Marriage Registration
Register a marriage at city hall to make it legally valid in Japan. For an international marriage you'll also need documents proving you're free to marry.
1 min readChecked against official sources 2026-06-14
Register a marriage at city hall to make it legally valid in Japan. For an international marriage you'll also need documents proving you're free to marry.
Where: Municipal office (family register desk) · When: Any time; the marriage takes effect when the notification is accepted.
Steps
- 1Fill in the marriage notification with two adult witnesses' signatures.
- 2For a non-Japanese spouse, obtain a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry from their embassy.
- 3Submit at city hall with ID; the registration is free.
What to bring
- Marriage notification form (with 2 witnesses)
- ID of both parties
- Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry and passport (for a foreign spouse)
Official sources
An international marriage may also require registration in your home country and, for a spouse visa, a separate immigration application.