A Foreign National Marrying a Japanese Citizen

In Japan, a foreign national may legally marry another person regardless of whether the other person is also a foreign national or not. The procedures involved in being married in Japan will vary depending on which country’s marriage system is used.

When a foreign national gets married in Japan, they must provide proof that they meet the marriage requirements of their home country, such as being of legal marriageable age and being single. Generally, this is done by obtaining a certificate of legal capacity to marry or a similar document from their country's embassy, consulate, or government office. Some countries do not issue such certificates, in which case alternative documents must be submitted. If this applies to you, please consult your embassy or consulate for guidance.

Additionally, all submitted documents, including the certificate of legal capacity to marry, must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. You may translate the documents yourself, or if needed, we offer translation services—please feel free to contact us for assistance.

Once you have obtained the certificate and its Japanese translation, complete the required fields in the marriage registration form and submit it, along with other necessary documents such as passports, residence cards, and family register copies (for Japanese citizens), to the family registration counter at your local municipal office in Japan. After all required materials are submitted, your marriage will be officially recognized as valid.

If a foreign national is legally married in Japan, they will be able to obtain the following types of visa (status of residence).

• If the person’s spouse is a Japanese citizen, they may apply for the “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” status of residence.
• If the person’s spouse holds a Permanent Resident visa, they may apply for the “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident” status of residence.
• If the person’s spouse is in Japan on a working visa or a student visa, they may apply for the “Dependent” status of residence.

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Divorce and Visas in Japan