How to Apply for a Visa for Marriage in Japan

"Paperwork" -- gregoryjameswalsh, Creative Commons.org

If you are from the United States, you do not need a visa to visit Japan (or even to get married) unless you will be staying in Japan for longer than 90 days. Assuming you will be staying in Japan with your spouse, however, you should apply for a spouse visa after the ceremony. The spouse visa will allow you to remain in Japan for as long as you like, though it must be renewed every three years. See below for a step-by-step guide through the process.

Things You'll Need

• Valid passport
• Birth certificate
• Proof that you have financial means of support
• Alien registration card (register at the nearest Japanese municipal office's Foreign Resident Registration Desk)
• Two passport-size photos
• Visa application forms

Instructions

Getting Married in Japan

1. Apply at a U.S. consulate or embassy in Japan for an Affidavit of Competency to Marry. This certifies that you are legally eligible to be married. There are two parts to this document, the second of which needs to be completed in Japanese.

2. Notarize the Affidavit of Competency to Marry. This also can be done at the U.S. consulate or embassy. You will have to pay a $30 notary fee.

3. Translate the first half of the Affidavit of Competency to Marry (the part that you completed in English) into Japanese. Pay a professional translator if need be. You will need to have the entire document in Japanese in order for it to be considered valid by immigration officials.

4. Complete a Kon-in Todoke. This is a municipal marriage registration form that your Japanese spouse can get and fill out at the local municipal government office (usually at the City Hall wherever you are living). The Kon-in Todoke must be signed by two witnesses, who can be of any nationality.

5. Check with the municipal government office for additional required documents. Your Japanese spouse may have to provide his or her family register (Koseki Tohon). As a foreign national, you will have to submit your passport and/or alien registration card (when applicable).

6. Get married. After the ceremony, return to the municipal office to have the marriage recognized legally. After paying a 350-yen fee, you will be issued a Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage.

Applying for a Spouse Visa

1. Bring your Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage, passport, alien registration card (when applicable), two passport-size photos, required application forms (available at www.immi-moj.go.jp), a legal document verifying your financial means of support (such as a bank statement) and your birth certificate to the regional immigration office. Make sure to get your passport stamped with proof that you have submitted a visa application.

2. Wait for the Ministry of Justice to approve your application. This usually takes one or two months. As long as you have been truthful on your application materials and your other documentation is legitimate, you should have no problem receiving approval. If your 90 days of visa exemption expire before your application is approved, you will not have to leave the country. The stamp in your passport (Section 2, Step 1) allows you to remain in Japan legally while your visa application is processed.

3. Renew your spouse visa before it expires. The expiration date is listed on the visa (either one or three years). Visa renewal works the same as application: Bring your application documents (see Section 2, Step 1) to the regional immigration office and fill out the required forms. It is best to apply for renewal two months prior to your visa´s expiration date.

4. Continue to renew your spouse visa as needed to remain in Japan legally.

Tips & Warnings

• It is critical to renew your spouse visa before it expires. If you forget to renew, you will be considered an illegal resident and may be deported!

References

• Embassy of the United States
• Japanese Ministry of Justice Immigration Bureau