[Spouse visa assessment] To live with your loved one in Japan

Updated: July 2025, 10

If you married a Japanese person, wouldn't you like to live in Japan with your wife or husband?

Generally, it is said that it is difficult to obtain a spouse visa.
If a foreigner who marries a Japanese person is unable to obtain a Japanese spouse visa, they will have to live their married life in a country other than Japan.
Even though I got married...
　
In this article, we will teach you how to get a Japanese spouse visa and live together for the rest of your life!

If you check and improve the problems and reapply, there is a "possibility"!

We often receive inquiries from people who have applied for a visa on their own and have been denied, but we feel that these are often cases where the spouse visa application was taken too lightly.

However!
There is no need to give up on obtaining a visa just because you have received a notification of refusal!
If you check and improve the reason why your application was not approved and re-apply, there is a possibility that you will be approved!
Read this article and get a feel for your future together in Japan.

Author: Mao Amano, Visa Officer

XNUMX. 【Assessment!】 Can I live in Japan with my spouse?

First, please answer the following eight questions.

2. For those who answered “yes” to all

congratulations!
All the requirements are OK, so just don't let your guard down and get the visa in a reliable manner.

2-1. Teaching important points of application

In the context of a spouse visa application, the term "spouse" refers only to a person who is married to a Japanese national.
This does not include people whose Japanese spouse has died, divorced, or common-law relationships.

①[Veracity confirmation]Is there a marriage or family situation?
When applying for a spouse visa for a Japanese national, you will need to submit information such as the couple's overseas marriage registration, their relationship and interactions before marriage, travel history, and whether both families know about the marriage.Proving authenticity will be important.

It is in the application documents for a Japanese spouse visa.the facts must be written correctly in the questionnaire.
If it turns out that the answers in the "Questionnaire" are different from the facts, your spouse visa application may be rejected.

By attaching documents verifying the answers you provided in the questionnaire along with your Japanese spouse visa application documents, you can provide further proof that your marriage is official.

②[Confirmation of income]Can the primary breadwinner support his family?
If you are employed, such as a company employee, you can say that you have a stable and continuous income, except for those who are in a trial period.
It will be confirmed that the couple has enough income to live and pay resident tax.

*There are some exceptions, but proof of income is required.

2-2. Learn about the application process and review period

After confirming the points, let's check the flow!
To obtain a spouse visa for a Japanese national, you must go through six steps to apply to the Immigration Bureau, which takes about four months in total.
On average, it takes about 4 months, so please be careful if you are in a hurry.

Flow of issuing a residence card

Complete international marriage procedures = be listed in the family register
Marriage procedures will be carried out in both the partner's country and Japan.
A marriage certificate is called a different name depending on the country, such as a certificate of marriage, a report of marriage, or a notarized marriage certificate, but in essence it is a document that certifies that a marriage has been concluded.

Immigration Bureau examination
It will take about 2 to 3 months.

Get a Certificate of Eligibility
According to the Immigration Bureau's judgment, this means that the other person has been granted residence status as a "spouse of a Japanese national."

Visa examination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas diplomatic missions
The Japanese spouse will submit the Certificate of Eligibility and other documents to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate to apply for a visa, which is usually issued within five business days.

*The validity period of the Certificate of Eligibility is 3 months.
*There may be cases where the Japanese Embassy will not issue a visa based on its own screening process.

Get a VISA on your passport

Once your application is approved by the Japanese Embassy, ​​a visa will be affixed to your passport.

Get a residence card when entering the country

When your partner comes to Japan, a residence card will be issued at major airports such as Narita Airport and Haneda Airport.

3. Those who answered at least one “no”

If you answered "No" to even one question, don't give up hope yet!

On the other hand, if you know this, there is a possibility of getting a visa.
Let's take a look at the possibilities one by one!

3-1． I will tell you the points that are not allowed!

If you have been divorced

If you marry a Japanese person soon after your divorce, have been divorced many times, or your previous marriage was short, you are likely to be suspected of having a sham marriage.

If there is no photo taken together

The key point is whether you can properly prove the authenticity of your marriage with a Japanese person. You will need to explain why you did not take photos and use other facts to prove the authenticity.

If your relationship history is short

In cases where a quick marriage occurs just a few months after meeting a Japanese person, or an international marriage where the couple only meet in person a few times, the authenticity of the marriage is likely to be questioned.

If there is a large age difference

A detailed explanation of how you met is required.

If your spouse has a low annual income

If the stability of your livelihood is judged to be weak, you may be denied permission.

If there is a history of overstaying or other poor behavior.

Do not make false declarations.

3-2. Cases where the application was approved even if there were some points for disapproval

3-3. What documents are required for application?

The documents required by the Immigration Bureau are minimal.
You may feel that it is less than you expected, but this only means that there are fewer requirements; you will need to prepare other documents if necessary.
The important point is how clearly you can explain that you and your spouse can live in Japan without any problems.
Therefore, you may attach additional documents without following the points explained above.
However, please be aware that depending on the documents you submit, it may lead to negative appeals.

What the applicant should prepare

• Photo (4cm x XNUMXcm)
• Marriage certificate issued by the institution of the applicant's nationality

Things to be prepared by your Japanese spouse

• Application form
• Reason for application
• Question form
• Letter of guarantee
• Copy of family register (obtained from the city/ward office with jurisdiction over the domicile)
• Certificate of residence showing all members of the household (obtained from the city/ward office with jurisdiction over the address)
• Resident tax taxation certificate/tax payment certificate
• Snapshot (of the couple)

4. Tips if you apply on your own and fail

① Check whether there is a possibility of reapplying! !

First of all, you need to understand the reason why your application was denied, re-apply, and find out whether there is a possibility that your application will be approved.

② Make a consistent application! !

The authenticity of the content of your previous application and the content of your next application is extremely important.
If the information you fill in changes each time you apply, such as the length of time you have been dating the Japanese person or how you met, then your marriage will lack credibility in the first place.
In addition to applying with accurate information, be sure to provide an explanation that everyone can understand.

③ Let's fix the cause of the rejection! !

It is necessary to clarify the reason for the denial of approval in the previous application, and to clearly demonstrate in the next application that the cause has been corrected, along with objective materials.
If you check the facts and provide a logical explanation, the examination by the Immigration Bureau will go more smoothly.

4-1. What to do if you receive a “notification for submitting additional documents” after applying for a visa

If you applied for a visa on your own and received a letter saying "Additional documents required", don't worry!

A request for additional documents does not mean your application has been denied.

The submission of additional documents is time-sensitive.

It is necessary to provide the correct additional documents as soon as possible.

Rather than simply submitting only the documents that are vaguely requested, try to understand the meaning behind the Immigration Bureau's submission of the document, voluntarily submit other supporting documents, or explain the meaning of the document you submitted. It is also important to.

4-2. Points to note when applying for changes

This is a must-see for those who want to change their current visa status to “Spouse of Japanese National, etc.”!

When applying for a change, "good conduct" in Japan is additionally checked.

Please note that even if the level does not lead to deportation, if there is a violation of the Immigration Control Act, your application for change may not be approved.

If you have engaged in activities outside of your status of residence without permission, have not attended school despite being an international student, or have neglected to notify the immigration bureau of your job or school change, these will be negative points for your Japanese spouse visa application.

4-3. Points to note when applying for renewal

If you are already residing in Japan with the status of "Spouse of Japanese National, etc." and would like to renew it, this is a must-see!

During the renewal examination, we may examine your current living situation.

In order to pass this fact-finding survey, it is basically necessary for the couple to live together.

Renewal applications can be made from 3 months before the expiration date of your stay.

If you miss even one day, you will overstay!

Please apply for renewal as soon as possible.

XNUMX. Conclusion

In order to live together in Japan as a husband and wife with the residence status of "Spouse of Japanese National, etc.", it is exactly what you need! Let's keep these two points in mind.

① Authenticity of marriage
② Stability of income necessary to live in Japan

With this point in mind, no matter how you look at it, the two of you are a real couple and there will be no problems living in Japan! It is necessary to be judged as such.

For this reason, it is extremely important to prepare objective materials.
Don't neglect your preparations for obtaining a visa, clear each step one by one, and live with your wife or husband in Japan!

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