【Question answered】 Will my nationality change after an international marriage?
Recently, international marriages have been increasing in Japan as more and more people are interacting with foreign countries. The question that arises here is, “What will happen to each other’s nationality after an international marriage?” Here, we will discuss the relationship between international marriage and nationality. Here, we will explain in detail the relationship between international marriage and nationality.
Nationality in the case of international marriage
When a Japanese person marries a foreigner, basically neither person’s nationality changes.
If a Japanese wishes to have the same nationality as his/her spouse, the Japanese must acquire foreign nationality, or the foreigner must apply for naturalization and acquire Japanese nationality. The only way is for the foreigner to acquire Japanese nationality.
Nationality when a Japanese man and a foreign woman marry
When a Japanese man and a foreign woman marry, their nationality basically remains the same, as described above.
If each wishes to become a citizen of the same nationality as the other, a procedure must be followed. If a foreign woman wishes to become a Japanese citizen, she must apply for naturalization. For details on the procedure, please check with the Immigration Bureau that has jurisdiction over your address.
Also, if a Japanese man wants to change his nationality to the same as his foreign wife, he should check with the embassy or consulate general in Japan.
Nationality when a Japanese woman and a foreign man marry
When a Japanese woman and a foreign man marry, there are three possible patterns depending on the country of the man.
The first is when the woman remains a Japanese national and the man remains a foreign national. In this case, there is no need to follow any procedures regarding nationality.
Second, if the man’s country is France or Thailand, procedures may be required. If nothing is done, the nationality of both the woman and the man will remain the same. Therefore, a woman who wishes to remain a Japanese citizen does not need to go through any procedures. However, if a woman wishes to have the same nationality as a man, she must go through the “declaration of intent” procedure. For details, check with the embassy or consulate general in Japan.
Finally, third, if the man’s country is Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, etc., the procedure is always required. The woman acquires the other party’s foreign nationality upon marriage, but she will still have Japanese nationality. In other words, she becomes a dual citizen.
Since Japan does not recognize dual nationality, the woman must choose between foreign or Japanese nationality. Specifically, within two years of marriage, a “notification of selection of nationality” must be submitted to the municipal office of the city, ward, town or village.
If you do not follow the procedure within two years, you will receive a notice from the Minister of Justice. If you still do not follow the procedures, you will lose your Japanese nationality.
Summary
When a Japanese man and a foreign woman marry, no special procedures are required. However, if a Japanese woman and a foreign man marry, there may be cases where procedures are required depending on the country of the man, so please be careful.
