as soon as we receive your COE.” According to my university, my COE documents were fine.
But as you’re aware of the situation in Japan, I was worried that they would refuse my COE application due to Covid 19. According to your experience, could you please tell me that is there any case in the past that they refused any COE application of a student? University said that they will start online classes if there is a delay in the new visa opening.
Secondly, as my classes are gonna start in mid-September, do you think I will be able to enter Japan if I got my COE in July? Is there any sign when would Japan lift the restrictions and open visas for new immigrants?
Please reply to my questions productively, so that I can stop worrying.
It would be much helpful for me.
Regards.
Hi Hasan,
I received your comment three times. I think (based on your comment in one of them) that you got an error message and it looked like it didn’t post, but I received it!
It sounds like you are studying in Japan as a fee-paying student, right?
Japan is not refusing to issue CoEs for students. I know because in May we applied for over 70 for new students at my university and all were issued with no problem. The problem is not with the CoEs, the problem is that Japan is not issuing new visas in many cases and the borders remain closed, so even once you have your CoE, you might not be able to apply for a visa or enter the country before your classes start. In that case, you might have to start classes online then travel to Japan later, when borders open.
Unfortunately, there is no clear sign right now about when borders will reopen. I have heard some rumors that they may open for students for this fall, but nothing confirmed. If I learn anything new, I will be sure to share it here!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much Travis for your reply!
I really appreciate that you reply to every comment in an elucidative way. May Allah bless you 🙂
Yes, I am a privately financed student on a 50% scholarship from my university. I wish that the rumour you’re talking about may become reality. Even my university sent me a rough schedule.
According to that provisional plan, if Visas open, I should travel between 25-27 August in order to complete my quarantine period which will ultimately make me eligible to check-in in my dormitory on time i.e. mid of September.
Hi Hasan,
I am happy to hear that the comment was helpful!
If I hear anything about the progress of opening borders, I will be sure to share it here!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi, it was very helpful this post. the last week my husband turn in the paperwork for COE, and we are waiting for it.
i have a question, does the COE its delivery by mail, or u just get a postcard and the u go to immigration office? thank u 🙂
Hi Sam,
Thank you for your kind comments!
The CoE should be sent by mail. (Your husband should have submitted a stamped, addressed envelope with the application materials for just that purpose).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you for writing all this information. You helped me with my MEXT application, though I didn’t make it – it was an experience to apply for the program. I was planning to get into school because my husband (a Japanese National) is currently attending a master’s program there – thought it would be fun to go to school together.
Now we’re hoping to get reunited with a spousal visa. I have some questions and wondering if you can help me with some confusion.
1. As a part of the application process, I have to submit a “Japanese Spouse’s Certificate of Receipt of Juminzei (Residence Tax) Payment”. My husband, a Japanese National, recently moved back to Japan – has been filing for Canadian tax. He’s an artist, so he’s basically self-employed. I’m wondering if the immigration services will deny my application for COE since he has never filled for Residence Tax in Japan. There is also a Japan and Canada taxation treaty that will avoid double taxation. Wondering if something like this will make any difference in the application process.
2. Somehow in the Japanese website for COE application (http://www.moj.go.jp/ONLINE/IMMIGRATION/ZAIRYU_HENKO/zairyu_henko1.html?fbclid=IwAR2pbJTvJMdXpmoFf5PfM_DUy1a9vaqXm8jNE7N6xIjKL8BRk4vqUdeTiSw), it was never mentioned that the guarantor has to submit their Residence Tax payment record or any proof that they can provide for the foreign spouse. In point 5, the applicant myself has to submit my record of employment in Japan or a bank statement to indicate I can provide my lifestyle there. Maybe I’m reading it wrong?
3. I read somewhere on reddit and facebook that a Japanese spouse living in Japan can apply and submit COE on their foreign spouse’s behalf. Is that true? If you’ve ever heard of it, how does that process work?
I know this process will take some time and I want to somehow get this done before Japan start issuing visa again. I hope you can help me with these questions. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Hi E S,
I am sorry to hear that your application for the MEXT Scholarship wasn’t successful. But I am happy to hear that I may be able to help with your next effort to move to Japan. (Just a heads up, though, you will not be able to apply for the MEXT Scholarship if you have a spouse residence status in Japan).
1. The reason they ask for the certificate of receipt of Juminzei Payment isn’t to show that your spouse is paying their taxes, it is because it is proof of their income in Japan that is issued by the government. So, you don’t need to worry about the tax treaties or anything like that. If your spouse does not have proof of tax payment, then you need to worry about showing alternate financial means. If neither you or your spouse are able to produce tax documentation, then the alternate documents that can be accepted are a bank statement, a proof of employment showing income, or some other certification of your financial resources.
2. In general for the Spouse CoE application, it is assumed that your spouse in Japan will be your Guarantor, so that requirement is listed under what the spouse must submit, as explained above. However, when I first moved to Japan, my spouse was moving with me. We were both living overseas and neither of us had a job or income waiting for us in Japan. While we both had respectable savings in foreign bank accounts, I was told at the time that I needed a guarantor who was residing in Japan and that that person, instead of my spouse, should provide the documentation showing financial resources, such as the tax document. If you already have an offer of employment in Japan and an income lined up there, then your spouse should be able to be your guarantor (even if they are depending on your income) and you would submit your offer of employment (with salary) as the proof of your spouse/guarantor’s resources.
3. Yes. The application for the CoE must be filed in Japan. So either your spouse in Japan or, in cases where your spouse is not already in Japan, another relative in Japan or an authorized lawyer/legal scrivener must file the application on your behalf (unless you are already in Japan). The person applying in Japan will submit all of the application documentation to the Immigration Services Agency and the CoE will be sent to the person who applied for you. It cannot be sent internationally. The person who applied for you would then have to post it to you so that you can use it to apply for your visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your detailed response, Travis. I really appreciate that you take your time and reply to every single comment!
It is quite unfortunate that I wasn’t able to get the scholarship, but I’m hoping for better opportunities ahead! Quite off-topic – with the spouse visa, am I allowed to apply for school or full/part-time jobs?
So I assume if we were to submit our bank statements from a non-Japanese bank (no matter how much we saved already), it would not be a sufficient document for the application. Instead, it would be safer if I ask my in-laws to be my guarantor and submit their Juminzei along with the letter of guarantee?
Thanks again!
Hi E S,
Once you are living in Japan as a Spouse of Japanese National, you have the same employment rights as a Japanese citizen, so you can apply for full-time jobs (or part-time, of course) with no additional work permit needed. You can also enroll in university. In both cases, you could keep your Spouse status (though if you enroll in university, there are some scholarships that are only available if you have a Student residence status).
There are only a few things that wouldn’t be available to you. For example, some lenders require that you have permanent residence before issuing you a loan.
Regarding certificates from a non-Japanese bank, those should be accepted. But the issue with a bank account certificate is that it is a fixed amount of money, not recurring support, so it is more likely that you would get a shorter Period of Stay. That was my motivation for initially asking my father in law to be my guarantor. However, even in that case, I only got a 1-year period of stay and did not get a max stay (three years, at the time) until I had my own employment and income by the time I renewed in the next year.
I think the more documentation you can submit, the better. So, your bank account plus Juminzei from your in-laws would give you additional layers of security for success in your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you for your explanation. A question, as a spouse visa, the duration in Japan is between 1 to 3 years. How do we know how long it is given and when do we get notify of the duration of the stay? When COE is issued or when Visa is issued? Thank you
Hi Fred,
There’s actually a 5-year period of stay and a 6-month period of stay also possible with the Spouse Visa, though that didn’t exist when I first applied and came here.
You will know the duration when you receive the CoE. It will be printed on that document, about halfway down the page on the right.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks I have another question about the COE
Given that both my wife and I don’t reside in Japan, what additional documents do we need to provide as part of COE submission. Cause there’s no checklist that list the additional backup documents we need to proof, ex. providing a copy of the passport for verification (which I assume we should)
Similar to you, we are having my wife’s dad as proxy, so hence he will be 26) and 27)
For the part 23) employment, do we put “none” in the space or leave blank as some government require not space left blank
Also about 24) method of support, since Japan only allow 1,000,000 yen, simply dividing that into first 12 months intending to get a job once landed, it’s only 83,000 yen which isn’t a lot. Do they need proof for remittance or we can just have the amount we plan to transfer? Would they decline us because “we cannot support ourselves” even we do have savings, just not sure how much we need to put. A bit of ambiguous area to filled in.
Hope you can clarify or example of how you did it, thanks
Hi Fred,
There are no additional documents required if you are both living overseas, but there might be replacement documents required if your wife has moved her Juminhyo outside of the country. If she officially registered that she was moving outside of Japan, she might not be able to get a Juminhyo from inside the country. But since you only mentioned additional documents, I assume you have that covered.
It isn’t required to submit a copy of your passport, but I recommend that you do so, anyway, since you have to submit your passport information in the CoE application form, and it’s good to have the passport copy itself as verification. You should not need your wife’s passport.
For the employment and other blank fields, I recommend filling in “none” or “n/a”. It’s not specifically mandatory, but it lets the reviewer know that you have deliberately left the field blank instead of just missing it. That can avoid questions and speed up the application review.
Japan requires you to submit a declaration if you arrive carrying more that 1,000,000 JPY in cash or precious metals, but you are allowed to carry more if you wish. I am not aware of a tax being applied (we were carrying more than that when we arrived and did not have to pay anything additional). You can also keep a bank account open in your home country and withdraw cash from there via ATM, as needed, and in that case you would not need to declare anything. In our case, my wife and I were moving to Japan from Thailand and had no intent to return. We closed out our accounts there before leaving, so we had over 1m yen in cash, but I also had my US bank accounts with more than that. We only had to declare the cash.
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks Travis for the explanation,
Since both my wife and I are living in Canada now, just want to make sure all is good.
Place of birth and hometown, are they the same? I was born in Hong Kong but currently living in Toronto, but looking at it based on your definition, both place of birth and hometown would be the same on passport.
For 25, my wife is Japanese but question 4-7, she only has passport, so that would mean we only fill in 5) that she is citizen and leave rest blank?
We are using my father in law juminhyo and juminzei, and since he is our proxy/guarantor. Do we fill him in as 26) guarantor, even thou my wife is the sponsor?
Once again, thank you for answering all our questions. Do you also have a post about foreigners finding a job in Japan?
Hi Fred Chong,
Whether or not your place of birth and hometown are the same are going to depend on your situation. It would most commonly be different for a person who was born outside their country of citizenship, or someone who had resettled within their country of citizenship. However, for someone like you who is living abroad, if you have not obtained Canadian citizenship, then your “Hometown” should still be in your home country, so it would probably be the same as your place of birth (assuming you hadn’t relocated within the country prior to leaving).
For the COE application form, the form was updated quite recently, and I have not yet updated my book to reflect that change. Please make sure you are referring to the most recent form (pdf) from the Immigration Services Agency’s website.
I think the “25” you referred to from my book is now question 26 (Supporter). In that case, you would fill in that her nationality is Japanese in 26.(3). and leave (4)-(7) blank, since those are only applicable to foreign nationals.
If you are using your father-in-law as your guarantor (and have confirmed with the Immigration Agency that he should be the guarantor, in your case), then you would fill in his information in 27. Guarantor. (You would also fill in his information in 28, as your proxy).
Unfortunately, I do not yet have a post on finding a job in Japan for foreigners. The process is going to vary significantly based on whether or not you are fluent in Japanese, working full- or part-time, etc., so I haven’t yet tried to offer a comprehensive guide in that area. I have some other tasks on the site to complete first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. This is super helpful! One thing i am still unsure about is any documents i submit in english do they need a japanese translation? And things like the questionnaire and even the application its self do they all need to be written in japanese?
Hi Alice,
Yes, in general, all documents must by in Japanese or have a Japanese translation. In the case of official documents, like a marriage certificate, the translation would have to be done by a professional translator, but for the Questionnaire, or anything else that you create yourself, you or your spouse, etc., could translate it/write it in Japanese.
For the application form, it should be in Japanese where it makes sense to be. However, foreign names/words (e.g. addresses in other countries) should be written in English.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks so much
So would i need submit my birth certificate? Would this need a legal translation?
Also on the CoE application form part 14, it asks for how long i intend to stay in japan? Obviously i plan to stay as long as they allow but what should i put here?
Thankyou 🙂
Hi Alice,
No, the foreign national spouse does not need to submit a copy of their birth certificate. (The Japanese spouse needs to submit a copy of their koseki family record, which includes the details of their birth).
As for the period of stay, you should fill in one of the allowable lengths of stay for a Spouse Visa. The maximum allowable stay is 5 years (although you can of course renew at that point. You would also be eligible then to apply for Permanent Residence for yourself after 5 years), so I recommend putting that. Keep in mind, though, that they length of stay granted may be less, depending on their evaluation of your application. For example, in my case, I initially had a 1-year stay because I did not have my own source of income in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
Just wanted to say how thankful I am for this post. I’m just waiting for my koseki to arrive before I finally submit my CoE application! As a Japanese citizen whose japanese isn’t so good (raised in the US), Im not sure what I would have done if it were not for this page! So many thanks, hopefully thanks to you I will be with my wife here in Japan soon.
P.S. according to the MOFA website, the stamp now has to be 404 yen, rather than 392 as you have above.
Cheers!
Hi イーフ,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback! I hope that your application process goes smoothly – and that the current immigration restrictions are relaxed so that your family can be together in Japan soon.
Thank you as well for the information on the stamp cost increase! I have updated the article accordingly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Finally ready to submit it. Quite nervous and hope it turns out to be fine.
By the way, is it after I receive the COE then only I submit the Visa application form together with COE received? These are two different steps instead of one? Thanks.
Hi Yann,
Good Luck! I hope your application goes well.
Yes, the CoE and visa application process are two separate steps. Typically, the sponsor (since you are commenting on the Spouse Visa article, this would typically be the Japanese spouse) applies for a CoE at the Immigration Bureau office in Japan. This application must be made in Japan. The CoE application can take anywhere from 1-3 months, sometimes longer, to process.
After the person in Japan receives the CoE, they will mail it to the person abroad who is applying for the visa. The visa application occurs at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate overseas. Typically, that process takes 1-2 weeks, though it is notoriously longer in the Philippines.
Due to current immigration restrictions (as of Jan 2021), it is possible to apply for the CoE, but to apply for a Visa, you also need a Written Pledge form issued by an organization or company in Japan who will take responsibility for the new arrival and ensure that they follow the immigration and quarantine rules. Right now, there is also a total ban on new foreign arrivals to Japan, but I would anticipate that the ban will be lifted before your CoE is issued, so that should not be a problem for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Just want to update you that my application was approved within a month. Thank you very much again for your kind advice. Very much appreciated!!
Hi Yann,
Thank you very much for your update.
That is much faster than usual! Although I suspect that with the borders closed, they may be dealing with fewer applications than usual.
I hope those borders open soon so that you become able to travel to Japan in person!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
First of all, thanks for writing this page. It is very useful. I have a few questions which I hope you can provide your opinions through your experience:
Section (8) Hometown/city: My wife (Japanese) and I (Malaysian) are currently living in Hong Kong. Shall I fill in this as Malaysia city or Hong Kong? The wording in Japanese seem to be asking for where i am living now but in English it is clear as hometown
(23) I actually plan to keep my job in HK and travel between HK and Japan in the future. Shall i leave it blank? I know it is complicated as I don’t plan to have a job in Japan
(24) (3) As I still have a job in HK, i will cover my own and family expense in Japan. Shall I fill in my own job information here though it appears to ask for “Supporter” information
Finally. Can I have the same person (my father-in-law who has retired) to be filled in in section (26) and (27)? He will be the one to submit the application. I am just not sure if I still require a Guarantor in this case.
Thanks a lot. I wish I can provide similar help to others in the future.
Hi Yann,
For 8, my understanding is that is asks for your place of residence in your native country (本国), so that would mean that you would fill in the Malaysian city. (However, if you have no formal residence anymore in Malaysia, then I guess your current residence in Hong Kong would have to do).
For 23, I would recommend leaving it blank. If you indicate that you plan to travel between HK and Japan, the immigration authorities might see HK as your primary residence and deny you a spouse visa. A spouse visa is intended for someone who plans to live full time in Japan, not someone who wants to avoid the hassle of applying for a business visa each time they come to the country. (I am not trying to be critical here, just explaining how immigration will see it). If you plan to be based in Japan and work remotely for your employer, traveling only occasionally to HK for work, then that would likely not be a problem. You could list your employer and specify that you will be working remotely.
However, if you are planning to be your own supporter, you are going to need to show where you are getting your money from. If you have enough money in the bank to cover all of your living expenses, then you should be fine, but if you are going to rely on that continued income, and have to use that as your proof of resources, then it could be an issue.
For 24, if you only fill in the “Self” line in 24(1), then you should leave 24(3) blank. You would only fill in 24(3) if you filled in either of the supporter lines in 24(1).
Regarding your last question, 27 should be your father-in-law, but 26 might need to be your wife, even if she has no income and relies on you. I would recommend contacting the Immigration Services Agency about this. I remember exchanging comments on here with an applicant in a similar situation a year or so ago. He was moving back to Japan with his Japanese wife and was going to continue to work remotely for an overseas employer while his wife had no income, but in his case, the ISA said that his wife should be his guarantor.
I haven’t found a clear definition on this point, so asking directly would be best, I think.
Good Luck! I also hope you can provide similar help in the future. The more voices there are out there to help people struggling through this situation, the better.
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks again for your clear explanation. Much appreciated. Just before i proceed to submit the form, would like to hear your view on two minor points.
Firstly, I was told that it is common to fill in “Company Employee” as the occupation instead of the exact title of the occupation. Is that right?
And secondly, you mentioned that I will need to provide some financial proof if I am to support to my financial needs in Japan. Do you mean for example provide a copy of bank statement? I don’t see any such requirement in the form but I am fine to provide that. Just wondering what serves as a good proof e.g. a letter from the bank, employer etc?
Thanks!
Hi Yann,
Yes, “company employee” is typically what you would see a Japanese person fill in on to answer that question, as long as they were in a typical office-work job, and not a specialized job. A specialist (e.g. anything from a doctor or teacher to an IT specialist) would be more likely to fill in their specialty role.
Technically, the form does not require you to submit proof of financial resources for anyone other than your guarantor in Japan. However, I have found that immigration often asks for it as an additional document if they are concerned that you might not be able to support yourself, so it is usually a good idea to prepare to submit it in advance. In that case, a bank account statement or proof of employment and salary (only if that employment and salary will continue in Japan!) can work. I would say that proof of employment/job offer and salary in Japan would be the strongest option, if possible, but a bank account balance is also perfectly acceptable.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there,
I am going to the immigration office this week in Japan to submit the documents required for my husband (dependent) to obtain his CoE.
He was meant to come with me at the same time, but because of covid restrictions, he wasn’t allowed to. I am super anxious to get him here and am worried I’ve done the paperwork incorrectly. 3 months + is a long time to wait!
One of my questions is, in the CoE application form, is there any part of it that HE as the dependent must fill out himself and sign his signature on?
I have had different advice.
Hi Tiara,
There is no part of the application form that the person coming to Japan (your husband, in this case) needs to fill out themselves. You, the person in Japan, can complete it entirely on your own.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can these be filled out by my wife currently living in Japan while I am in the United States? Or should I fill it out in the United States and mail all the documents to Japan for my wife to give to the immigration authorities?
Hi Alex,
Your wife should be able to fill in the application form for you and submit it. There is no need for you to complete it yourself by hand and mail it to her.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am a British citizen (currently in England), my wife is Japanese (currently in Japan). I am looking to travel to Japan asap (baby due in January). We applied for a COE about 1.5 months ago. I have read this article and it has reassured me that we submitted everything correctly, thank you! I was wondering, have you heard of increasing delays (longer than 3 months) in the issuing of COEs recently (e.g. due to complications that have occured from the pandemic)? Or do you know of any support groups that have formed around the topic of family separaton from the new travel restirictions?
Greg
Hi Greg,
Over the past several months, Japan has not been allowing new immigration from over 150 countries. However, on October 1, they will start allowing new arrivals in for the first time on mid-to-long term visas/residence statuses (including the spouse status). There are limitations, like only 1000 people allowed to arrive per day, pre-departure PCR tests, and self-quarantine after arrival, too.
I have not heard about what has been happening with CoE applications during the time when new arrivals were not allowed. At one point, I think Immigration was screening applications but not issuing the final CoE until new arrivals became possible again.
I really do not know what to expect with this transition, but since you had already submitted your application at a time of a relative lull, even if there is a rush of new applications now, that should not hurt your processing time.
I will keep my ears open for any information about what’s going on with Immigration, but for right now, I have not heard anything official or otherwise.
Unfortunately, I do not have any information about support groups. I think the various international Chambers of Commerce offices in Japan have been lobbying on behalf of their citizens, so that might be a place to start.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Greg, I don’t know very much about this process, I’m also waiting to receive COE hopefully it wont take long time. But I’ve read in several blogs that it really depends on which city you applied for COE. Of course Tokyo it’s the busiest office. I read from a woman that this year it took almost the complete three months to receive COE. So I really think maybe becuase of Pandemic process can become a little bit longer.
I wish the best of luck, and hopefully you can get as soon as possible!
Hi Travis!
Thank you for this post.
Me and my Japanese husband have been living in Mexico since April 2018. Before that we were living in Japan and I already had the Spouse visa but It expired on November 2018 (already living in México). Since then we have visited Japan 2 times, both of them my status has been as tourist. Next year (probably on May) we will be moving back to Japan but with all this Coronavirus situation I dont know if I should try to get a CoE before going back, or if I can get a renewal of my expired visa while still in Mexico… Could you give me some advice? Thank you in advance.
Hi Adriana,
My area of expertise is in the CoE application and I am a little less familiar with the visa application process, since that can vary from country to country.
However, as far as I understand, you cannot renew an expired visa. If your visa is no longer valid, you would have to start over and apply for a new Certificate of Eligibility from scratch. Since you’ve already had a spouse visa/residence status in the past, it might help to include a scan of the past spouse visa from your passport when you submit the application, though.
Again, this isn’t my particular area of expertise, though, so it would not hurt to contact the embassy there to see if a renewal would be possible!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
My husband and I were married in the US and our marriage HAS been entered in my husband’s koseki. Do I still need to send in our Wedding Certificate with the COE application? Thanks!
Hi Kelsey,
Yes, if your marriage has been registered in the US, you need to submit the documentation from both Japan and the US.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks!
I have a couple more questions. Does my husband still need to fill out the 質問書 questionaire if he has filled it out before? We applied for a COE two years ago and it was approved. We are applying again.
Also, do we need to send the original US marriage license or is a copy fine? I dont remember.
Hi Kelsey,
Yes, if you are applying for a fresh CoE, your husband would have to fill in the Questionnaire again, as far as I know. (You might also want to submit a scan of the page in your passport that shows that you had a Spouse Visa in the past. While that’s not an official requirement, it could help.)
As for the marriage certificate, you would need an original or a certified copy for all official documents.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for your quick responses! I appreciate it.
I have one last question. I’m filling out my application right now and I was wondering for #27…do I sign it or does my mother in law sign it, since she will be turning in my application for me.
Hi Kelsey,
Question 27 should be completed and signed by the person who is physically submitting the application, so your mother-in-law, in your case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi I don’t what to do how about if you’re divorced what we can use documents to apply the certificate of Eligibility
Hi Eli,
I’m not sure I understand your question. You have to be married in order to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for a Spouse visa. Even if you are previously divorced, that would have been a factor when you got married again, but when you apply for the CoE, only the fact of your current marriage should be relevant.
If I have missed the point of your question, please let me know.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
I’m applying for my CEO right now and realized my passport is expired and while I’ve renewed it, it’s estimated to arrive in 8 weeks or more. In the ebook you had a section on if your passport was about to expire it would still be ok to apply as long as your name is staying the same – will this work with an expired passport as well? Thanks so much, your ebook has been immensely helpful to us! ~Katie
Hi Katie,
Thank you very much for your feedback. I am glad to hear that the book has been useful!
Yes, if you are applying for a new passport or to renew an expired passport, you can still move forward with the CoE application. If you have an expired passport, I would recommend that you include a copy of that in your application with a note on it indicating that you are applying to renew it and the estimated arrival date, since you have that information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I know this is off topic, but I wanted to ask a person who is familiar with the topic. I am interested in getting a ‘special” visa for myself. I am the son of Japanese parents who are from Japan. I understand that through the ‘special’ visa, I can get a one, three, of 5 year visa. Is this still possible under the current Coronavirus conditions? I have looked through various websites that talk about the entry/exit restrictions, but I am still confused. By the way, I am in the U.S. right now, and I am an American citizen.
Hi Steve,
At this time, foreign nationals who have spent any time in the US (or about 150 other countries) within the two weeks prior to arrival in Japan are not allowed into the country as new arrivals. So, you would be able to apply for your visa, but not travel to Japan until the border controls end.
I have never looked up that particular category of visa, so I cannot comment on it, but if it is like most other types, you would need someone in Japan to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility on your behalf before you would be able to complete the visa application in the US. My understanding at this time is that CoE application processing is on hold, though that could have changed.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Want your help. I am currently in the Philippines and my husband is in Japan. But we got married in Japan while using tourist visa with my aunt as my guarantor. My husband is a japanese and we got married last Feb 2020. Last March he applied for COE, using my unchange name passport. Means, in my passport my unmarried surname is written. Fortunately, my husband recieved my COE August 4 2020. Now, proceeding in getting spouse visa. Is it needed to update my passport with my husband last name before I apply for spouse visa or not? Currently here in the Philippines, Japan embassy don’t cater visa application until the end of August 2020 because of corona virus. That’s why won’t they think that I have enough time here in the Philippines to update my passport. I am also thinking won’t they reject/deny my spouse visa application just because of my passport. Or should I leave my passport as it is to sync with the name written in my COE. What do you think should i better do?
Hi Jennifer R,
Ultimately, I recommend that you contact the embassy directly to ask. They will be able to give you specific information about their processes and their information will be official, whereas all I can offer would be advice.
As far as I know, there is no need to update your legal surname or update your passport with your new surname before you travel to Japan. (Indeed, there is no legal requirement to change your surname upon marriage at all, at least not as far as Japan is concerned).
If it is important to you to change your surname before traveling to Japan, then by all means, do so, but do consult with the embassy first! You might also want to research what you would have to do to change it after you travel to Japan, to see if that is an option.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanj you very much
Hello, we do have the same case. I am married to a Japanese and the name in my passport is still my maiden name. We are also currently processing our spouse visa. Based on my inquiry to the CFO, they said it’s okay.
Hi there! I just wanted to say, this post was a real Godsend! My husband and I are in the same situation as you two were. I am about to Fedex all my documents to my dad who will be our guarantor and wanted to ask a few questions…
1. The photo to be attached to the application – the photo I have of my husband has him with glasses, while his passport photo has him without. Do you think that will matter?
2. My dad will submit his 住民票 but my name has not been on it since I cancelled my residence status in Japan 5 years ago when we left Japan. This is ok, right? Or does he need something additional to show that I used to be in his household?
3. There is a place on the application asking for the applicants intended place of employment in Japan. My husband will be working remotely for an American organization. But the application clearly asked for a Japanese employer and address. Should I leave this blank, or write in the American organization’s name?
4. Can you show an example of the document you submitted to substitute the marriage certificate? We also were married in Japan, and the US does not issue marriage certificates if married overseas.
Thank you SO MUCH!
Hi Hannah,
I am so sorry that this answer is probably coming far too late to help you. I got overwhelmed with comments in July and fell far behind in my answers.
1. As long as the glasses do not obscure your husband’s face, there should be nothing to worry about.
2. Are you a Japanese citizen or a permanent resident? If you and your father are Japanese citizens, then your 戸籍謄本 should be sufficient to prove your relationship. I’m not sure why your father’s 住民票 would be necessary to the application, so I might be missing the point of the question here.
3. The question asks for the employer in Japan, so if your husband’s employer has a Japanese office, then filling in that information would be fine. If your husband will be employed remotely, I would still recommend filling in the employer information and indicating (remote work) at the end, since it is better to show that he has employment that will continue in Japan than not.
4. I’m afraid I do not have a copy of that document any more, but I would recommend writing:
That is a direct quote copied from the US embassy’s website, along with a link to the page with the source information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, this is a great write up! Thank you for all your work.
My name is Masa (I’m a US citizen) and my wife is a Japanese national.
She is currently here as a student and we got married last year.
We are planning to move to Japan as soon as we can, and had a question.
Would you know if the probability of getting a spousal CoE approved is higher/faster than getting an intra-company transfer CoE (during Covid)?
My company has a branch in Japan and would like me to move to Japan, so I have their full support. However, I was wondering if it’s better to go with a spousal visa? I’m reluctant to go the spousal visa route because I don’t want to rely on my wife’s relatives in Japan as a proxy, but I’m wondering if that’s the only option I have during this pandemic?
Any insight would be appreciated! Kind regards.
Hi Masa,
I am sorry for the late reply. I have been inundated with comments on a few other posts and have fallen badly behind. I don’t know if this will still help or not.
I honestly don’t know how long it would take for the intra-company transfer CoE application process, but even without knowing, I would suggest that, especially in the current climate, you try that approach, first. You can always apply for a Change of Status of Residence to Spouse of Japanese National after you are already in Japan, later.
My reasons for that recommendation are your statement that you do not want to have to rely on your in-laws, that the company is likely used to this application process, so it will be easier and faster for them to get the documents lined up than it would be for you to figure out the application process for the first time (and get documents sent from Japan), and finally COVID-19. Right now, Japan is not allowing any foreigners into the country if they have spent time in approximately 150 designated countries (including the US), over the previous two weeks. But in the conversations about opening up again that I have heard, the first priority would be opening up to business category visas, so it would seem to be a good category to be in!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Hope you are doing good.
This guide was amazingly helpful and thank you for taking the time to answer everyone’s questions.
My wife is Japanese and I am Canadian and we both have been living in Canada for the last 10 years. On the Consular general of Japans website they have the option for both applying with a COE and without for a spouse visa. We were thinking of applying without the COE. My question is my mother in law is soon going to quit her job and I dont think she would be eligible as a guarantor due to lack of savings. In that case if we show our savings in Canada as enough to support us when we move there would that work ?
Also do you think the chances of getting denied for the visa are higher if we apply without the COE.
Thanks a lot
Markus
Hi Markus,
Thank you for your kind comments.
When I applied for my Spouse Visa originally, I am pretty sure that there was an option then to apply without a CoE, as well, but it was not recommended (or you had to be able to justify why you could not obtain a CoE first, or something). In any case, if you apply without a CoE, it is like going through the entire CoE and visa application process at the Embassy, which can take even longer, because of communication with Japan. You will also still need to obtain some documents from Japan, like your wife’s Koseki paperwork, as well. I don’t know enough about that process one way or another to make a solid recommendation, but I would recommend that you look into the pros and cons. I don’t think it will necessarily increase your chances of getting rejected, but it may increase your processing time.
Regarding your mother-in-law, if she is quitting her job and will have no income then it may be difficult for her to be your guarantor. (If she is retiring and will have a pension, though, she could be). In that case, then I think your wife would be your guarantor based on your mutual savings. But since this is a little out of the ordinary procedure, I would recommend that you consult with the immigration bureau or the embassy where you will apply to get their confirmation that it is OK. I have heard of similar situations working in the past, but ultimately anything that’s not clearly in the rules can be a judgement call.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Thanks for the very useful guide.
We are applying for the COE and are both out of Japan, the inlaws and family are reluctant to go the immigration office due to corona. Is it possible to get the lawyer to just drop the form off? if so any lawyer recommendations.
We were thinking about applying in Osaka as that is where the family is but i read your comment about applying in less busy offices.. any recommendations on which areas will have low applications and thus quicker processing time?
Many thanks
Hi Andy,
Thank you for your feedback.
It is possible to hire an immigration lawyer or qualified legal scrivener to submit the application on your behalf. In general, I do not advise that except in cases where it is strictly necessary, since it’s just an extra expense and the lawyer, etc., can’t do anything for you that you can’t do yourself. But in your case, I can certainly see why it would be a useful option.
Unfortunately, since I don’t generally recommend it, I haven’t done any research into immigration lawyers.
As for the office where you apply, in most cases, you do not have a choice in the matter. If your family applies on your behalf, they must apply in the office that serves their residence. If you hire a lawyer or legal scrivener to apply for you, they would have to apply to the office responsible for where their business is registered.
But right now, international travel and immigration is almost non-existent due to COVID-19, so immigration offices may be busy with handling extension of stay applications from people already in Japan, but they should be less busy than usual due to the near absence of new applications.
Most immigration application procedures, including Certificate of Eligibility applications are suspended because of COVID-19 and the immigration prohibitions in place. If you are a citizen of a country that is one of the 111 countries and regions not allowed to enter Japan at this time, then as far as I understand they will accept your application and process it as far as they are able, but they will not issue your CoE until immigration prohibitions have been lifted against your country, so that is where I would anticipate the longest delay at this point.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! My wife and I are an Indonesian resident. In the past couple of months, my wife has been working in Japan under a legal working permit and holding a residence card (neither a Japan nationality nor a Permanent Residence), and now I’m currently planning on moving to Japan. Her company had offered me to obtain a CoE a couple of months back. My question is, would it be possible for me to get a dependent/spouse visa? If it isn’t possible, what kind of permit do I have to get to be living with her in Japan?
Thanks!
Hi Haekal Adzani,
In your case, your wife would need to apply for a Dependent CoE for you, which you would then use to apply for a visa in Indonesia. That is a different process altogether from the Spouse CoE (and much simpler). See the article linked above for more information.
He company might have been able to apply for the CoE for you when they were also applying for hers before she arrived in Japan, but as far as I know, now that she is there and working, she should be the one to apply for the CoE for you. However, she can certainly ask the company for help/advice. She will need some documentation from them, anyway, such as proof of her employment and salary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I tried to find the answer in the comments, but there are so many that I couldn’t.
Thank you for still trying to advice everyone!
I stayed in Japan on a student visa (2 times 1 year each) and that visa expired last December, so me and my partner decided to visit my family in the Netherlands for Christmas and we returned to Japan together on Dec 31. He is a Japanese national, but I’m Dutch and now in Japan as a tourist.
We got married on January 14 and applied for my COE on January 31. So it’ll be 6 weeks ago in a few days. We were told by the immigration that I should apply for the COE instead of the Change of Residence because I’m already in Japan and my husband and I visited the immigration office together to apply. I’m just really wondering what I should do if I don’t receive the COE before my tourist stay of 3 months is over (March 31). Would I have to go back to the Netherlands and wait for my husband to receive it or can I extend my stay in Japan because I applied for the COE myself and being in Japan already?
I know they won’t say much if I’d call to ask about the status, but having to make these last minute decisions are going to be stressful.
Hi Liza,
I’m a little surprised that they told you to apply for the CoE rather than the change of status. Your situation sounds like a classic example of when a Change of Status application would be permitted, since you got married while already in Japan.
Unfortunately, because you have applied for the COE there is no special condition to allow you to stay in Japan while waiting on the results, as far as I know. Staying beyond your 3 months would only be allowed if you were waiting on the results of a Change of Status application. It wouldn’t hurt to double-check with the Immigration Bureau, but as far as I understand, you would have to leave Japan on March 31 when your tourist stay expires. You would not necessarily need to go back to the Netherlands, though. You could wait in another closer country (though with the COVID-19 situation, I’m not sure that I can recommend one that would be safe) if that would help you save on airfare expenses.
Even thought the Immigration Agency is not likely to reply about the status of your COE application, they should be able to give you advice about having to leave the country right now. . . and if you end up with someone really nice, they might just check your status as part of that advice. It’s a long shot, but better than nothing.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis! Thank you so much for writing this guide; it was immensely helpful when I was preparing my application, which was quite taxing because my husband (Japanese national) and I both lived in Manila and so did his parents, so we couldn’t ask my father in law to be our proxy applicant. I want to share my experience in case some of your readers might be in a similar situation.
To make our situation trickier, my husband did not have a job lined up in Japan at the time of application. He didn’t want to trouble his aunt by asking her to be our proxy applicant, so he decided to submit the application himself and be my guarantor. He also asked his grandma to be a guarantor despite her being a pensioner, so in total he submitted two letters of guarantee.
Because he didn’t have a job waiting for him in Japan, we submitted bank documents showing our savings, which were under 2 million yen. I once read on a thread on Reddit that a Japanese immigration lawyer advised that in such situations, it would be ideal to have at least 2 million yen, and we were a few hundred thousands short, so I was very worried.
Exactly six weeks after we submitted the application, a notice came in the mail at grandma’s house requesting for a copy of my passport, additional bank documents (if any), and a letter detailing how we intend to fund our life in Japan. My husband wrote that we both intend to work, that I have worked as a teacher of English for many years. We also submitted a copy of my diploma and resume along with another bank certificate, which brought our savings total to a little over 2 million. My father in law fortunately had a scheduled trip to Japan shortly after the notice came in and he managed to submit our additional documents on time.
Needless to say, the uncertainty and the wait made me very anxious. My husband has already been living in Japan for two weeks when the CoE finally came, just a week before the end of the three month time frame!
Hi KY,
Thank you very much for sharing this experience. Your case is an incredibly valuable reference, since it sounds similar to questions I see on a regular basis about both spouses moving back to Japan together.
I plan to point future readers to your post on a regular basis!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for this helpful guide. I had a quick question about work permission if you don’t mind.
I’ve seen many websites that say spouse-of-Japanese-national visa holders can work without any restrictions whatsoever, but also websites that say you can work 28 hours a week or something? But one site said that’s mistaken, and only for “dependents.” I’ve so far not been able to clarify this, so any clarification you have would be very helpful.
I’m an ESL teacher and planning to move back to Japan with my wife who’s Japanese, after getting a spouse visa.
Thank you in advance,
Brendon
Hi Brendon,
As a Spouse of Japanese National (or a Spouse of Permanent Resident), you have full working rights equal to a Japanese citizen and are not restricted in the number of hours you can work per week. I worked full time (and overtime) as a Spouse.
You are absolutely right that the limit to 28 hours applies to holders of Dependent residence statuses, once they have applied for a part-time work permit. So, that is not an issue for you.
Dependent residence status includes spouses of foreign nationals who are living in Japan with a wide variety of residence statuses, including working statuses and student statuses, so that is probably the source of the confusion.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Your article was very well written and informative. I applied for CoE before seeing it. I am a US citizen working in Japan, and my wife is a Filipina. We were married in the States in March 2019, and applied for registration in the Philippines in June, but it was not completed until early December. I applied for the CoE in October, so needed to do so using my wife’s maiden name. We intend to first go to Japan with passport in her maiden name. We would like to change passport to her married name shortly thereafter. Do you know anything about procedures to do this? (We are currently waiting for her Visa to be issued by Japan embassy in Manila, and I will ask about this when we first enter Japan together, but any insight you could provide would be appreciated.)
Hi Gary,
Thank you for your feedback!
The process of changing your wife’s name in her passport would be something you do at the Philippines Embassy. I have not done any particular research into those procedures, though. My focus is on Japanese government paperwork, since that’s where I have experience.
I can say that once she finishes changing her name on her passport, then she will have to complete that change on her Residence Card and other Japanese government documentation, as well. She would first have to visit the immigration agency office for your area to change her name on her Residence Card. That should start the process to change her other documentation, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello
Thank you for all of this information.
Both me and my wife are from Ivory Coast. I started working in Japan in October 2019.
I submitted the COE for my wife early November.
I didn’t submit tax payment certificate.
I went to immigration yesterday, they said it can take up to four months.
I never heard about this; can someone tell me if the waiting time as changed in 2020 please.
Thank You
Hi Talabu,
In the past, the processing time was up to three months, and that is still what the Immigration Agency website says, but over the past year, it has been taking longer and longer. I have heard of several cases where the application has taken over 4 or even 5 months.
This has nothing to do with your application. The Immigration Bureau has just been slow in general this year.
By the way, I think you would be applying for a Dependent Visa, not a Spouse Visa. I have a separate article about that process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TransSez
Thank you for your reply.
Actually the immigration office sent a letter saying to submit the payment slip for last three months. It’s done. Hopefully everything gonna be alright since three months has past
Hi Talabu,
If they sent you that request and you were able to satisfy it, then you should be alright in the end.
I should also mention that them having to request extra documentation from you, probably means that while they were waiting for your reply, your application would have been shuffled down the order in terms of priority, so that might be another reason for the delay.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
こんにちは! I’m so glad I found your website. Thank you for your helpful and detailed information as well as meticulous followup per each person’s comments and questions. I had a quick question before beginning the application, can I print the CoE application (From the Ministry of Justice website http://www.moj.go.jp/ONLINE/IMMIGRATION/16-1.html) from my home printer and mail it in? My husband and I reside in California. I wasn’t sure if we should wait to start the application until we move out to Japan and have a physical address, or if we can start the application here and then move to Japan while we wait for the approval?
(A bit of background on us. I have dual citizenship in Japan & the US. My husband is the only one who will be applying for a spouse visa. I do have a residence card from when I lived there in 2010, but since then it has not been updated. We do not have an address yet. However, we do have friends and extended relatives. Can I use their address?
Also, we have a koseki tohon)
Thank you for your help! 宜しくお願いします.
Hi Yuko Melody,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
You can print the forms from home (and if you use the excel version, you can fill it in first then print it). But unfortunately, you cannot submit the application by mail. You would have to submit the entire application package in person at the immigration agency office in Japan. You would also need a mailing address in Japan for them to send the CoE to once it is ready.
If you and your husband are both living in the US now and want to be able to travel to Japan together, then my best suggestion would be to have a family member in Japan, such as your parents or other immediate family, etc., apply for you. If that is not an option, then an authorized lawyer can apply on your behalf or you could move to Japan first, apply, then have your husband join you as soon as you can get the CoE and his visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Does the person applying in person have to be an immediate family member or can it be a relative or friend? my parents live here in the US so we don’t have any parents or In-laws in Japan. But I do have Aunts Uncles and cousins.
Thank you
Hi Yuko,
The law says that any member of your shinzoku 親族 can be your representative. According to one legal website I found, that’s a pretty wide group and certainly includes aunts and uncles.
The trick is that the person applying needs to prove their relationship to you, so that might involve producing multiple kosekis to show how your are connected.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis – Happy holidays from Hawaii! My husband (American) and I (Japanese) both live in Honolulu and am preparing to apply for the CoE right now. Your website is SO HELPFUL and has been a great help in filling out the application form. I actually hold dual citizenship (US & Japan) and have been living abroad for a while so I don’t have some of the required documents. Wondering if you might have tips/suggestions on the following.
(1) I don’t have a Jyuminhyo nor proof of Jyuminzei payments. I was planning on asking my mom who lives in Japan to help submit the application and required paperwork for us, but she is a housewife (which I think means she doesn’t pay jyuminzei?) Do you think her Jyuminhyo be enough to present the documents on our behalf? (*in place of my jyuminhyo and nozeishoumeisho)
(2) Since I’m not currently residing in Japan, would that mean the 身元保証書 should be completed by my mom too?
Lastly, as I hold dual citizenship, I would be traveling back to Japan with a US passport. My old Japanese passport had expired over 15 yrs ago, so I was planning on applying for that AFTER we are in Japan. This means I would land into Japan on a US passport/tourist visa, then eventually stay there (overstay the 90 days?). Do you foresee any issues with this and have any other suggestions?
Thank you in advance for any feedback you may have. Again, as everyone else on this site has been saying – your post has been VERY helpful. I’ve bookmarked this page so I can look further at your other posts about transfering driver’s license etc. Thank you, thank you!!
Hi Kay,
Happy holidays and thank you very much for your kind words.
I’m afraid I do not have any direct experience with a situation similar to yours, so, ultimately, I would recommend that you, or a family member in Japan call the local immigration office there to confirm with them. The following are my suggestions, only.
1. You should be able to get a residence certificate (在留証明) from the Japanese consulate there, which I understand is similar to a Juminhyo for a Japanese national who has formally moved overseas. I am not 100% sure if that is what the Immigration Bureau will want or not, though.
For the Juminzei payments, as you said you will not have those. If you do not have a continuous income source that will still be valid after moving back to Japan (i.e. being transferred from Hawaii to Japan while working with the same company), then my understanding is that you will need a guarantor residing in Japan who has some form of income (and therefore pays Juminzei). If your mother does not have income/pay tax but your father does, then you could use his. If either of your parents is a pensioner, then they should have tax records for that, or in the worst case, with no income, they should be able to obtain a certificate that they are exempt from paying Juminzei. (In that case, though, you will also need another source of income for your financial supporter, possibly from your husband’s or your own savings?).
There are so many “if”s in there, that I really do recommend that you contact the Immigration Agency for their advice.
2. My understanding is that it should be completed by whoever is serving as your guarantor in Japan (the person that you submit the Juminzei for).
Regarding your passport, the legal requirement for dual citizens is that you must always use the passport for the country that you are entering or leaving if you have citizenship there. So, you would have to use your US passport when passing through emigration in Hawaii and your Japanese passport when arriving at Immigration in Japan. I would recommend that you renew your Japanese passport as soon as possible in Hawaii. Since you are applying for the Spouse CoE, I think it would be in your interest to be compliant with the law to the maximum extent possible to avoid any complications.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for posting your suggestions during such a busy time of the year!
The so many “ifs” make this process still complicated, but I feel a little more assured that there’s going to be a way to get through them all. I’ll plan on calling the Immigration office once they open after the holidays for the Jyuminhyo requirement and our local Consulate for the passport renewal. Thank you again!
Hi Kay,
Yes, the process can be rather unclear for anything other than the “normal” situation of a spouse residing and working in Japan already, since there are no clearly defined alternatives. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to offer better suggestions, but I hope that contacting them directly will get you more definite answers!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! When i applied coe for my husband the first time, the date of my employment in the “certificate of employment” that i submitted is oct. 19,2015, which is correct. Then when i renewed my husband’s visa, the date in my certificate of employment that i submit is oct. 1,2015. I didn’t noticed it until i checked the picture that i took. Now im worrying if that would cause problem in the renewal. You think it is okay? 🙁
Hi Jennie,
It doesn’t sound like it should be a big problem to me.
If your entry in the form matches your certificate of employment, it’s unlikely that the Immigration Agency will even look twice at it. If they are different, then in the worst case scenario, they may ask you to come back into the office to make a correction to the form. But overall, the difference of 18 days of employment 4 years ago should not be a significant factor. Nobody is going to suspect you of forging your document to get an advantage – they’ll understand it was a mistake.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Hi Travis,
Happy holiday, and thank you for this post.
I found your post become useful and informative. We are applying for CoE from end of October. We got feedback that immigration needs some papers from both of us. From my side, the immigration needs tax certificate. Since, i am from the foreign country, do you think that i need to translate this certificate (either to English or Japanese)? My spouse forget to ask this, and the timeline is in holiday time. And do you think they can accept the copy or original?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Adinda,
I am surprised that they are asking for your tax records. Usually, they only ask for tax records for the person in Japan, since that’s a way to verify their income.
But in any case, when you submit the documents, yes, they will need to be translated into Japanese. A copy should be fine, unless they specifically requested an original, but be sure to submit the translation in your native language as well as the translation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi There,
This was one of the best articles I have seen regarding the steps.
I have one question that we have had trouble answering.
I am a Canadian male, My Wife is Japanese, She has recently moved back to Japan.
She just got a contract job. So she cannot get her JUMINZEI.
So If I understand your article correct, she could still submit her Zaishoku Shomeisho and Gensenchoshuhyo? As well, I could have my Father in law submit his Juminzei with a letter of Guarantee?
Hi Cody,
Thank you very much for your feedback!
If your wife had just recently moved back to Japan, she may not have a Gensenchoshuhyo yet. Those are issued in December, typically, based on her salary earned for the full year. If she has a Gensenchoshuhyo at this point, it would have been from last year, so she should also have a Juminzei record from last year, as well, I think.
If she does not yet have a Gensenchoshuhyo (if this is her first year back and working in Japan), then a Zaishoku shomeisho that shows her salary should be sufficient for the immigration bureau. Even if she has the gensenchoshuhyo, I would recommend the zaishoku shomeisho with the salary, since that provides more detailed information. I would recommend that she double-check with the Immigration office directly to be sure, but that is what I have seen work without an issue in the past.
In your case, your wife should be perfectly sufficient to serve as your guarantor and submit the letter of guarantee for you, since she is employed and has the documentation to show it. However, if her salary is relatively low and you are concerned that the Immigration Agency might not see it as being sufficient to support both of you, having your father-in-law as an additional financial supporter (in that case, submitting his juminzei) could be helpful. Since he would be a financial supporter in that case and not a guarantor, he would not need to submit a letter of guarantee.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Wow, this article is SUPER helpful. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
2 questions:
1) my wife and I are both in Canada (husband – Canadian, wife – Japanese, we were married in Japan). Does this automatically add months to the CoE application to account for back and forth? — even if we have all the docs prepared and ready to go?
2) Is it easier/possible to go to Japan on a tourist visa and get the CoE while there?
Bonus question: do you know of any comprehensive guide online for those applying from overseas ?
Thanks for being so helpful!
Hi Girigiri,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
Someone needs to apply for the CoE for you from within Japan. It is not possible to apply directly from overseas. That means that your wife would have to go ahead of you to Japan to apply, or she would have to have a family member there (or in the worst case, a lawyer) apply on your behalf. That’s how we did it. We assembled all of the documents and sent them to my mother-in-law in Japan to apply on our behalf. So, given that situation,
1) Being outside Japan may add time to your preparation for the application, since it could be harder to obtain the documents you need. However, once someone in Japan submits the application on your behalf, being overseas should not affect the processing time.
2) It is possible for you to go to Japan on a tourist visa and apply for the CoE while there, but recently, the processing times for Spouse CoE applications have been consistently exceeding the 1-3 months estimated processing time, and your Temporary Visitor status would only allow you to stay in the country for 90 days. So, you would have to accept the possibility that the CoE would not be issued in time and that you may therefore have to leave the country, anyway, then wait the remaining few days-weeks for it to be issued, apply for your visa, and return.
The biggest challenge you will face in applying from overseas is acquiring the required Japanese government documents for your wife. I do cover how to go about that in my book, with examples of the forms you need to mail in and process. But honestly, you don’t need that, since your wife can get the same information easily in Japanese. Your wife should be able to find everything she needs about how to apply for forms from overseas on the city hall websites, etc. (It’ll only be in Japanese on the websites, so that’s why I cover it in English in the book.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Travis. Wow. Thanks for such a detailed response!! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer. It’s wild that you’re still actively responding to comments FOUR YEARS after writing the original post.
It sounds like we have a few things to think about…. but the options are pretty clear.
Thanks again,
Girigiri
Hi Girigiri,
Thank you for the feedback!
Sometimes I’m surprised, too, that this post has stayed as popular as it has since I first wrote it. But remembering my own struggles during my application, I’m glad to be able to continue to help!
I don’t think I mentioned this in my previous comment, but since both of you arriving in Japan together to start your CoE application runs the risk of your CoE not being issued in time, you could also stagger your arrival slightly. There would be no need for your wife to go back alone and you to wait for the CoE to be issued, for example. If she were to go first, apply for your CoE, then you were to join her a month or so after the application, you would spend less time separated and would increase the chances that you would still be in Japan when the CoE was issued.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz