Getting a “Spouse of Japanese National” Visa

If you’re planning to marry or are already married to a Japanese citizen and looking for information about getting a Japanese Spouse Visa or a Japanese marriage visa, you have come to the right place!

Please note that this article is about the spouse visa of a Japanese national and not for a dependent spouse visa if the spouse is not a Japanese citizen.

What is the Spouse Visa of a Japanese National?

In general, a Spouse Visa is a long-term residence visa for legally married spouses of Japanese citizens.

Please note that even as a spouse of a Japanese national, your spouse visa is a temporary visa and is not a permanent residency. However, you can apply for permanent residency status after you satisfy the criteria later discussed in this article.

After you marry a Japanese citizen, your immigration status in Japan does not change automatically. So, you will need to apply for a Japanese Spouse Visa. This article will discuss the process and the requirements for applying for a Spouse Visa in Japan.

However, please note that the visa application procedures can differ based on your nationality and prefecture. Therefore, please use this article as a starting point to get basic information on how to apply for a Spouse Visa in Japan. Armed with this knowledge, you can seek personalized advice from a specialist in Japanese immigration procedures.

If you already have a Japanese Spouse Visa and want information on how to renew it, you can also check out our article on How to Renew a Spouse Visa in Japan.

Infographic for the Process and Requirements for the Spouse Visa

Before we describe the entire process and requirements for the spouse visa of Japanese nationals, please check the following infographic for a visual representation of the same:

Eligibility Criteria for Getting a Spouse Visa in Japan

First, to qualify for a Spouse Visa in Japan:

• You must be legally married to a Japanese national
• You intend to reside in Japan for a long time with your spouse. If you wish to continue to stay in your country and only visit your spouse occasionally, you will only need a Japan Tourist Visa.
• The marriage must be recognized under Japanese law. Getting married in Japan involves registering a marriage at a Japanese municipal government office. This certificate and family registry is the only document to prove that you have a legal marriage in Japan.

The municipal government office where you registered your marriage will issue a Japanese-language “Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage” (Kon-in Todoke Juri Shomeisho), the proof of marriage you will require to apply for a Spouse Visa in Japan.

Important: Please note that ceremonies performed by religious or any other organizations in Japan are not legal marriages! So before or after your wedding at a beautiful Shinto shrine or exchanging vows at a romantic chapel in a five-star resort in Japan, you will still need to register your marriage at a municipal government office. Also, consular offices in Japanese embassies overseas are not authorized to perform marriages.

Application Process for a Spouse Visa in Japan

Obtaining a Japanese spouse visa involves several steps and quite a lot of paperwork. So, it’s good to plan well ahead and give yourself plenty of time to gather all the required documents.

Important: All documents you submit must be in Japanese or include a Japanese language translation.

Also, the immigration authorities may always request other documents, such as your birth certificate, so you should prepare your documentation well in advance.

Depending on your current visa and residence status in Japan, you may be able to apply for a spouse visa. However, you may have to return and apply from your home country as a temporary visitor.  

If you wish to apply for a spouse visa outside Japan, you must do so at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your home country. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website has a list of overseas Japanese embassies, consulates, and permanent missions.

Not all overseas Japanese embassies and consulates accept direct visa applications. Therefore, in this case, you will need to submit your applications through an accredited travel agency or a visa agent. So, please check with your home country’s respective Japanese embassy or consulate.

The typical steps for applying for a spouse visa for Japanese nationals in Japan are as follows:

1. Preparing all documents
2. Applying for the Certificate of Eligibility
3. Receiving the Certificate of Eligibility once the same is approved
4. Submitting the spouse visa application form with COE and other required documents

Documents Required for COE for a Japanese Spouse Visa Application

You will need the following:

• Copy of the valid passport issued by your own country.

• An application form for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE):

• The COE is the preliminary approval required for any foreigner entering Japan for reasons other than short-term stays (such as tourism). This document is necessary before applying for long-term visas in Japan, such as work, student, or marriage visas.
  • Usually, your spouse can apply for a COE on your behalf at the local immigration office when you are applying for a Spouse Visa in Japan.
  • If you and your spouse live outside Japan, you can apply for a spouse visa in the embassy or consulate.
    • You can download the form from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website here.
      • Spouse’s Family Registry (koseki tohon, 戸籍謄本)
      • Your Japanese marriage certificate. (See Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage above).
• Documents proving the financial ability to support yourself. These may include the following:
  • Letter of Guarantee (身元保証書): You can print the English version here or the Japanese version here.
  • Employment contracts, income tax documentation, bank statements, etc. (better to have, but not must)

• The Certificate of Residence (Juminhyo) of your Japanese spouse.
• Birth certificates of any children (if applicable), again with translations if not in Japanese.
• Passport-sized photos, as follows:
  • Taken within the last 3 months.40mm × 30mm in dimension. Taken against a plain white background.
  • Be of good quality, clear, and sharp.

Please download the application form for COE.

 Submitting Your COE Application

Once you have gathered, completed, and signed all the necessary documentation, you can submit your application to the immigration office. Please note that this immigration office should have jurisdiction over your place of stay. However, if you live outside of Japan, you can submit your visa application to the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country and pay the visa processing fee.

The processing fee can depend on your home country. However, generally, the fee for a Japanese Spouse Visa is approximately JPY 6,000. Moreover, you only have to pay the visa fee after your application is approved.

 Processing Time for COE for Visa

The processing time for the COE for your Japanese Spouse Visa will vary depending on the immigration office where you submitted your application or the embassy or consulate. Moreover, it may also depend on any complication of your case.

Spouse Visa Application

Once you receive your COE, you need to fill out the Japanese visa application form. After that, you must submit the following documents for the processing of your Japanese spouse visa:

• Original Passport
• One visa application form. Please note that the nationals of Georgia, CIS countries, or Russia need to submit two visa application forms)
• One photograph: Please note that similar to the above, nationals of Georgia, CIS countries, or Russia need to submit need to submit two photographs)
• Certificate of Eligibility: the original or one copy. If you have an electronic Certificate of Eligibility, submit a printed copy of the same, or you can please present it on the visa application.

It can take one to two months to obtain the preliminary Certificate of Eligibility before you can apply (see above for the Certificate of Eligibility) and between five to ten working days to process the actual application for your Japanese Spouse Visa.

Visa Issuance

After the immigration office in Japan or the Japanese embassy or consulate processes and approves your application, they will affix the Spouse Visa to your passport.

Depending on the procedures of the particular issuing authority for your Japanese Spouse Visa, you can pick up your passport in person or mail it to you.

 How Long Can I Stay in Japan on a Japanese Spouse Visa?

The initial period granted for staying in Japan on a Spouse Visa is usually one year. After the first year, you can renew your visa for longer periods. You need to renew your “Spouse Visa” before it expires, and the renewal process usually involves providing updated documents, demonstrating continued financial stability, and maintaining your marital status.

Can I Work in Japan on a Spouse Visa?

Unlike the dependent visa as a spouse of a non-permanent resident of Japan, once you have your Japanese Spouse Visa, you can generally seek employment in Japan without obtaining a separate employment or work permit.

For your reference, please note that the former dependent visa category only allows you part-time work for up to 28 hours per week.

If you’re interested in working in Japan on a Japanese Spouse Visa, you can start by checking out what Japanese work culture looks like. There are also many job boards and recruiting agencies in Japan that specialize in foreign talent for Japanese companies and how you can use a recruiter to find a job in Japan.

Can I Get Permanent Residency in Japan after I Get a Spouse Visa?

You become eligible to apply for permanent residency in Japan if you have a Japanese Spouse Visa and meet the following conditions:

• You have been married to a Japanese citizen for at least 3 years,
• You have lived in Japan for at least one year.

Visa for Child of Japanese National

If you are applying for a visa for your child as a child of a Japanese national, the process flow and requirements remain the same as those for the spouse of a Japanese national, as explained above. However, instead of only the marriage certificate, you must submit proof of the birth certificate.

In the case of an Adopted Child of Japanese by Special Adoption (特別養子)] Either one of the below:

• Certificate of Acceptance of Report of Special Adoption (特別養子縁組届け出受理証明書)
  • Copy of Judgement and Certificate of Decision regarding the special adoption issued by the Family Court of Japan (日本の家庭裁判所発行の養子縁組にかかる審判書謄本および確定証明書)

Dependent Spouse and Child’s Visa Vs. Visa for dependent of Japanese National

If you are applying for a dependent visa as a spouse of a foreigner living and working in Japan on a work permit or as a permanent resident, you can apply for a dependent visa. The main differences are as follows:

• People with spouses or children on Japanese national’ visas have full-time work authorization without needing a work permit. Spouses and children of other foreigners in Japan get only part-time work authorization for up to 28 hours a week.
• Spouses and children of Japanese nationals can get Japanese permanent residency in 1 to 3 years if they have been married to the Japanese nationals for at least 3 years, unlike the normal 5 to 10-year period for those on dependent visas of foreigners.

Please note that the above two points are exceptions for HSP (Highly Skilled Professional) visa holders’ dependents. If you have a dependent visa of an HSP visa holder, you get work authorization and can get permanent residency status in one to three years.

Final Considerations

The application process and required documents for a Japanese Spouse Visa may change occasionally, so it is always good to check the official websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country for the most up-to-date information regarding Spouse Visa applications in Japan.

To ensure a smooth application process, you should follow the guidelines provided by the official authorities and submit all the required documentation. This will increase your chances of a successful spouse visa application. Good luck!

Himanshu Jain

A long-term ex-pat in Japan, Himanshu comes with an IT background in SAP consulting, IT Business Development, and then running the country operations of an IT consulting multinational. Himanshu is the co-founder and Managing Director of ReachExt K.K. and EJable.com. He is also an Advisory Board Member of a Silicon Valley AI/IoT startup.