Spouse Visa

A person married to a Japanese national or permanent resident is liable to a Japanese Spouse visa which allows them to stay with their partner for at most 3 years with room for extension. Application for this visa can be done whether you are already in the country on another visa or if you are just planning to come. People who are just coming to the country can apply through the Japanese embassy or consulate in their country and those that are already in the country can apply for theirs in the nearest Japanese Immigration Bureau.

The following are documents required to apply for a Japan marriage visa:

• Certificate of eligibility

The certificate of eligibility can take a while to process but you will need it if you want the other steps of your visa processing to go smoothly. If your spouse who is a Japanese national or a permanent resident does not stay in Japan, then you should talk to your embassy. To qualify for a certificate of eligibility, you would need the following:

1. A completed application form for a certificate of eligibility.
2. One photograph of the recommended format (4 cm long × 3 cm wide).
3. The Koseki i.e. the family register of the Japanese national contains the names of every member of the family and it must also include your name as a new addition to the family, stating that they are married to you. A condition attached to this is that you must have been married for at least 3 months. As the Koseki is the confirmation of marriage in Japan, you must also present a Marriage certificate issued by a recognized institution in your home country as a confirmation of your relationship in your home country.
4. You must also present the documents that prove you can cover the cost of your living in Japan, example of documents you can use are tax certificates or bank statements. Although for this, your spouse i.e. the Japanese national or the permanent resident must also have enough resources to take care of all your news.
5. A letter of guarantee from your Japanese spouse may be required but it may be forgone
6. You will also be given a questionnaire that gives a series of questions to confirm evidence of your marriage.
7. You may also be required to present two or three marriage photos to show your marriage is genuine.
8. A reply envelope with 404 yen in postage stamps attached.
9. The application forms as well as information for the sponsor are available on the Immigration Services Agency’s page.

    Once you have your certificate of eligibility, you can now proceed to the next steps and prepare the next documents.

• Japan spouse visa application form

The application can be gotten from the embassy, and it must be filled, with all details being provable. No false claims in an application form because this can lead to your application being rejected.

• Passport photos

A passport photograph of the recommended size.

• Valid passport

You must also be ready to present your travel passport. It must be valid for at least 6 more months after the date of your departure from the country. It must also have at least two blank pages for your stamp to be affixed.

It should also be noted that citizens of Russia, Georgia, and other CIS countries need to provide two of the recommended documents.

• Family register of the Japanese national

As a part of the family (after getting married) you are required to bring the family register of your spouse when processing your visa.

• Evidence you can pay for your extended stay in Japan

You must also be ready to provide evidence that you will be able to pay for your stay in Japan especially if you will need to extend your stay. One thing leads to another and you never know what might occur that might warrant a visa extension.

• Residence certificate for both the spouse and the Japanese citizen

Proof of accommodation. On this note, the Japanese national or permanent resident will need to shoulder this but the spouse must present it at the embassy. You must give proof that you have a place to reside when you get to the country.

• Guarantor form (the guarantor should be your Japanese spouse who lives in Japan)

Similar to the letter in the requirements for your certificate of eligibility, your spouse i.e. the Japanese citizen will need to sign a consent form.

• Residence card

If you have stayed with your spouse for more than 1 year and you have been married for at least 3 years, then you can also consider changing your visa type, since you will also have become eligible for a permanent resident visa.

However, if you separate from your spouse, then you will need to inform the embassy within 14 days. If your visa is based on your relationship, i.e. Spouse visa, then you will need to apply for another visa to continue to be eligible for staying in the country.