If you are married internationally and registered, you can live together in Japan, of course! Are you thinking that?

In fact, in order to live together in Japan, you have to get a spouse visa (formally “spouse of a Japanese national” or “spouse of a permanent resident”) in addition to getting married and registering as an international couple.(*unless the foreign spouse is already in Japan on another visa).

If it is a Japanese marriage, you can live together as soon as there is mutual consent. However, if the other party is a foreigner, the process is very time-consuming and time-consuming. Starting with the collection of documents, the careful and deliberate preparation and application of application documents, and then the examination period, only then will you be eligible to enter Japan.

Due to the high number of sham marriages these days, the Immigration Bureau is very strict in its examination of applications, and it is not uncommon for an application to be rejected even if it is a true marriage if the application is made in an easy way.

These days, we hear a lot of opinions like this one: “It’s not a sham, it’s a real marriage. Why can’t I get a permit? Isn’t this system crazy?”

In fact, there are more than a few cases that are clearly not disguised, and I think there should be some limits on the discretion of the examiners. However, it will take time for the system to be revised, and we do not know when that will be. Therefore, the first thing to do is to think about how to apply for an application that can easily pass the Immigration Bureau’s examination so that your foreign spouse can come to Japan as soon as possible.

Once the application is rejected, the hurdle is raised because the next time you apply for a visa, you will be required to fill out an application form based on the application you made earlier.

Our office assists people in Chiba, Tokyo, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Nagano, Niigata, Yamanashi, and all of Kyushu in the procedures to obtain a spouse visa for international marriages.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your international marriage visa. Initial consultations are available at any time.

Steps to be able to live with your spouse in Japan

In order to marry a foreigner and live together in Japan, you have to take the following five basic steps.

Depending on the nationality of your partner, the process may take about four steps. If the foreign spouse is already in Japan on a different visa, for example, to study or work, the process may only take three steps. In any case, it is still difficult for Japanese citizens to complete the application process, considering that it only takes one step to report to the local government office.

An example of how to bring a foreign spouse residing abroad to Japan

1. the marriage notification to the Japanese authorities

This is done at the municipal office of the Japanese national’s place of residence or domicile.

If you are married overseas, you can also apply for a marriage notification at a Japanese diplomatic mission (Japanese embassy or consulate in a foreign country).

2.Marriage notification in your partner’s country

Depending on the country, you need to do more than just register your marriage; you need to do a medical examination, etc., so it is important to check the procedure well in advance.

Even in the same country, the procedures may be completely different depending on the region, so it is important to be aware of this as well.

If your foreign spouse is already living in Japan, it is possible to apply at the embassy or consulate of the other party in Japan (with some exceptions).

Depending on the country, you may have to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2, or you may be able to go either way.

3. Application Procedure at the Immigration Bureau

The application process differs depending on whether the foreign spouse is in Japan or abroad.

If you are already living in Japan, you should have some kind of status of residence, so you can apply for a change of status to “Spouse of a Japanese national” or “Spouse of a permanent resident”.

If you live abroad, you can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to obtain a visa.

4.Procedure for issuing a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in the foreign spouse’s country

After the immigration authorities have successfully issued a spouse visa (Certificate of Eligibility), send it to your foreign spouse and then go to the Japanese embassy (consulate) in your spouse’s country to issue the visa.

5. Immigration inspection at the Japanese airport

The term “immigration” may sound daunting, but it’s rarely a problem here. However, if your fingerprints show that you have been in the country illegally in the past, or if you are bringing something with you that you are not allowed to bring into Japan, you will not have a problem.


The most difficult part of the above procedure is “applying to the immigration office”. If you can clear this procedure, you will be able to enter Japan.

It’s a long road, but it is possible to shorten the time it takes to enter Japan by using a specialist to prevent incomplete documents and mistakes. However, you will still have to go through a temporary waiting period during which you will not be able to meet them. It is important to have hope and wait patiently.

There are also procedures that will allow you to get married internationally and live in Japan legally, even if you are in an illegal status such as illegal entry or overstay. Please don’t give up, and feel free to contact us for further information if this applies to you.