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- By Saki Nakahara, Immigration Lawyer
- Last Updated:
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- If you are a foreign national married to a Japanese national, you can apply for a Spouse of a Japanese National Visa.
- If both you and your spouse are foreign nationals and one of you is staying in Japan under certain types of visas, then you should apply for a Dependent Visa, not a Spouse Visa.
- Your application will primarily be assessed based on the authenticity of your relationship and the financial stability of your household.
- You will need to submit various documents, including marriage certificates, tax statements, a filled-out questionnaire (around 20 pages), and a detailed history of your relationship, among others.
- The processing time for Spouse Visas ranges from 1 to 3 months, depending on the case.
- If you have been married for more than 3 years, lived continuously in Japan for over a year, and have a certified term of stay on your Spouse Visa of 3 years or more, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa in Japan.
You need to be legally married prior to applying for a Spouse Visa
The process and required documentation for obtaining a Spouse Visa in Japan can vary depending on whether you are legally married or not.
If you are married already, it is about getting the certificates and other documents to prove that you are indeed married, and that you can financially support yourself as a household.
If you are not yet married and are planning to get married, start communicating with the consulate/embassy of your spouse. You generally need certificates from both countries for the visa application.
To be more specific, the marriage process typically involves submitting a signed Marriage Registration Form(Kon-in Todoke) to the local municipal office in Japan where you reside. This submission should be accompanied by other necessary documents, such as a Certificate of No Impediment issued by your spouse’s home country’s embassy or consulate.
Once the marriage is registered, you usually need to report to your embassy or consulate with the marriage certificate issued by the municipal office. However, note that required documents may vary by country, so it is crucial to confirm these details with your embassy or consulate first.
Same-sex marriage in Japan
Unfortunately, Japan does not currently recognize same-sex marriage. As a result, if your spouse is of the same sex as you, you cannot legally marry in Japan.
Other types of spouse visas available in Japan
In this article, we will discuss the Spouse of a Japanese National visa. However, it’s important to note that there are other types of spouse visas available in Japan, such as Spouse of a Permanent Resident Visa, Long Term Resident Visa (Spouse of a Long Term Resident) and Dependent Visa.
Here are the items you need to get legally married in Japan
- Marriage Registration Form (Kon-in Todoke: 婚姻届) with 2 signatures from witnesses who are over 18 years old
- Japanese Spouse’s Family Register (Koseki Tohon: 戸籍謄本)
– if the Marriage Registration Form is being submitted to a municipal office in a different area than the legal domicile of the Japanese spouse - Certificate of No Impediment and its Japanese translation (Kon-in Yoken Gubi Shomeisho: 婚姻要件具備証明書)
A document proving there are no legal impediments, such as being single, based on the laws of their home country. - Foreign Spouse’s Passport
- Foreign Spouse’s Birth Certificate and its Japanese translation
-usually to confirm the names of the parents that will be written on the marriage registration form.
Marriage Registration Form (Kon-in Todoke) Sample
Japanese Spouse’s Family Register (Koseki Tohon) Sample:
Fun Fact:
There are various free formats with unique designs available for download on websites such as anniversaire. In most cases, these formats are accepted and commonly used by Japanese people. However, keep in mind that this is to be submitted later, and don’t forget to take a picture with it!
Assuming you have all the required documents ready, which we will discuss shortly, here is a general, super-simplified list of steps for obtaining a Spouse Visa.
If the foreign spouse is currently living abroad, Japanese spouse will be applying for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) on his/her behalf in Japan.
Step 1: The Japanese national, with all the required items, applies for a Certificate of Eligibility at the Immigration Bureau in Japan.
Step 2: Once the application is approved, the Japanese spouse or immigration lawyer will send the CoE to the foreign spouse overseas.
Step 3: The foreign spouse will bring the CoE to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in his/her home. country to get the visa issued.
If the foreign spouse is currently living in Japan under a mid/long-term visa and is getting married in Japan, apply for a change of status.
Step 1: Get married in Japan.
Step 2: After getting legally married in both Japan and the home country of the foreign spouse, take all the required documents to the Immigration Bureau to apply for a change of visa status from the current visa to a spouse visa.
Step 3: The result will be shared with the foreign spouse by the Immigration Bureau after a 1-3 month review process.
Unlike holders of a Dependent Visa, who must apply for Permission to Engage in Other Activities to work, holders of a Spouse of a Japanese National Visa face no work restrictions.
This also applies to Spouse of Permanent Resident and Long-Term Resident (Spouse of Long-Term Resident) visa holders.
The list of required documents varies depending on your circumstances, but here is a general guide.
- Application Form for Certificate of Eligibility
- Photo (4cm x 3cm) meeting the requirements
- 1 copy of the family register (Koseki Tohon) of Japanese spouse
- Marriage certificate issued by foreign spouse’s embassy/consulate, along with its Japanese translation
- Resident Tax Taxation Certificate and Resident Tax Payment Certificate of foreign/Japanese spouse depending on who will be supporting the household income
- Copy of savings passbook or certificate of employment
- Letter of Guarantee signed by Japanese spouse
- Questionnaire
- Documents that demonstrate communication as a couple, such as snapshots, call/WhatsApp/LINE messages, etc.*
- Foreign spouse’s CV and diploma
- Documents to showcase foreign spouse’s Japanese language proficiency such as N1 Certificate (if any)
- 1 self-addressed stamped envelope for receiving the visa application result from the immigration bureau
– this is unnecessary if you are applying online.Reference: Ministry of Justice
At Small Seasons & Co., we provide a personalized list to increase the chances of visa approval.
If you want to delegate the complicated bureaucratic work that takes up your precious time (we know how stressful the workload can be!) or have concerns regarding some elements of the application, like the financial stability of the household, feel free to reach out to us!
The initial period of stay granted for a Spouse Visa is usually 1 year. This can potentially be extended to 3 or 5 years during the renewal process.
For the preparation of the application, be prepared to spend one to two months compiling all required documents. The processing time usually takes one to three months, although it can sometimes take longer.
You can initiate the renewal of your spouse visa as early as three months before the expiration date of your current visa. The renewal process is much simpler than the first application, as you will not need to submit the filled-out questionnaire this time.
As a general rule, if you are married for more than 3 years and lived consecutively in Japan for more than a year, and the certified term of stay on your visa is 3 years or more, you can apply for the Permanent Resident Visa in Japan.
We understand the temptation to include extensive documentation, such as numerous pictures and chat screenshots, to prove the history of your relationship for the initial Spouse Visa application. It’s crucial, however, not to overdo it, as immigration officers may not have the time to thoroughly review every detail.
It’s important to be selective about the evidence you provide. When including pictures, ensure they are meaningful and not just generic couple photos. Ask yourself if they demonstrate significant milestones in your relationship, such as meeting each other’s families.
Remember to keep it simple and focus on quality over quantity.
Our team is fully bilingual and proficient, ensuring a seamless and efficient handling of your case. If you want to delegate the work, we are here to support you.
The Spouse visa is unique in that, as immigration lawyers, we need to ask you personal questions to represent you effectively. The more personal information you provide, the more convincing your application will be.
We strive to be the kind of lawyers you can trust to share these personal details with, along with any concerns or unique aspects of your situation that might affect the approval rate.
We understand the importance of staying together as a family and will do our best to come up with a tailored solution for you.
Process Overview
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Initial Consultation:
Engage in an initial paid consultation to discuss your needs. -
Estimation Confirmation:
Review and confirm the estimate issued by Small Seasons & Co. -
Contract Signing and Advance Payment:
Sign the contract and make the required advance payment. -
Strategy Session:
Participate in in-depth discussions regarding timelines and required materials. -
Document Collection and Signing:
Obtain necessary items and complete the required document signings. -
Certificate of Eligibility (COE) Application Submission:
Small Seasons & Co. will manage the submission of your COE application. -
Feedback on COE Results:
Receive feedback on the COE application results; if approved, the original copy will be delivered to your address. -
Final Invoice Issuance:
Receive the final invoice for the services provided. -
Japanese Visa Issuance:
Take the COE to a Japanese embassy/consulate in your home country to obtain your visa. -
Entry into Japan:
Enter Japan within 90 days of the COE issuance.
- By Saki Nakahara, Immigration Lawyer
- Last Updated:
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