2022-09-112022-10-04

To obtain Japanese citizenship, they must apply for naturalization, but as one of the practical requirements, they must also submit various documents.

The conditions for the naturalization of a foreigner are basically the same regardless of the nationality of the foreigner. However, if a Chinese national wishes to obtain Japanese citizenship, they must pay close attention to the procedure for obtaining a naturalization certificate.

This article summarizes the requirements for Chinese nationals who wish to obtain Japanese citizenship.

Required certificates for Chinese to acquire Japanese citizenship

For a Chinese to apply for naturalization, they must present various documents, including a citizenship certificate.

A person who holds Japanese citizenship is registered in the family registry. Therefore, if you have a copy of your family register (extract) in Japan, this is proof that you have Japanese citizenship.

In China, however, there is no family registry as in Japan. Thus, to prove that a Chinese person has Chinese citizenship, a document other than the family register is required.

In particular, it is necessary to obtain a similar certificate as an official document/s to prove citizenship.

In China, the following documents are generally used as official documents to prove citizenship and identity.

• Certificate of nationality (document certifying Chinese nationality)
• Birth certificate (document certifying when the applicant was born)
• Death certificate (document certifying that a person has died, such as a relative of the applicant)
• Marriage certificate (document certifying that the applicant and his/her parents were married)
• Divorce certificate (document certifying that the applicant and his/her parents are divorced).
• Notarized certificate of kinship (document certifying the applicant’s kinship relations)

For a Chinese national to apply for naturalization, several documents are usually required, such as those listed above.

Basically, several documents are needed to prove the circumstances from the time of the applicant’s parents’ marriage to the applicant’s present.

What to consider when obtaining documents

To obtain documents issued by Chinese authorities, such as citizenship and birth certificates, applicants and their family members must go through the appropriate procedures.

Usually, you need to go to the authority where the registration (birth registration, etc.) was done in the past to obtain documents proving Chinese citizenship and identity.

In other words: Not all documents can be applied for at the Chinese consulate in Japan. Depending on the case, it may be necessary to obtain them from China.

Since the above documents are in Chinese, if you submit them as necessary documents for the naturalization application, you must indicate the translator and attach the translation.