婚姻届: Registering an International Marriage in Japan

Why 婚姻届 Paperwork Feels Different for Every Couple

If you have started asking around about registering a marriage in Japan, you have probably already noticed that no two couples seem to get the same answer. That is not because your friends did it wrong — it is because the 婚姻届 (kon-in todoke, marriage registration form) process for an international couple is gated by two variables that change everything: the foreign partner's nationality, and the specific 市区町村 (city/ward/town) office where you file. This guide walks through the moving parts as accurately as we can, but treat it as an orientation map, not a checklist you can complete without calling anyone.

The Core Document: 婚姻要件具備証明書

At the center of almost every international 婚姻届 is the 婚姻要件具備証明書 — often translated as the "Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" or "Affidavit of Competency to Marry." It is proof, issued by the foreign partner's own government, that nothing in their home country's law prevents them from marrying. Because this certificate comes from a foreign authority rather than from Japan, its cost, processing time, and even its existence vary enormously by nationality.

A few concrete examples show the range:

• Philippines: the Philippine Embassy in Japan issues an equivalent document known as the LCCM (Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage). It typically takes around 10 business days and requires an apostilled PSA birth certificate plus a Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR); the LCCM is usually valid for about 6 months.
• United States: this is a case where the rules changed recently and many older blog posts are now outdated. As of September 1, 2025, U.S. embassies and consulates in Japan stopped notarizing the Affidavit of Competency to Marry entirely. American citizens now instead download a PDF statement from the embassy explaining that the U.S. government does not issue this type of certificate, and present that statement to the ward office — usually alongside a certified birth certificate and its Japanese translation. Because this is a workaround rather than a standardized certificate, offices differ in exactly what they will accept, which makes the pre-check step below essential.
• Countries with no equivalent certificate: per 法務省 (Ministry of Justice) guidance, some nationalities have no government body that issues this kind of document at all. In those cases, a 宣誓書 (a sworn declaration made before a consular officer) or a combination of alternative documents — a translated excerpt of the home country's marriage law, passport, and birth certificate — is used instead.

Because your case could look like any of these three patterns (or something else entirely), the very first call you make should be to your embassy or consulate, not to a general online guide. For a sense of how other pre-wedding admin costs and timelines tend to stack up, our real wedding cost breakdown is a useful companion read while you budget for translation and certificate fees.

Documents at the 市区町村 Office (Varies by Nationality — Confirm!)

Once the foreign partner has their certificate (or substitute documents) in hand, the packet submitted at the ward or city office generally draws from this pool — but again, which items are actually required depends on nationality and office:

• The 婚姻届 form itself, filled out and signed by two adult witnesses (証人) — they must be 18 or older, but can be of any nationality, including friends or family who are not Japanese citizens.
• The foreign partner's passport (for identity and nationality confirmation).
• The 婚姻要件具備証明書, or the nationality-specific substitute described above, plus its Japanese translation.
• Often a 出生証明書 (birth certificate) with Japanese translation, though whether this is requested depends on what the certificate above already covers.
• Historically, the Japanese partner's own 戸籍謄本 (family register copy) — but since March 1, 2024, this is no longer required as a general rule, because offices can look up 戸籍 records electronically. Some offices may still request it in edge cases, so it does not hurt to ask when you pre-check.

One detail that surprises a lot of couples: your 在留カード (residence card) or visa status does not gate whether you can marry. Marriage eligibility in Japan is generally open regardless of the foreign partner's current immigration status. What visa status does affect is what happens after registration, which is covered below.

Translations: You Can Do Them Yourself

Every foreign-language document you submit needs a complete Japanese translation, and the translator's name must appear on that translation. This does not have to be a certified professional translator — many couples translate their own documents, as long as the translation includes a signature or printed name and a standard translator's certification line stating who translated it. If your relationship with written Japanese is shaky, it is worth having your partner or a Japanese-fluent friend check the translation before submission, since a sloppy translation is a common reason an office asks you to redo paperwork.

Ward Office Realities: Pre-Check Before You Commit to a Date

Because requirements genuinely differ office to office, the single most useful thing you can do is visit or call the 戸籍 (koseki) window at your specific ward or city office in advance and walk through your exact document set with them before picking a filing day. This matters especially if any of the following apply to your case: the foreign partner is in Japan on a short-term visa, their embassy does not issue the standard certificate, or their nationality is uncommon at that particular office. In those situations, staff may refer the case to the 法務局 (Legal Affairs Bureau) for additional review — a process sometimes called 受理伺い. Couples and administrative scriveners who have been through this report it can add roughly one to three months to the process; this is not an official government timeframe, just a pattern practitioners describe, so build in a buffer if any of these flags apply to you.

Marriage Registration Is Not the Same as a Spouse Visa

This distinction trips up a lot of couples, so it deserves its own section: submitting and having your 婚姻届 accepted only creates the legal marriage. It does not, by itself, give the foreign spouse any new right to live or work in Japan. If the foreign partner wants to reside in Japan on the basis of the marriage, they must separately apply to the 出入国在留管理庁 (Immigration Services Agency) for the 日本人の配偶者等 (Spouse of Japanese National) status of residence. That application has its own document set — an application form, the Japanese spouse's family register, the marriage certificate from the home country, proof of financial means, a guarantor's letter of support, and evidence that the marriage is genuine and the couple is actually living together as spouses. Approval is not automatic, and immigration authorities do scrutinize whether the marriage looks genuine, so treat this as a distinct project with its own timeline rather than an afterthought.

Because so much of this process is specific to your situation, it is worth reading through our broader frequently asked questions for related questions other couples have run into, and revisiting your overall wedding budget once you know which certificates, translations, and possible 法務局 delays apply to you.