Can Foreigners Get Married in Japan? Documents, Filing, and Spouse Visa

Getting married in Japan as a foreigner is a civil paperwork process, not a ceremony: you file a marriage registration at a local municipal office along with proof that you are legally free to marry under your home country’s law. Visa status does not matter. Tourists, residents, and two non-Japanese nationals can all register a marriage in Japan, provided both parties are at least 18 and legally single at the time of filing.¹

If either of you was married before, that earlier marriage must have ended through divorce or the death of the former spouse before you can register a new one. Japan abolished its old rule requiring women to wait months after a divorce to remarry; since April 1, 2024, women can remarry immediately.

Documents You Need

Most of the work happens before you ever set foot in a city hall. Municipal offices will not accept an incomplete file, and translation problems are the most common reason for a same-day rejection.

Affidavit of Competency to Marry

The document that matters most for a foreign applicant is the Affidavit of Competency to Marry, called the Kon-in Yoken Gubi Shomeisho in Japanese. It is a statement from your home government confirming your name, date of birth, nationality, and that you are legally eligible to marry.¹

You usually get it from your country’s embassy or consulate in Japan. Fees and procedures vary by nationality. U.S. citizens have a slightly different route: as of September 1, 2025, Americans can download a statement from the U.S. Embassy explaining that the U.S. government does not issue such certificates, and present that statement directly to the Japanese municipal office.

Not every country issues an equivalent affidavit. If yours does not, contact the municipal office where you plan to file. Staff are used to this and will tell you what alternatives they accept, which may include a sworn personal declaration together with a birth certificate and passport.

Kon-in Todoke (Marriage Registration Form)

The Kon-in Todoke is Japan’s standard marriage registration form, available free at any municipal office.¹ Both parties fill in their personal details and sign it, and you also need two adult witnesses (18 or older) who list their full names, addresses, and dates of birth on the form. Witnesses can be any nationality and do not have to appear in person. Japanese, Korean, and Chinese witnesses may be asked to use a personal seal (hanko) instead of a signature.

Passport and Prior-Marriage Documents

Bring your passport. For a foreign spouse it is the primary proof of identity and citizenship. Some offices will accept a birth certificate as an alternative, but a passport avoids translation issues and is the simplest option.

If either party was married before, the office will likely ask for a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. Requirements vary between municipalities, so confirm with the specific office in advance.

Japanese Translations

Every document not already in Japanese must come with a full Japanese translation. The translator does not have to be certified, but they must write their full name and sign or seal the translation.¹ A bilingual friend can do this, or you can pay a translation service. Errors and missing translations are the single most common cause of delays at the filing counter.

Filing the Marriage at a Municipal Office

Take the completed form and all supporting documents to the local city hall or ward office and ask for the family registration desk, often labeled Koseki-ka. Staff review everything on the spot.¹

There is no ceremony, no judge, and no waiting period. If the paperwork is complete and consistent, most offices finalize the registration the same day. Some accept filings on weekends and holidays, though anything the clerk flags for further review will wait until the next business day. The moment the clerk accepts your notification, you are legally married under Japanese law.

Accuracy matters. Providing false information on the registration form is a criminal offense under the Penal Code, punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 yen.² Clerks cross-check the form against your affidavits, so any inconsistency in a name spelling, date, or address will surface.

Getting Proof of the Marriage

Before you leave the counter, ask for a Kon-in Todoke Juri Shomeisho, the Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage. It is your only official proof of the registration. There are two versions: a standard A4 certificate for around 350 yen and a larger decorative version for around 1,400 yen.¹ Request at least one or two copies; you will likely need them.

Apostille for Use Abroad

To use the certificate with authorities outside Japan, you usually need it authenticated. Japan has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since 1970,³ so if your home country is also a member, you can get a free apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rather than going through full legalization. You can apply by mail or in person at the MOFA office in Tokyo, though mail is encouraged. Processing takes about three business days by post, or four business days if you apply in person and collect it at the counter. You need the original certificate issued within the last three months, a completed application form, and a stamped return envelope.⁴

If your country is not in the Hague Convention, the certificate needs full authentication and legalization: first the MOFA certification, then verification by your country’s embassy in Japan.

Reporting the Marriage Back Home

Many countries ask citizens to report a foreign marriage to national authorities, but the rules vary widely. U.S. citizens have it easy: the United States has no federal marriage registry, and a legal Japanese marriage is automatically valid in the U.S. without further filing.⁵ Citizens of other countries should ask their embassy in Japan whether they need to formally register the marriage. Skipping this step can cause problems later with tax filings, inheritance, or immigration applications at home.

Spouse Visa If You Married a Japanese National

Marriage does not itself give a foreigner the right to live in Japan. If you married a Japanese citizen and want to stay long-term, you need to change your status to “Spouse or Child of Japanese National.” Your Japanese spouse (or another representative in Japan) applies for a Certificate of Eligibility through the regional immigration bureau first, which typically takes one to three months.⁶

Once the certificate is issued, you use it to apply for the spouse visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, or to change status from another visa if you are already in Japan. The spouse visa allows unrestricted work and is usually granted for one or three years, renewable. If you are currently on a tourist visa, you cannot switch to a spouse visa from within Japan; you would need to leave and apply from abroad, or consult an immigration lawyer about your options.

Property Rules and Prenuptial Agreements

Once you are married under Japanese law, both spouses share equally in property acquired during the marriage, regardless of whose name is on the title or who earned the money. If one spouse worked while the other kept the household, assets bought during the marriage are still joint property in a divorce.⁷

Couples who want a different arrangement can sign a prenuptial agreement, but the timing rule is strict. Under Articles 755 and 756 of the Civil Code, a prenuptial agreement that departs from the default property rules must be registered before you file the marriage registration.⁸ File the marriage first and try to record the prenup afterward, and it will not be enforceable against third parties. International couples with significant assets in more than one country should speak to a lawyer familiar with both Japanese family law and the relevant foreign legal system before filing.

Same-Sex Couples

Japan does not recognize same-sex marriage nationally, and the Civil Code defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Local “partnership systems” exist in more than 500 municipalities covering over 90 percent of the population, but a partnership certificate is not a marriage: it does not create inheritance rights, tax benefits, or immigration privileges. Same-sex couples legally married abroad should be aware that Japan will not recognize that marriage for immigration or other legal purposes.

1
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan. Marriage in Japan
2
Japanese Law Translation Database System. Penal Code – English
3
HCCH. 12 – Status Table
4
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Application Procedure Guide 3 Application Procedure and Required Documents
5
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan. You Cannot Get Married or Divorced at the Embassy
6
Embassy of Japan in the United States. Visa (COE Holders)
7
The Ministry of Justice. Distribution of Property
8
Japanese Law Translation. Civil Code – English