Check before applying – What documents are required to apply for a visa for a spouse living abroad?

2022-09-02

It is possible to apply for a spouse visa to bring your spouse living abroad to Japan and live with them.

In order to apply for a spouse visa, you will need to present various documents such as your passport and family register in addition to the prescribed application form.

Applying for a spouse visa can be time-consuming, but if you know the required documents in advance, the visa process will be much easier.

In this article you will find a list of documents required for a visa application for a spouse living abroad.

Documents required to apply for a spouse visa

The following documents are generally required to apply for a spouse visa:

  • Application for Certificate of Eligibility

This certificate is required to apply for a spouse visa, as it is used by foreigners currently living abroad to obtain a visa to stay in Japan.

  • Questionnaire

A document containing questions from the Immigration Bureau that must be answered in order to apply for a spouse visa.

The questions relate to how the couple got married, whether they used a marriage broker (marriage agency), and what language the couple uses in their daily conversations.

  • Letter of Guarantee

This is a document in which the details of the person who will vouch for the foreign spouse are entered.

A guarantor is a person who helps a foreigner who has obtained a visa to comply with the laws of Japan and to pay for the cost of returning home in case of financial difficulties.

  • Additional documents required of the foreign spouse

Documents required of a foreign spouse applying for a spouse visa generally include:

  • Passport
  • Residence card
  • Resume
  • Documents proving their educational background (certificate of graduation from a college, etc.)
  • Documents proving their Japanese language proficiency (certificate of Japanese language proficiency, etc.)
  • Marriage certificate and translation (to prove that the marriage is registered in their home country)
  • Certificate of residence tax, Certificate of tax payment

Additional documents required of the foreign spouse

Documents relating to the husband or wife of a foreign spouse applying for a spouse visa generally include:

  • Certificate of residence
  • Certificate of the family register (indicating the marriage)
  • Certificate of residence tax, certificate of tax payment
  • Certificate of employment (if the Japanese spouse works)
  • Documents describing the place of work (copy of the website of the place of work, etc.)
  • Property rental agreement (if the couple lives in a rental property)
  • Property registration certificate (if the couple owns a residential property)
  • Photos of the property they live in (to prove that they actually live there)
  • Photos of their parents, wedding, travel destinations, etc. (as proof that they are actually a couple)