So many documents are required for the spouse visa that it is difficult to obtain them all
When a foreigner already living in Japan and a Japanese citizen (person with Japanese citizenship) get married and apply for a spouse visa, they need to present various documents such as a passport and a family registry certificate.
If you know in advance what documents you need, it will be easier for you to gather them and apply for a spouse visa.
This article gives an overview of what documents you need to apply for a spouse visa.
Documents required of both spouses
These documents are usually required by both the foreign spouse who wish to apply for a spousal visa and the Japanese spouse.
Generally, you will need the following documents:
Documents required of the foreign spouse
Documents required of the foreign spouse who wishes to apply for a spouse visa.
- Application for Change of Residence Status (spouse visa application).
- Questionnaire
- Identity document
- Reply postcard (postcard needed for immigration to contact you by mail during the spouse visa application process)
Documents required of the foreign spouse who wishes to apply for a spouse visa.
Generally, you will need the following documents:
- Passport
- Residence card
- Resume
- Certificate of graduation (a document proving the level of education of the foreign spouse)
- ID photo
- Documents confirming proficiency in the Japanese language
- Marriage certificate from the home country and a Japanese translation (this proves that the couple’s marriage is registered in the home country)
- Certificate of residence tax ・Certificate of tax payment (to confirm income and tax payment)
Documents required of the Japanese spouse
These are the required documents for the husband/wife of a foreign spouse.
Generally, the documents are as follows:
- Certificate of residence
- Certificate of family register (which must show that the couple is married in Japan).
- Certificate of residence tax, certificate of tax payment
- Certificate of employment (If the Japanese spouse works, this is a document issued by the employer)
- Documents about the current job (a copy of the website or something else that shows what profession the Japanese spouse work in)
- Rental agreement (a document that proves that the couple lives in the rented property)
- Certificate of registration of real estate (a document that proves that the couple is the owner of a residential property)
- Photo of the property the couple lived in (a photo that shows the couple actually lives in the property).
- Photos that prove the marital relationship (photos of parents, friends, weddings, travel destinations, etc.)