Marriage paperwork explained for international and foreign couples in Japan.
Click here for these instructions in Japanese
If one of the partners in your marriage is a Japanese national, permanent resident, or mid-to-long term resident (in possession of a residence card), then you are eligible to get married in Japan. Legalizing your marriage in Japan will make it easier to get a spouse visa for Japan or to change to a spouse residence status in Japan, simplifying your visa and renewal procedures, make more employment opportunities available, and make it easier to apply for permanent residency later.
Paperwork, Not Ceremony, Not Marriage Counseling
This guide is about submitting the paperwork to legalize your marriage, not about celebrating a wedding. If you’re an international couple, or a couple living internationally, there are advantages to going ahead with the legal paperwork first, even if you cannot have your ceremony, yet. That was what we did- we got married in Japan (though we weren’t there at the time) before I started applying for my visa to move there. There is no such thing as a fiance visa for Japan.
I do not support marriages of convenience, visa marriages or getting married prematurely. I am not going to write a guide about getting divorced in Japan. Make sure this is really what you want to do before reading on.
Get Married in Japan, No Matter Where You Are
First, a quick note: I will use “you” to refer to the foreign spouse or the spouse without a mid-to-long term residence status in Japan. “Your spouse” will refer to the one who is the resident of Japan. If you are both legal residents of Japan, choose your roles yourself. I recommend that the better Japanese speaker play the role of “your spouse” below.
If Your Spouse is in Japan
This becomes a very quick and easy process. You mail your passport copy and notarized affidavit of competence to marry (download from the US Embassy in Japan marriage information page) to your spouse, he or she fills in the paperwork at the city hall, and you’re done.
If you’re from a country that has a family registration system, then you can submit a Japanese translation of your family register in place of the affidavit of competence to marry.
For the affidavit of competence to marry, you are allowed to translate it yourself if you are getting it notarized at a US Embassy in Japan, since they have Japanese-speaking staff that can check your work (the same goes for the forms related to the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, but that comes later). However, if you are getting it notarized in another country, then you may need to hire a professional translator to do it, even though the Embassy is only going to notarize the English version anyway. Consult with your local embassy (if abroad) or notary for their policy on this.
Get Married in Japan, Even if Neither of You Are There!
It is possible to get legally married in Japan, even if neither you or your spouse are present in the country. However, you will need some help from your spouse’s parents to visit the city hall on your behalf. If you continue to the next steps of this process, getting the Certificate of Eligibility, you’ll need a lot more help from the parents, so it’s best to get used to asking – and to get on their good side – now. We got legally married in Japan despite the fact that we were both living and working in Thailand at the time.
Why register your marriage in Japan?
There are many advantages to registering your marriage in Japan, even if you don’t intend to live there:
- Save on duplicate paperwork: Japan requires its nationals/residents to legally register their marriage in Japan, even if it’s already been registered under another country’s laws. The United States (and many other countries) has no such requirement. So, if you get your legal marriage in Japan, you only have to do the paperwork once.
- Easy access to extra records: Chances are, you’ll need to get a duplicate of your marriage certificate at some point. It’s easy to do this from a Japanese city hall, especially if you have parents-in-law in the area.
- No requirement for physical presence: Neither spouse actually has to be present to get legally married. You can file all the paperwork by mail.
It’s not terribly romantic, but it will save significant hassle to get your legal marriage done in Japan before you start thinking about planning a ceremony. Trust me, planning a wedding is plenty stressful even when you have all the legal paperwork out of the way beforehand.
Married by Mail
This method is only going to be available if one of you (“your spouse” for the purpose of these instructions) is a Japanese national. Registering your marriage is the easiest part of the entire process of moving to Japan as a spouse, as long as you have a little help in Japan. All you have to do is collect the following documents and submit them by post.
Parental Assistance Required
The first two documents you need come from your spouse’s hometown city hall. Hopefully, your spouse still has family there, as you are going to need their help to get the first two items.
- Kon’in Todoke-sho (婚姻届書):
This is your marriage registration form. Your spouse’ parents will need to pick it up from the the city hall, complete the “witness” blocks, and mail it to you to complete the rest, along with, - Koseki Tohon (戸籍謄本):
Your spouse’s family register. If your spouse has not been married before then he or she will still be listed on his/her parents’ family register. This is not a problem.
Documents You Need to Prepare Yourself
These are the same as the documents mentioned in the “If Your Spouse is In Japan” section above.
- Affidavit of competence to marry, or kon’in yoken gubi shomeisho (婚姻要件具備証明書):
If you’re from a country that has a family registration system, then you can submit a Japanese translation of your family register.
Otherwise, you will need to get an affidavit of competence to marry, or whatever the equivalent is for your country. The American version of the Affidavit of Competence to Marry form can be downloaded from the US Embassy in Tokyo’s website (opens in new window). There’s one page each in English and Japanese, and you can fill in both pages yourself. In Japan, it’s not necessary to have it officially translated, but if you’re trying to get it notarized while living abroad, then consult your local embassy or notary for their policy, first. The English page needs to be notarized by your embassy, but the Japanese does not.
Note: If you are not from America, you should still be able to use the form from the US Embassy site, but you should also check your own country’s embassy in Japan website to see if they have a preferred version of the form. - Copy of the your government ID:
If you’re in Japan, then you’ll submit a Residence Registration or Juminhyo (住民票). If you’re outside Japan, a copy of the information pages of your passport will do.
Mail all of the documents to your spouse’s city hall and within a few days, you’ll be legally married!
Confirming the Marriage Registration
There is a chance that the City Hall will not contact you to confirm that they received your paperwork or to let you know what day it was approved. In Japan, no reply typically means “no problems encountered,” but it’s always best to double-check. After all, you’ll want to know what day to call your anniversary in the future. We decided that we would base our anniversary on the mailing day, but I do not recommend this since you’ll have to use the official approval day when you fill out official paperwork, and keeping the two dates straight can be a bother.
At a more practical level, you will need proof of your marriage to move forward with your visa application paperwork, which means you’ll need your parents-in-law’s help again. In our case, our marriage was approved within four days of our mailing it (not bad, considering international postage time). I recommend sending your marriage paperwork by traceable mail (EMS, DHL, etc.) and waiting five working days after it arrives, then asking your parents-in-law to go to the city hall and pick up your marriage certificate (婚姻届受理証明書・婚姻証明書, Kon’in todoke juri shomeisho or Kon’in shomeisho) as well as your spouse’s new family register or koseki tohon (戸籍謄本). I recommend getting several copies, then having one copy formally translated into English (with multiple copies of the translation printed) for use in paperwork in your home country. If you plan to change your name to match your spouse, or to apply for your spouse to get a visa for your country, then you’re going to need original and translated marriage certificates for each of those procedures, so plan ahead!
The next step: Applying for your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
If you plan to change your name to match your spouse, or anything like that, I recommend doing that before you move forward to apply for your CoE. You’ll also have to register your name change at your spouse’s city hall once you’re in Japan, but that isn’t as urgent.
The Certificate of Eligibility is the first, biggest, and most difficult step in acquiring your visa for Japan, but fortunately, we have a guide for that, as well. About four months before you plan to come to Japan, please read our guide on how to a apply for a Certificate of Eligibility and spouse visa for Japan (Japanese version.
Please leave a comment!
Did this guide help you? Was there anything we should have explained in more detail? Let us know below!
Hi! I just wanna ask if it is okay to write romaji (alphabet letters) in the marriage form? I can write japanese letters but my fiance cannot. Is that okay if i write in japanese letters and my fiance in alphabet? Or is it better if it is both alphabet?
Hi Karen Kondo,
It depends on what part of the application form you’re referring to. If it’s just your name, then both you and your fiance should write your legal names as they are registered with the Japanese government or as they appear in your passports (in Romaji for foreign nationals and kanji for Japanese nationals).
Aside from the name, it should not be a problem if you fill out the rest of the form yourself, so you could complete it in Japanese.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for answering but I have another question. Once I get married here in Japan, my last name will still be the same. (The guy in the cityhall told me since I am the Japanese national) I was just wondering if I report my marriage in the Phil. would my last name still be in Japanese name or will I take my husband’s last name? Because in the Phil., after marriage, the wife should use the husband’s last name. And with that, if incase I need to use my husband’s last name, would it be complicated for my documents?
Hi Karen Kondo,
You don’t need to worry. Your name would not be changed. Since you are a Japanese citizen, you can only legally change your name in Japan, using the legal name change process under Japanese law. Another country cannot force you to change your name or change it for you, since all of your legal records are in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am also a Philippine national. I have dual nationality.
Hi Karen Kondo,
Thank you for your update. I understand your situation a little better now!
Even if you have dual nationality, you can have different legal names in each country.
If you were to change your legal name in the Philippines, it would not affect your legal name in Japan, unless you went through the Japanese courts to change it here. Since you will be using your Japanese nationality to apply for your husband’s CoE, only your Japanese legal name would matter for that application process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello. I just want to ask. Me and my future husband already prepared some paper like , Birthcertificate and cenomar translated into japanese. He is filipino and i am half japanese filipino and i am japanese citizen. For me what should i bring? Is it only kosekitohon. And some goverment released id? He is also in japan but a contract worker. We want to get married next week in city hall . What else we need? And when we go there? What should i say in NIHONGGO that i want to get married hehe. Sorry i am not good in japanese so i really want to ask this. Please answer.thank youuuu.
Hi Rika,
The documents I wrote about in this article should be all that you need, in general. However, some city halls may ask for additional paperwork, so it is best to check with them in advance if you can.
In Japanese, you could say 婚姻届を提出したいです (kon’in todoke wo teishutsu shitai desu) which means, “I want to submit a marriage registration.” They should give you the form there that you need to complete.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
Thank you so much for this information!
But I’m hoping if you can advice me on something. I’m Indonesian and I have a 5 year working visa and I’m going to marry an American and he has a one year visa now. For personal reason we are going to get married in Indonesia. And of course we will receive our legal papers there. My question is, after returning to Japan, what kind of process should we do? Regardless if we change our name or not, do we have to register out marriage in Japan too? Is it necessary to do that for tax reason? Thank you so much for your help!
Hi Putri,
If neither of you are Japanese citizens, you do not need to register your marriage in Japan, but you should report it to make sure your registration is correct and to consolidate taxes, pensions, insurance, etc.
If one of you changes your name, you will have to report that to the city hall and you may need a copy of your marriage registration (along with a Japanese translation) to do that.
If you are living together, you will also need to visit the city hall to report that you are now married so that will be reflected on your Juminhyo, National Health Insurance (that might also be through your work), etc.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your answer! Can i ask a follow up question? If I decided to take his name and change the name in my passport while during my stay in Indonesia, will I still be allowed back in Japan? Because the name in my residence card and my passport will be different.
Hi Putri,
If you have a document proving that you changed your name that you can present along with your passport, you should be fine. They will be able to see your old name and that your name changed after you last left Japan.
You will need that documentation (with Japanese translation) anyway to register your name change with the Immigration Bureau as soon as possible after you return to get your Residence Card updated.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there,
I’m a Filipina and currently working as an English teacher.
I really want to marry my Filipino boyfriend, who is working as a seaman.
Would it be possible to marry him in Japan and then process his spouse visa to live here with me?
Thanks.
Hi Marga Lee,
Are you a resident of Japan? If you are a registered resident, then it should be possible.
After you complete your marriage paperwork at the city hall where you are registered, you will need to report it to the Philippines Embassy or Consulate, and get proof of having submitted that report, before you can apply for the Certificate of Eligibility.
Best Regards,
Travis
Hi Travis,
I’d like to ask about the proof of Report Of Marriage. Is a receipt fine ?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks
Hi Kris,
Yes, according to what I have heard from past applicants, that should be fine. You do not need to wait for the formal certificate from the Bureau of Statistics.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey there
Thanks for the information.
Am a Colombian dude who married a Japanese beauty one week ago here at Bogotá. She’s going back to Japan next week to legalize our marriage. We are not 100% sure of what documents she should bring to her city hall.
Thanks!
Hi KuroNeko,
Congratulations!
If your marriage has been legally registered in Colombia, then she should do the paperwork to legally register it in Japan at the Japanese embassy in Colombia. All marriages conducted overseas should be reported to the nearest embassy, not to the city hall, as far as I know.
If she contacts the Japanese embassy there, or checks their website, she should be able to find the instructions for what she needs.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m a refugee here in Japan, and my girlfriend is from Philippines but she is not living here in Japan.we are planning to get married. Is it possible we can get married?
Hi Bryant,
Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the rules that govern refugee status. I would recommend that you ask at the city hall where you live if you can file a “kon’in todoke” to marry a foreign national.
Even if you are able to get married, though, until you have an official residence status in Japan, you may not be able to bring your wife here as a dependent. You would have to check with the immigration bureau for more information on that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello i would like to ask your help, im from Brazil and my girlfriend is from japan , can i go to japan with tourist visa and marry her?
Hi Giovane,
Yes, you would be able to get married in Japan while you are on a tourist visa. However, depending on how long you take to complete the marriage paperwork, you might not have enough time afterward to be able to change your status to “Spouse of Japanese National” and stay in the country.
If your goal is to stay in Japan afterward, I would recommend that you make sure you have all your paperwork prepared in advance so that you can file the marriage as soon as possible after arrival!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi good day , i just want to ask if my marriage with Japanese national ( married in Japan) will reflect in my country if I will not pass or report the legal papers to my country’s embassy in Japan. thanx
Hi Cindy,
There is no automatic reporting to your country’s embassy. You need to report it yourself according to the instructions given by your country’s embassy (if your country requires it).
If you country requires you to report marriages in Japan, then you will need proof of having submitted that report in order to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility or Change of Status of Residence.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
how about i am a permanent residence here in japan? and don’t want to report my marriage in my country? is it possible?
Midori,
If you are already a permanent resident and don’t need to report the marriage to your home country for any particular reason or paperwork, then Japan is not going to require you to report it for the sake of reporting it – that would be between you and your home country government.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi i m an Indian living in japan on one year long term visa and working in travel company
I want to get marry a iranian girl who live in iran
We are in a relationship snice 3 years
But never meet eachother face to face
Request you to please advise me what process
I have to do to get marry her and may i get the visa for her on behalf of mine after marriage
I will highly oblige to get solutions of my problem
Thank you
Hi Romi,
I really can’t advise marrying someone you’ve never met in person, but if you decide to go through with it, the first thing you’d need to decide is which country’s law you want to get married under. If you get married under Japanese law, you’ll need to follow the guidelines in this article. If you choose Indian or Iranian law, then you’ll have to follow those countries’ policies.
If you do choose to get married in Japan, keep in mind that any time you need an original marriage certificate, you will have to get it from the Japanese city hall where you got married and will have to get it translated. I can only really recommend this if you’re planning to live in Japan permanently!
After you are married and have registered your marriage with your respective home country governments (as necessary), you would be able to apply for a Dependent Certificate of Eligibility for your new spouse.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks alot travis highly oblige for your advice
Same situation with miss princes we are planning to marry in japan with my japanese boyfriend . He ask what are the requirements in their city hall . Then he told me what should i prepare and those are
1. Advisory on marriage
2 birth certificate
3 Certificate of nullity of marriage ( because im annuled person)
4. Passport
5. Translation
6.こんいんしょうめいしょ- which means marriage certificate ! I dont understand is why should i prepare for no.6 were just start planning for our marriage which will be held in japan . I asks also him is this about my previous marriage?? He says no . Its about ours ..why? I dont know ! that what they say in municipal office..he say.. They said We cannot marry if without that .. You need to prepare for that. You can prepare that in your municipal office in philippines ‘ he also added . I really dont understand , what should i do..
Hi Leah,
For Number 6, is it possible that it is the “婚姻要件具備証明書”? (Kon’in yoken gubi shomeisho / Certificate of Eligibility to Marry)?
This is the only document I know of that you would have to obtain from your municipal office in the Philippines if you are getting married under Japanese law. It would be a document stating that you meet all the eligibility criteria to get married under Philippine law and would go with the Certificate of Annulment.
In any case, I know that is one of the required documents, and it would be strange if the Japanese city hall did not ask for it. I’d recommend that you double-check with them to see if that is what they mean. If not, ask what exactly the “こんいんしょうめいしょ” needs to show. If you know what it needs to contain, then you should be able to get something similar enough.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! thank you for sharing some information 🙂 I am a Filipina and my boyfriend is a japanese national, we’re planning to get married this year . I read some comments having a same situation like mine. I just want to ask if, can we get married in japan if i only got 15 days of stay? Is that enough?. I am confused to because some say that we need to get married first here in the philippines so we can get married in japan.
I hope someone can read this with the same situation like mine who is already get married in japan. Can you give me some advice what reason you say when you apply for visa. THANK YOU!!!
Hi Princess,
You can only get married once, whether it is in the Philippines or in Japan. After that, you would need to report the marriage to the other government so that you will be registered as legally married in both countries.
15 days should be enough time for you to complete the marriage paperwork in Japan, if you have everything prepared in advance. After that, you’d need to leave, though. You would not have enough time to complete the Certificate of Eligibility application process so that you could stay in Japan. You’d have to go back to the Philippines instead and apply for a spouse visa from there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, we have same situation 🙁 Im also worried.
Hi,
Thank you for all of your very informative article. I used to work in Japan for about a year and a half when I was single. I left Japan to my home country before my working visa expired, but I never made it back before my Visa expired. Recently I got married in my home country to a person in my home country nationality who never been to japan.
Now I have an offer from a Japanese company to work in Japan and they will apply for my COE, but unfortunately they are not category 1 or 2 so they can’t apply for my spouse’s COE.
Any ideas for a work around I might be able to go to Japan with my spouse?
May be a tourist visa for her that can be changed to dependent visa later?
Or may be I can contact the city hall where I was registered to register my marriage and be able to get her a CEO without the company? (I didn’t report to town hall that I’m leaving japan since I intended to return during my visa period but never happened)
Thanks for advance.
Hi Snake,
Unfortunately, I do not know of any workarounds for a dependent visa. My understanding is that conversions from tourist to dependent status while in Japan are never accepted (there is no possible justification as to why the dependent would not have been able to apply for a proper visa before coming to Japan, other than convenience).
It is the Immigration Bureau, not the city hall, that issues Certificates of Eligibility and, in either case, both would have in their records that your period of stay had expired and that you were no longer a legal resident of Japan, so you wouldn’t be able to apply in advance.
It shouldn’t take you that long to get a Certificate of Eligibility for your spouse after you arrive in Japan, but unfortunately, I don’t know of any way that you and your spouse are not going to have to go through at least a couple of months of being physically separated.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much. So can I apply for my spouse’s dependent Certificate of Eligibility as soon as I arrive to Japan on my work visa?
The recruit company told me I can’t apply for my spouse’s dependent Certificate of Eligibility until I work at least 3 months and show a proof of that to the immigration bureau, otherwise my application will not be accepted.
So that’s about 3 months wait period, and I think about 2 months processing period, which can be a little long since we only got married about a month before I’m expected to leave.
So should I work for at least 3 months before being able to apply for dependent visa?
Thank you always for your useful tips.
Hi Snake,
I’m not aware of any rule saying that you must have worked at least three months. I worked with students who applied to bring their family over within the first month after arrival.
However, there is the question of your proof of financial resources and proof of employment. If it is the case that your first three months on the job in Japan are considered a trial period, then you might not be able to get a formal proof of employment and proof of salary until after that trial period ends. That’s the only thing I can think of.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Trans,
Is this guide for partners who are legally married before applying for marriage in Japan?
What about couples who want to officially marry in Japan
Hi Macpie,
This guide is for partners who are not yet legally married – so this should be what you need.
If you are already legally married, you don’t need to get married in Japan (or rather, you can’t – you can’t be double-married). If one partner is Japanese, then you have to report your marriage to the Japanese embassy/consulate in the country where the marriage was officiated, but that’s it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Another question is in the marriage contract form I need 2 witnesses and do they need physical appearance when I pass the form at the city hall?
Hi Macpie,
If they’ve completed the form ahead of time, they should not need to appear in person. (In our case, we sent our marriage form in by mail, so nobody appeared in person at the city hall, and there was no problem).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am a Filipina and my husband is Japanese. Is it necessary to change name in my passport or apply for Cert. of ELigibility? Which would come first?
Is it the husband should answer the questionnaire form since it is in Jpanese?
In the love story part, who should be the main topic? Is it me or my husband?
Thank you so much.
Hi Queen Cuizon,
If you are going to change your name, then I would recommend doing it before you apply for your CoE if you have time.
It’s not required to do so, it’s just that it would be easier to do in your home country before you apply for your CoE and visa. After you arrive in Japan, you’d end up having to change your name on all of your Japanese records, too.
In the story, your relationship is the main topic, but the whole questionnaire is meant to be written by the Japanese spouse on behalf of their foreign partner, if that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’m Filipino and my fiance is an American, working in Japan as an English teacher. We want to get married in Japan. Can we submit our application and documents to the city hall itself instead of mailing it? Would they be able to provide us the marriage certificate faster that way, as in release it the same day?
Thanks!
Hi Crazykame,
If you’re both in Japan, then yes, you can submit it in person to the city hall where your fiance is living. That’s the better way to do it and faster, as you mentioned.
Depending on the city and how busy they are, they may not be able to get you the certificate immediately, but it should still be faster than mailing.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I had a few questions. I plan to marry my spouse, she’s a Japanese national. She lives in the UK currently and I live in the states. However, we both plan to travel to Japan to marry.
So from what I gather; I need copies of my passport pages, government ID, and the Affidavit of Competency (which I can complete and get notarized at the embassy). Thats seems like it for my end, anyways.
For the Kon-in Todoke, where do we get that? Do we get it notarized at the US embassy or Japaness city hall? And we need to bring two people/witnesses to sign it with us?
For Japanese translations, is that something I could do myself with Google translate or anything? If not, Where would i go for a translation? The us embassy? The local Japanese city hall?
I apologize for the questions, but this is my first time getting married. I don’t even know how to do it in US, let alone Japan. It’s honestly stressing me out and I don’t want to be missing something that makes our whole trip in vain. Do you guys have a checklist or anything of the sort?
Thanks for your time!
Hi Dalton,
If you have Japanese residency, you would need a copy of Japanese-government-issued ID, such as a Juminhyo, but if you don’t then just a copy of your passport will do. You shouldn’t need both a passport and other government ID. Incidentally, bring your physical passport when you go to the city hall!
You can get the Kon’in Todoke form at your fiancee’s city hall or ward office.
For the Affidavit of Competence to Marry, the form comes with a Japanese translated version where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. The embassy will only notarize the English, but that’s fine. It will be accepted that way. I don’t think you need anything else translated, but if you did, you would need to contact a translation company.
Aside from your fiancee’s koseki tohon, which she can also get from her city hall, that should be everything you need. However, I’d recommend that she call her city hall first and double check with them. Sometimes the city has extra requirements.
I hadn’t made a checklist yet for this, but that’s a great idea, thank you! I will work on one soon.
In the meantime, we’ve covered everything that I know of.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thanks for the reply! I greatly appreciate the assistance! You’ve been a big help.
Have a good one!
Also Travis,
Once we get the paper work done, and were officially married how do I get my wife to the us? Do we need a special visa or anything?
Hi Dalton,
You’ll need to apply for a spouse visa at the US embassy. I’d recommend you contact them for more instructions.
I’m afraid I am not as knowledgeable about that process. Since we chose to live in Japan, we never followed through with it.
If you choose to live in Japan, I have advice about that visa application process, based on our experience.
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the very informative article! I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions.
My girlfriend and I currently both live/work in Sendai, Japan. We are both American citizens and have resident cards in Japan. Would the process be the same for us, filling out the paper work and providing proper identification (passports)? And also, how long does the paper work process take? Sorry if these are questions that you have already answered.
David
Hi David,
If you and your girlfriend want to get married under Japanese law, yes, it would still be the same process. You would both provide the “foreigner” version of the IDs from the article, as you mentioned, and you would both need the Affidavit of Competence to Marry from the US Embassy.
Keep in mind, though, that the US will not issue any marriage certificate for you if you are married under Japanese law, so if you ever need a copy in the future, you would have to get it from the Sendai city hall and get it translated on your own each time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Follow up question for you. Do we need to do a name change? And if we have to, is there additional paperwork that we have to do to do the name change? Would my fiance have to apply for a new passport or new residence cards, etc?
Hi David,
You’re not required to change your name, but you can if you want. Your name change would fall under US law (specifically, your state’s law), so that’s something you would take up with the US embassy.
When I did it, I submitted a certified translation of my marriage certificate to the US Embassy along with an application to re-issue my passport with my new name (I was able to take care of updating my social security number at the same time).
Once you complete the name change, the spouse who changed their name will have to report that to the immigration bureau office to get it updated on their residence card.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello there i would like to ask what we should do to live together in japan. we’re both Filipinos but my wife is living in japan she has permanent resident card and we are legally married here in the Philippines. what type of visa is needed and what are the steps we should do. thank you very much god bless
Hi Jay,
You would need a Spouse of Permanent Resident Visa.
The application process is practically identical to the Spouse of Japanese National CoE application, so you can follow along on that page, except for the items that obviously only apply to Japanese citizens (like the koseki).
If you want more details and the exact requirements for Spouse of Permanent Resident, I go into more detail in my book.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir travis – thankyou very much i hope it will help. ill get back to you for more inquiries. thankyou very much god bless and more power
Hi im a filipina and married to a japanese national but we are not yet legally married in japan because he said that we can’t register our marriage there because he is not paying his taxes is it true?
Hi Kath,
To register your marriage in Japan, your husband would have to report it at the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines. From what I’ve seen, the embassies only list the required documents. They don’t make any mention of being caught up in taxes (or any other requirements), so I cannot confirm or disprove that.
The best thing to do would be to ask the embassy directly if that is required!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis –
Thank you for providing such a thorough and informative guide on the marriage process in Japan. Reading through the guide and subsequent comments has answered many of my questions regarding the process. I do have a couple lingering questions about the Affidavit of Competency to Marry form, however.
I am a US citizen currently living in the US planning to marry a Japanese national in Japan. Our intention is to marry and submit the I-130 petition form for her to get her spouse visa in the US, and living separately while going through the petition/application/interview process. We haven’t decided yet whether to mail in the Kon-in Todoke or submit in person when I can visit. Either way, I would likely notarize my affidavit in the US. As such, I’m not sure what I should put down as my local address (日本国内の住所) on the affidavit. I would assume if we submit in person it would be the address of where I am staying in Japan during my visit, but if we mail in I technically would not have an address in Japan. What are your thoughts? Would putting down her home address in Japan be a safe choice in this instance?
Another question that came to mind is what the notary should be writing as the place (at ___ / 場所:___に) if they are not the at the consulate in Japan. Would it be the city/county that the notary is authorized by?
Thanks for any advice you can provide!
Hi Curtis,
Congratulations on your pending marriage.
It’s been several years since I went through this process, but I also completed the Affidavit outside of Japan. I think I used my wife’s parents’ address as, at the time, that was where we planned to live at first when we moved to Japan. My wife’s parents, at the same address, were out witnesses, and the city hall did not ask any questions about it.
I have heard from other applicants that they were able to use a notary public in their hometown, affiliated with the city hall. In that case, you would fill in the city and country name for the location. In my case, I had my affidavit completed at a US embassy in another country, so I didn’t have to change the signature block, but if you were having it completed by a notary, you would need to edit that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you, Travis! That definitely clears things up. It sounds like using her home address should not be an issue for application purposes. I also wasn’t aware that I could create a modified version of the form to change items such as the notary signature block, so that is very good information to know.
Hi Curtis,
You don’t have to re-create the form from scratch, just crossing out and replacing the relevant items in the default signature block should be enough.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Cna you fill me in with the name part?
I’m going to take her name so I just write that as my name on kointodoke?
Please advice.
Hi Sonam,
Your name has to match your legal name on your current documentation. If you will change your name in the future, then you’ll have to change it under your country’s laws then report it to the Japanese government after the fact.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m also planning to apply for COE. Do I change my last name their and then report it or change my last name first then apply for COE?
Apply for COE get everything and after once in Japan then change my name? Which one would you be the best option.
Hi Sonam,
It’s completely up to you. I don’t know how easy or difficult it is to change your name in your country, but I would recommend basing your decision on that.
If it’s possible to change your name in your home country before applying for the CoE, that will probably save you some paperwork in Japan. But if you don’t have time to do it first, then wait.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day, i would like to ask if it is really need for me to translate my marriage certificate to apply for certificate of eligibility.
Hi Doreen,
Yes, it is necessary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Travis, thanks again for all the useful info. We got married this week, without (at least so far) any problem, and now we are waiting for the new family register so I can pass the info to my embassy and legalize the marriage also in my country. Only thing worth of note, my wife’s city hall did request me a translation of my passport (the page with pic and info). I did it and my wife checked it, at that was enough. Gab,
Hi Gab,
Congratulations! I hope the rest of the process goes well for you, too.
I’m pretty shocked that they asked for a translation of your passport. Those are pretty standard worldwide and anyone should be able to figure out what they mean – that’s what they’re designed for! It was probably someone misunderstanding a bureaucratic requirement, but I’m glad they accepted your translation so you didn’t have to waste money on that.
Good Luck with the remaining paperwork!
– Travis from TranSenz
I came to Japan on a temporary visa to marry my Japanese girlfriend , but i have come across a problem, to get the paperwork from the British Embassy I need a resident card to show where I am living, but I can not get one as I am not saying in Japan long enough, what can I do?
Hi Paul Derrick,
Unfortunately, I’m not particularly experienced on requirements for various embassies, but have you tried contacting the embassy directly to ask? They should be able to tell you if there is an alternative (or, in the worst case scenario, they would tell you if it simply can’t be done, though I have no reason to thing that might be the case).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m here last 6 yea residence of Dubai from Pakistan,I have plan to go married my girlfriend (she have dovice)she is 55age I have 31 ,any age problm and second which doucemement we requirement ,if I’m go viist visa I’m can married if can how long I need stay Japan ,then I’m come back again my job Dubai until I’m no get residence entry Japan what you give me guidenec
Hi Ali Hussain,
The difference in age between you and your girlfriend should not be a problem, so long as you can prove that it’s a legitimate relationship.
You can come to Japan on a temporary visitor status and get married, that’s not a problem. This article covers the documents you’ll need to get married. Once you’re married, you’ll need to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to get a spouse visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
PS, from your other question, your religion doesn’t matter.
Hello! First of all thanks for such a helpful and informative post! It really made the process much more understandable. Do you have any idea of how long approximately does the process take though? Say from scratch up until receiving the Spouse of Japanese Visa.
Thanks again!
Hi Shih,
A lot of it depends on how fast you move with your end of the deal, as well as where you are located and whether you need to account for time for mail and translation.
As far as government processing time goes, getting your marriage registered and obtaining the proof of marriage can be anywhere from a day to two weeks (largely depending on whether you live in the same city where your spouse has their koseki, and how busy that city is). The Certificate of Eligibility process can take from 1-3 months*. The visa application can take anywhere from a few days to upwards of three weeks (though I’ve only heard of the longer time frame in the case of the Philippines).
*If you have any missing documents, it takes more time.
In my book, I recommend getting started on the Certificate of Eligibility application 4-5 months before you want to arrive in Japan. That’s assuming your marriage paperwork is already done and you have all of your documents assembled by then.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I’m glad I found your post. My fiancee and I are both Singaporean and we wanted to get marriage in Japan while doing our wedding photo shoot in Kyoto. Is is possible? I had called some government agency in Singapore but none can give me any details. If it’s possible what document do I need and how do I go about doing it? Which local city ward office should I approach? Do I need witnesses? Thank you!!
Hi Davin,
To get married under Japanese law, at least one of you would have to be a registered resident here, so you’d need to be here on some status other than “temporary visitor.”
In that case, you would talk to the city hall/ward office where you were registered as a resident and you would need witnesses.
If you just want to do a wedding ceremony or photo shoot and don’t need any legal registration, then you don’t need to talk to the city hall at all.
Congratulations and Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for writing this blog, it’s really well done. My girlfriend and i are planning to get married in the next 3 months. I ma getting all the documentation ready (affidavit and translation). However, I am dual citizen (Mexico / Canada). I am currently using my Canadian passport for travelling and visa purposes. I have the intent to indicate that I am a Canadian citizen but I have a Mexican birth certificate. Will providing a Mexican birth certificate with a Canadian passport create any problems?
Thank you for your answer in advance!
Hi Jorge,
In most cities, you do not need to submit a birth certificate. Did your city hall specifically ask you for one?
If your birth certificate does not match your country of citizenship (passport), then you may need to show a certificate of naturalization or something like that to show how you obtained your Canadian citizenship. Since the birth certificate itself is a city-by-city requirement, I’d recommend that you ask your city hall for their specific guidance.
In the end, it should not create a problem, just a little more paperwork for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you! You are awesome!
Hi transenz, this blog is very useful.I’m still waiting for my legal capacity to mail in my home. After that we go to municipal and process our marriage. I have question in the documents. First,It’s not necessarily that the translated Japanese documents should be notarized? Only English version are notarized. Second, do we need to translate the passport ? 3rd do they really require 2 witnesses before I can get the certificate of marriage notification? Thank you!
Hi Adonna,
Only original documents need to be notarized. As long as the translation is done professionally and the translator signs that it is true and accurate, that’s good enough for that document.
You do not need to translate your passport.
Yes, you do need two witnesses to sign/seal the document. They do not need to be present when you submit it though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi good day! May i ask you a question . I’m a filipina and i have a boyfriend which is a japanese national, we were planning to get married on japan next year . Is it possible that we can marry in japan if i didn’t go in japan yet even once ? Thank you.
Hi Princess,
Yes, it should be possible. If you’re going to be present in Japan at that time, it should be no problem at all!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for your comments. Today we are officially married. Now we need to proceed to COE. Paperworks again lol.
Hi Adonna,
Congratulations on your marriage and good luck with the CoE!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis! I can’t view the link of questionnaire. And do you have an english translation of that file?
We applied our CoE last May 11 and the immigration send us a letter and the first paper saying that we need to submit the questionnaire, translated Birth Certificate, tax last 2016 and 2017 and the pay slip for last 3months. Is there possibility that the immigration will denied our application? Can you give us some advices inorder to increase our chance to get approved? Thank you, Travis! I am always reading here in your forum. And it helps me alot! 😊
Hi Nix,
I saw the same comment on the article about the Certificate of Eligibility and replied there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
GOODEVENING.
I AM A FILIPINO CITIZEN, MY GIRLFRIEND IS IN OSAKA FOR 3 MONTHS AS A ENGLISH TEACHER, WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE OUR WEDDING AT THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN OSAKA, IT IS POSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE A 90 DAYS TOURIST VISA ? PLEASE HELP. THANKYOU !!
Hi Bryan,
Tourist visas are not my specialty and the rules and requirements are different for different countries, so I’m afraid I can’t give you any certain advice.
However, if your girlfriend is in Japan, you should be able to apply for a tourist visa to visit her.
Good Luck and Congratulations on your coming marriage!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! I hope your having a great day! I just want to clear something. Well first, I’m working on our papers to get married in Japan before my visa expires and go home. My fiance is Japanese and I’m Filipina. At the last part you mention that you recommend changing my last name to match my husband-to-be. How should we do that? Do we do that in the koseki tohon? But you also mentioned in one of your articles that I use my maiden name to apply for the COE and Dependent Visa. I’m kind of confused, please help. Thank you.
Hi Corrien Nikki,
What I meant to say in that article was that if you plan to change your last name to match your spouse’s, you’ll need a copy of your marriage certificate to do that. I also recommend that if you want to change it, you either do that before you apply for your CoE or after you are living in Japan on a spouse residence status.
I don’t necessarily have any recommendations regarding whether or not you should change your name – that’s a personal choice.
If you want to change your name, you would have to do that through your home country’s government, you cannot do it through the Japanese city hall. For instance, I am a US citizen and after I got married, I went to the US embassy to complete the paperwork to change my name.
By the way, you’ll be applying for a “Spouse of Japanese National” Visa, not a Dependent Visa, for what it’s worth.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis im filipina. i have a pilipino boyfriend work there in japan. We planning to get married in the philippines and he is want to get me in japan to start family and work there. What i do for requirement for living there in japan and what of law in japan? Thanks and GodBless.
Hi Nads,
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
If you’re getting married in the Philippines, you don’t need this article. Once you’re married and have your certificate, your fiance will need to apply in Japan for a Certificate of Eligibility for a Dependent Visa for you. (See the link above for my guide on how to apply).
Once he gets that, he will mail it to you and you will be able to use it to apply for your visa.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi I am a USA citizen and I married a Japanese citizen in USA already. She told me it is Japan law that we also register our marriage officially in Japan. Is that true??
Hi Timothy,
Yes, you have to report it to the Japanese government so they can update her family register.
The nearest Japanese embassy or consulate should have instructions as to what she needs to do for that process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Konichiwa im jarwin from philipinnes im planing to go in japan this coming july because of the children of my sister within 6months staying in japan and i have a japanese girlfriend she is a half japanese and half philippine i want to marry her as soon as possible my problem is she has no passport because of the penalty of overstaying here in philippines but she is already there in japan can we get married even if she has no a passport? And there is a devorse if we separate?
Hi Jarwin,
Are you saying that she has no passport for either Japan or the Philippines?
In that case, I think she would need to make sure she is legally registered as a citizen in Japan. If she is not a Japanese citizen or a resident of Japan with legal residence status, then you would not be able to get legally married in Japan.
If you get married and separate later, then yes, you would need to get a divorce.
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, in a couple of answers you mention the “kon’in todoke juri shomeisho 婚姻届受理証明書” (you translated it as “Certificate of Acceptance of Application to Marriage” or “report of acceptance of report of marriage”). Is this the marriage certificate? Or this is simply a document issued right away to state that we APPLIED for marriage, while the actual marriage certificate can be requested later when the marriage is approved officially (and the new family certificate is also ready)? My embassy translate “kon’in todoke juri shomeisho” as ACTUAL marriage certificate, so I am a little confused. Also, if I will visit my wife after getting married but before to apply for COE, is a good/bad idea mention I have a wife in Japan when/if asked at the immigration? Note that I am not planning to apply for COE while in Japan and try to change my status without to leave, I just want to visit. Thanks for all the useful info. Gab.
Sorry, another question. The residence/domicile on my passport (issued about 2 years ago) is different from my current one. Of course I am going to use my current residence on all docs (marriage form, affidavit from the embassy, etc), so I was wondering if this may be a problem. Same goes for the COE, in your article (talking about point 8 of the COE application form) you write: ““Place of Birth and Hometown: If these appear in your passport, then what you write in the application must match the passport”. In your book, you state again the same for “Place of birth” (must match the passport), but for the hometown/city you don’t state that they must be the same. So I am a little confused which one is. It seems logical to me that the residence on the passport may be different because people move around, but just would like a clarification (maybe is it better to explain this on the application???). Thanks again. Gab.
Hi Gab,
I’ve actually never seen a passport that listed someone’s current hometown. If that’s the case, does your country require you to renew your passport every time you move?
Unless your country requires you to keep your residence up to date in your passport, then it should not be a problem that it does not match.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Gab,
The translation I offered is a literal translation of the document title, and is the one I have most commonly seen on Japanese government websites.
In Japan, it is a legal “actual” marriage certificate. However, once your marriage is registered, you would submit your Japanese spouse’s family certificate as proof that you are married, rather than the kon’in juri shomeisho.
As for mentioning that you are married, no I do not think that is a problem to mention that you are going to visit your wife.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
I am from Albania (Non EU) and i want to marry a japanese girl . I live in albania and she lives in japan
What should i do?
Hi Ergi,
I recommend spending some time living together before you get married. In addition to being good for your relationship, if you decide that you want to apply for a Spouse Visa for Japan in the future, the Japanese Immigration Bureau will want to see evidence that you have spent time together and that it is a legitimate relationship, not just a marriage of convenience. I’m not saying that it isn’t, in your case, I’m just saying that you have to be careful of appearances.
If you can find a way to get to Japan or to have her visit you in Albania, then while you are together, you should be able to complete the marriage registration paperwork for the country you are in. I don’t know the requirements for Albania, but if you want to get married in Japan, this article describes what you need to do.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Great info.
My Japanese fiance and I will be having our wedding ceremony in Tokyo later this year.
I will arrive on a spouse visa.
As we’re short on time while I’m here, do you know if I (UK citizen) may be able to submit the documents alone as a tourist?
All the documents will be ready.
Thanks.
Hi John,
I’m a little confused – You’re going to arrive on a spouse visa before your wedding? I assume you will be getting legally married ahead of time? (Or maybe you meant tourist visa?)
It would be best if your fiance is able to go with you to the city hall to submit the marriage paperwork. If there is a strong reason why she can’t then you may be able to file it on your own, as long as she and the witnesses have pre-filled their parts of the marriage form.
Based on my experience and past comments here, city halls can be very inconsistent in their handling of paperwork (some even ask for additional items), so I can’t say for sure whether they will accept it if you are alone. They may ask you for extra documentation as well, so I would recommend contacting them in advance.
Once you get your marriage registered, then you will be able to apply to change to a spouse of Japanese national residence status. That process you will be able to complete on you own. The application process is almost identical to the Certificate of Eligibility application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello. If one or both spouses are under 20 but are orphans, can they still get married because they don’t have parental permission? Or must they wait until they are 20?
Hi Yu,
I’m afraid this is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a situation, and I haven’t been able to find any documentation that gives a clear answer.
I would recommend that you ask the City Hall what would be required in your case. They should be able to give you a certain answer.
Best Regards,
Travis
Hi.
I am planning to get marry with my girlfriend in Japan, I am a Portuguese from Macau(China), I am on a student visa. (I am holding a Portugal passport) I am living in Tokyo Kasai studying Japanese language. My girlfriend is a Filipina, she is also on student visa. What kind of docement I need to prepare? One more question, Can my girlfriend stay with me in Japan even though her visa end?
Hi Leandro,
You will both need proof of eligibility to marry from your respective embassies (contact your embassies for details), your passports, plus the marriage registration form from whichever one of your city halls that you will file the application at.
When you go to the city hall to get the marriage application form, I would also recommend that you ask if they have any additional requirements. I’ve heard from other applicants that some cities have extra paperwork.
Once you and your fiance are married, she would be eligible to apply to change her status of residence from “student” to “dependent.” She cannot simply stay in Japan without completing that application, so she should make sure to get started on it before her current residence status ends.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Does the type of visa you have matter when getting married?
I have a residency card for religious purposes that is valid for 1 and a half more years and am engaged with a japanese national but am in america. Am I able to just go bacl and get married and then switch over to a spouse visa?
Thans so much for all the info. It helped alot
Hi Tanner,
No, it doesn’t matter what kind of visa you hold. (Of course, if you already hold a “spouse of Japanese national” residence status, then you wouldn’t be able to get married again, but we’ll leave that out). As long as one of you is a registered resident of Japan or a Japanese citizen then you can get married under Japanese law.
After you get married, you can go to the Immigration Bureau and apply for a Change of Status of Residence. The process is almost identical to applying for a Certificate of Eligibility, though the application form is slightly different.
Just a heads up: In Japan the word “visa” only means your initial entry permission. Once you arrive in Japan, you are considered to have a “residence status” not a visa. The only reason I mention this is that if you ask the Japanese embassy or immigration bureau, they will tell you that you can’t change your “visa” in Japan (because you’ve already arrived), but you can change your residence status, so don’t worry!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! I just wanted to know if there’s a way to get married in Japan legally without either of us being Japanese. Me and my girlfriend are Japanophiles and I’m planning to propose to her at the Tokyo Tower within the next 6 to 12 months. We don’t wish to get visa or residence there, just wish to retain romantic memories.
Hi Clinton,
Unless one of you is a citizen or a resident of Japan, you would not be eligible to get married under Japanese law.
I think you would be able to hold a wedding ceremony, though, without doing the legal paperwork. (Doing it early in your home country, etc.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi…
First of all thanks for so much information above … And here is my question…
I am nepali guy living in okinawa for almost 1 year. I am on student visa and studying japanese language as well as doing part time job here. I have a japanese girlfriend of 22, me 24. we want to get married and i want to change my nationality to japanese. So what are the steps we have to do and how long time will it take to become japanese citizen??
i am confused as some say 3 years, some say just 6 mnths or 1 year…after marriage.
And does travelling to my country for visiting for short time also effect getting permanent residency??
and also i want to know about spouse visa ….
Thanks…
Hi Aakash,
You’re very welcome.
I’ve actually never looked into changing my nationality to Japanese, because Japan does not allow dual nationality, so I would have to give up my US nationality to do that and the US punishes people heavily for giving up their citizenship.
I can tell you that you would be able to change your Status of Residence to Spouse of Japanese National as soon as you are married (the process is essentially the same as applying for a Certificate of Eligibility). After you hold that status for 5 years (the longest possible length of stay for a spouse), you can apply for Permanent Residency.
Traveling back to your home country for visits will not affect your Permanent Residency application in the future, as long as you stay there for less than a year.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, I might want to ask for some assistance regarding marriage between me (Japanese) and my fiance (Filipina). I’m a bit confused on how to proceed with our marriage. I tried refering to the website of Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and it says that we have to submit the documents to the embassy there, but some blogs (like yours) says we can proceed directly to the city hall where I live as long as i have all the documents needed.
Hoping you can help us on step by step process.
I”ll appreciate your reply.
Hi Tatz,
You will need to do some paperwork at the Philippine Embassy both before and after going to the city hall.
To get married at the city hall, your fiance will need to provide proof that she is legally eligible to get married under Philippines law. As far as I know, she will need to get that documentation from the embassy and get it translated into Japanese.
Then, after you get married at the city hall, she will need to report that marriage to her embassy to get it legally registered with them. (Japanese citizens who get married under foreign law have the same obligation). She should get a document back from the embassy proving that she has started the marriage registration process and you will need that document to apply for the Change of Status of Residence or Certificate of Eligibility later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, thanks for this awesome guide! So I’m moving to japan to get married, and I found this guide maybe a little too late, so I have a few questions. I’m a U.S. citizen and my fiance is a japanese national and I had been looking online for a few months preparing paperwork. I went to the Japanese consulate and turned in my paperwork (visa application, letter of guarantee, photos of me and my fiance), I had an interview with one of the staff, and was also asked to write a sworn statement that I will get married within 90 days of arriving in Japan. The staff then determined mine was a legitimate marriage and granted me a visa to get married, basically a tourist visa with a note on it that says “for marriage”, which he referred to as a fiance visa. He placed a sticker on my visa that is a bar code, then placed a similar sticker on a paper which he attached to all my paperwork, and sent the paperwork to the immigration office in Tokyo. My question is, will I need to fill out another application with a passport sized photo, and get another letter of guarentee? The man told me to visit the immigration office before we get married to let them know that I was in Japan. The reason I’m asking is because I leave for Japan on the 19th and would like to know if I will need to get new passport photos again and print out all the applications again.
Sorry, just to clarify. The consulate put a visa in my passport, then put the barcode sticker on the back outside cover of my passport.
Hi Tyler,
Thank you for sharing your story. I’ve never heard of a process like that before! That is very interesting, and could be a helpful approach for a lot of the readers on here, especially those from the Philippines who seem to have a harder screening than many others just to get a tourist visa.
I can only assume that you are from a country that does not have a visa waiver program with Japan.
It sounds like you only submitted the visa application paperwork so far, so after you get married in Japan, you’ll need to apply for a Change of Status of Residence, which is very similar to the application for a Certificate of Eligibility. That’s a bit more complex.
You will need photos again, but the size requirements are different from what you used for the visa (see the article above for details). You can easily get photos taken in Japan at automated kiosks, so don’t worry too much about that. You also shouldn’t need any documents from your home country other than what you need to get married. Your Japanese spouse will have to supply most of the supporting paperwork.
I think you’ve already arrived in Japan by now, so I hope you had a good trip.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
I am originally from Germany but I’ve been living in Japan for 2 years now, currently on a work visa (Humanities) that is valid until 2018. My boyfriend is in the US Navy and stationed in Yokosuka for the next two years.
We are planning to get married, but I’m unsure if that meant I had to take the Sofa visa and, thus, lose my work visa. Or is it possible to marry him and continue to stay in Japan on my work visa, since Japan has already granted me permission to stay?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Daria,
My understanding is that you don’t have to change to a SOFA status just because you’re marrying a SOFA military member. Marriage does not oblige you to change your residence status under Japanese law. You would only have to change to a SOFA status if your current work visa became invalid because you stopped working, etc.
I would recommend double-checking with the base legal office just to be sure. They might try to encourage you to take on the SOFA status so that you would have the legal protections under that status, but I cannot think of any reason it would be necessary to do so.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks for all the info. I am starting the process to get married and then to get the visa to live in Japan (my fiance is a Japanese national). First question: since I am a dual citizen (Italian and Canadian) I suppose I will need two “notarized affidavit of competence to marry”, one for each country, right? Second, if I understood right, I can get the “notarized affidavit of competence to marry” in Japan (at the local embassies) or where I am now (notarizing them). I am planning to be in Japan at some point in the near future (with a tourist visa) so I suppose to get the docs in Japan from the local embassies would be better? Finally, just to confirm, the only other docs needed (to get married) are the “Kon’in Todoke-sho” (that will need to be filled out also by me, my spouse, and two witnesses) and the “Koseki Tohon”, is this right? Thanks again.
Also, what about the double citizenship in the forms? (the Kon’in Todoke-sho as well as the form for the COE). Do I have to specify both nationalities and both passport numbers or can I just pick one and apply with that? When I visit Japan I write on the entry form the nationality/passport number of the passport I am carry at that moment (Italian if I am flying from Italy, Canadian if flying from Canada). Thanks.
Hi Gab,
For Japan’s purposes, only the passport you use to enter the country matters. They only record one nationality for you in their records, so you would have to supply proof of eligibility to marry from that country.
Once you are married, you’ll want to follow up with both countries to register your marriage legally, if necessary, but that shouldn’t matter for the Japanese paperwork.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Gab,
Japan doesn’t allow dual citizenship with other countries, so the government procedures don’t really understand how it works.
What I have seen in the past is that they only know about the citizenship you tell them about. That means, only the passport you use to enter the country (since you’ll have to show it during the application process). If you’re going to be entering the country with your Italian passport when you come to get married, use that nationality in the form and get the affidavit of competence to marry for that country, and vice versa.
If you later apply for a spouse visa, then you’ll need to keep using the same passport/nationality for that process, and everything else you do while you’re in Japan.
For the Affidavit of Competence to Marry, your embassy in Japan should be more familiar with the paperwork than a city back home would be, so that might make it easier for you to get what you need. However, if you can get the format from the Embassy and get it done before you go to Japan, that saves you time once you reach Japan. Neither method is necessarily better, it’s just a matter of whether you want to get it out of the way sooner or later :).
Finally, for the documents, sometimes city halls will require additional documents based on their local procedures. I would recommend having your spouse check with the local city hall to make sure in advance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks Travis. Just a more general question, for what you know living there when translating requested documents (such as birth certificates, certificate of nationality, etc) is it required some special notarization? Or the name and signature/seal of the translator is enough? Gab.
Hi Gab,
Typically, the name and signature of the translator is enough. I’ve never had to get a translation notarized since I’ve lived here. (I did once have to get a notarized document translated, but the translation itself didn’t need to be notarized).
TranSenz used to be a translation company, but most often we would end up translating Japanese documents to English so that our customers could register them with their home country governments.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz, I am half Japanese/Filipino. In March 2017 I choosed Japanese as my citizen. And currently I’m living in Tokyo and employed 6 months. My girlfriend is from Philippines and we are planning to get married here in Japan. and also we are on the right age. I don’t know where to start so I have a couple of questions: I don’t know where I need to go to process and ask for the requirements. also the Visa & paperworks of both of us what will be needed. what are the process should be done. I been planing that she will enter in Japan as Tourist (but i don’t know what visa should she take, and for the reason).
There is my friend told me that I cannot get married unless If I am paying Tax for 2 years. It is necessary ?. because up until now i have no problem with my taxes.
Thank you so much this is really means to me. Glad you are here !!!
Hi Iwamoto-san,
Getting married and getting your fiancee a spouse visa are two different things with different requirements, so I’d suggest taking them one at a time. You will get married at the City Hall and, later, you will apply for her Certificate of Eligibility at the Immigration Bureau.
As far as I know, you don’t need to submit any tax records to get married. We did not do so when we got married in Japan, so don’t worry too much about that. (The Tax records come into play for the Spouse Visa, later). All you should need are the documents I mentioned in this article: Your koseki tohon, her proof of eligibility to marry from the Philippine government (translated into Japanese), and the marriage registration form (Kon’in todoke). I’d also recommend that you check with the city hall to see if there are any extra requirements in your city.
For your fiancee’s proof of eligibility to marry, check with the Philippine Embassy or Consulate nearest you. They should be able to help you get the documents you need.
To actually get married, your fiancee would need a short-term stay visa. I don’t know exactly what reason she would use, but hopefully someone else can comment on here and answer that. I know there are a lot of readers from the Philippines here who have been through similar situations :).
After you get married in Japan, your fiancee will need to register that marriage with the Philippine Embassy/Consulate and you’ll need proof that she has done so. Then, you can move on to applying for a Change of Status of Residence or Certificate of Eligibility for her. When you get to that, I’d recommend reading my detailed article on that process then leaving a comment there if you have any follow-up questions.
Good Luck
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
I am currently looking for articles regarding on how to get a Spouse Visa in Japan, luckily I saw yours! My boyfriend is a japanese citizen living in japan. And I am a Filipina living here in the Philippines. I will be coming in Japan this year with my tourist visa for 15 days of stay. Are we eligible to marry in Japan? Even I am just a tourist? If so, what are the documents we need to prepare? We are both 23 years old. Hope to hear from you. Thank you!
Hi Sakura,
Yes, you can get married in Japan if you’re here on a tourist visa. However, you may not be able to change your residence status to spouse and remain in Japan because you won’t have enough time to do the paperwork.
To get married, you’re going to need a document from the Philippines government proving that you are legally eligible to marry- something that says you are of legal age and are not already married. If you contact the Phillipines embassy in Japan, they should be able to tell you exactly what you need. You will also need that document translated into Japanese. So, since you have such a short time, I would recommend that you get started as soon as possible after you arrive (or even prepare the document and translation before you come to Japan, if possible).
Your fiance will also need the koseki tohon I mentioned in this article and, of course, the application for marriage. He can get both of those at the city hall in his hometown.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I recently moved to Okinawa to be with my Japanese girlfriend (I’m american) but I’m on a tourist visa. I’ve been here about a month. Now we’re trying to get married and I’m trying to get a spouse visa afterwards. I’ve seen on another website that if I’m applying for a spouse visa while in Japan, my tourist visa will be put on hold while the papers are processing meaning I will not have to leave japan within those 3 months. How true is that? Also, what are some steps to speed up the spouse visa application process. I’d like to be able to get a job asap. Thanks!
Hi Nikko,
After your are married, you should be able to apply for a “Change of Status of Residence,” which is the process to change your status from tourist to spouse of Japanese national. (Japan only uses the word “visa” to mean entry permission to Japan. If you say you want to change your visa at the immigration bureau, they will probably tell you it can’t be done. But you can change your status. They can get very hung up on terminology.) If the Immigration Bureau accepts your application for a Change of Status of Residence but does not give you your results before your current tourist status expires, then you will be able to stay in Japan until you get your results or until the day 2 months after your tourist status would have expired, whichever comes first.
The problem is that there’s no guarantee that the Immigration Bureau will let you apply for a Change of Status of Residence. Quoting from my book:
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much! That was very helpful!
Hi Good Day transenz, I am currently living and working in japan. I am 23 y/o and a permanent visa holder. I just want to ask what is the best way to bring my filipina girlfriend here in japan? I want to know your insights on my regard about this one. I really want us to be together here for good. Can you tell me if we can be married here in japan or what best advices can you give me? I will really appreciate your response, thank you and God bless!
P.S. I also once applied her for a tourist visa but got denied and they didnt tell us the reason, the agency was attic-tours I guess
Hi Danver,
You can get legally married in Japan, but she would have to come on a tourist visa first to do so. (There is no fiance visa in Japan). Unfortunately, I have no experience with applying for tourist visas from The Philippines, so I am not sure why your application would have been rejected last time or what you can do about it. There are a lot of readers/commenters from The Philippines on here, so I hope some of them can share their expertise.
After you get married, you can start the application to change her status from Tourist to Spouse, but you would have to move quickly. I recommend getting started within the first day or two after she arrives. It may take some time to acquire the documents from your home countries proving that you are both eligible to marry. Then, after the marriage, you’ll need to apply to Change her Status of Residence, which is a much more paperwork-intensive process. (It is essentially identical to the application for a Certificate of Eligibility).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! Danver. Your girlfriend need her Birth certificate, cenomar (singleness) with red ribbon in the dfa to prove that its legit. Then, she needs to translate her papers from japanese. That’s the 2 basic papers she needed. By the way, I am filipina. This coming april, I am going to japan then me and my Filipino boyfriend planning to get married there. God bless!
Hello! I am a filipina also and I have plan to get married with my japanese fiance. I have read some website and it said before we can get married in japan government we need to get the Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage in Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. I already have the red ribbon documents from dfa, do i need to tranlate that in japanese before we submit them in Philippine Embassy? The singleness and birth certificate is the requirement for the Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage said in some research. Please help us. I am confused. What is the first step to get married in japan government?
Hi Lorena,
I don’t think you would have to translate your documents into Japanese for the Philippine Embassy. When you get the Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage, then you would need to have that translated into Japanese.
I am not familiar with the requirements at the Philippine Embassy, so I hope someone else can comment in more detail!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Mika. Same situation but I’m the guy. How long is your planned stay in japan to accomplish your plans? And what did you put in your reason of application. Thank you!