How to Get Married in Japan

Destination weddings are romantic and unique, but they require a little advance planning, especially if the wedding is taking place overseas. In Japan, the only legally binding marriage must take place in a local ward or city office. Before or afterwards, you can have your religious ceremony wherever you choose. There are specific rules to follow and paperwork to fill out from the Japanese Embassy. Then you can be on your way to internationally-wedded bliss. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

How to Get Married in Japan

1. You must be 18 if you are male, 16 if female. If your home state requires you to be 18, however, you must abide by that requirement.
2. You must be 6 months past a previous divorce (in case there is a pregnancy from previous marriage or any confusion over who the father is).
3. You will need birth certificates, passports and an "Affidavit of Competency to Marry." The affidavit can be printed out from the embassy link below. One part is in English; one in Japanese.
4. With completed affidavit, visit Japanese Embassy to have document notarized. Bring passports and $30 dollars notarial fee.
   
   Your Japanese partner must complete a "kon-in todoke," a Japanese municipal government form to register a marriage. There must be two 20-year-old witnesses to sign i. Sometimes the Japanese partner will be asked to supply a certified copy of their family register, issued within a month of the marriage.
5. Once you have completed the paperwork, go to Japanese municipal government office. Be sure to have your birth certificate and a translated Japanese copy of your birth certificate.
6. After the ceremony is completed, for 350 yen (or 1500 yen for the fancier one) you get a Certification of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage. It is your only proof of marriage. They maintain no records of marriage in Japan; so write down the name and address of the government office that married you to obtain proof if you need it in the future. The United States requires no registration of your legal marriage in Japan.

Tips & Warnings

• If your partner isn't Japanese or American, they should contact their embassy for marriage procedures required of their country.
• Some hotels and companies provide wedding packages in Japan and help with the legal paperwork. Decide on the city you'd like to be married in. Then, contact hotels in that area to see what packages exist in your chosen area.
• You might want to pay to get an English translation of your Japanese Certification of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage. It helps if your spouse needs to apply for a social security card in the United States.
• Visas can take up to 4 to 6 months to obtain. Start planning early, especially if you want your new Japanese spouse to be able to come to the United States with you.