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As a foreigner, I would like to know what procedure I should follow to marry a Japanese in Japan.
As foreigners, we would like to know what procedure we should follow to marry in Japan.
I am a foreigner staying in Japan illegally, and am going out with a Japanese woman. Can I marry this person in Japan?
I married a foreigner 3 years ago and have been living in Japan. Now, I want to get divorced. What should I do?
We are married foreigners of the same nationality living in Japan. Since we want to get a divorce, what is the necessary procedure?
I am divorced from my Japanese husband (wife). My current status of residence is as the spouse or child of Japanese national. Do I have to change my status of residence?


As a foreigner, I would like to know what procedure I should follow to marry a Japanese in Japan.
　　You must follow the Japanese official way of proceeding with a marriage.

　　The required documents are as follows.
  1. Notification of Marriage (signed and sealed by two witnesses 20 years of age or loder)
  2. Family register of the Japanese party
  3. Certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage from the foreign partner and its translation
  4. Certificate of nationality of the foreign partner (passport, certificate confirming foreign resident registration, etc.)
　　It is often the case that the embassy in Japan of a marrying foreigner’s country issues a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage. How this is handled, however, differs from one country to another. You must confirm, therefore, the circumstance for each country.

　　You must attach a translated copy of an original document written in a foreign language, making it clear who has translated it. Submit the above documents to the municipal (city, ward, town or village) office presiding over the domicile of origin of the Japanese, or the place of residence of the Japanese or the foreigner.

　　For more information, contact the relevant municipal office.

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As foreigners, we would like to know what procedure we should follow to marry in Japan.
　　In this case, you must follow the Japanese official way of proceeding with a marriage. You can file a Notification of Marriage with the municipal office presiding over the place of residence of either one of you. The required documents are as follows.
  1. Notification of Marriage (signed and sealed by two witnesses 20 years of age or loder)
  2. Certificates of legal capacity to contract marriage for both partners and their translations
  3. Certificate of nationality of both partners (passport, certificate confirming foreign resident registration, etc.)
　　It is often the case that the embassy in Japan of a marrying foreigner's country issues a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage. How this is handled, however, differs from one country to another. You must confirm, therefore, the circumstance for each country.

　　You must attach a translated copy of an original document written in a foreign language, making it clear who has translated it.

　　Whether or not a marriage conducted under Japanese law is legally binding in the countries of origin of the marrying persons can differ from one country to another. You must refer this issue to your country’s embassy in Japan.

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I am a foreigner staying in Japan illegally, and am going out with a Japanese. Can I marry this person in Japan?
　　Even if you do not possess the proper status of residence, you can marry a Japanese. Refer to the consultation example of marriage between a foreigner and a Japanese, and file the required documents with a relevant municipal office.

　　If you would like to continue staying in Japan after the marriage, you must file an application for Special Permit for Status of Residence at the Immigration Bureau.

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As a foreigner I married a Japanese 3 years ago and have been living in Japan. Now, I want to get divorced. What should I do?
　　If you would like to get a divorce in Japan, it must be a divorce either by mutual agreement or by legal judgment.　If you are married with a foreigner, however, a divorce by mutual agreement may or may not be approved depending on which statute is applicable to your case.

　　Under rules concerning the application of relevant laws, a divorce is to be conducted in compliance with Japanese law, if one party of a married couple is a Japanese possessing a habitual residence in Japan (the residence that appears on one's certificate of residence is considered sufficient as a practical way of handling people's family registers).

　　In the above case, you can get a divorce by mutual agreement under the Japanese Civil Code. Submit following documents to the municipal office presiding over your residence or the municipal office presiding you or your partner's domicile of orgin.
  1. Notification of divorce (signed and sealed by two witnesses 20 years of age or loder)
  2. Family register
  3. Identification document of the submitte (passport, etc.)
　　To get a divorce by legal judgment, you first have to petition for mediation at a family court. If the mediation is concluded, the divorce becomes legally binding.

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We are married foreigners of the same nationality living in Japan. Since we want to get a divorce, what is the necessary procedure?
　　If a married couple is both foreigners, they must get a divorce in compliance with the laws of their country of origin. Refer the issue to your country’s embassy or consulate in Japan.

　　If the laws of your country permit a divorce by mutual agreement, an Application for Divorce by Mutual Agreement can be accepted in Japan. The required documents are as follows.
  1. Certificates of nationality
  2. A document testifying to the fact of marriage between you
  3. A document certifying that a legally binding divorce can be concluded via the Japanese method.

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I am divorced from a Japanese. My current status of residence is as the spouse or child of Japanese national. Do I have to change my status of residence?
　　You can stay in Japan until the period of stay under the residence status ends. However, the status of "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" cannot be renewed after the divorce. If you wish to continue to live in Japan, you are required to apply for a change of residence status to another category such as "Long-term Resident" at the reginal immigration bureau. The decision will be made based on your circumstances, including how long you have resided in japan or whether you are caring for Japanese children.
　　
　　For details, consult with Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau or the Immigration Information Center.

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