Japan Apostille and Certified Translation Guide
for the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines
Japan-Side Requirements Vary by Document and Receiving Authority
The required Japan-side steps depend on the receiving authority, document type, issuing authority, whether the document is public or private, the authentication target, and any written instructions for the specific submission. This guide therefore describes points to confirm for each destination rather than assigning one fixed route to an entire country.
Apostille Japan's current destination scope is limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Other destination countries are generally outside our current service scope.
For matters within these five destinations, we review the receiving authority, document type, issuing authority, current document status, and the authentication or translation instructions available for the specific submission. Hague Convention status alone does not determine whether an apostille is required or what translation certification will be accepted.
This guide and our services generally cover documents issued by Japanese government bodies, municipalities, companies and employers, educational institutions, and other Japanese issuing bodies for submission to the five supported jurisdictions. Obtaining an apostille or other authentication from a foreign government, state government, or other foreign authority for a foreign-issued document is outside our service scope. Documents issued by Japanese embassies or consulates abroad fall outside the general guidance on this page and are reviewed document by document, based on the document type, issuing office, and receiving authority.
For how apostille authorities are organized in each issuing country, see our Insights article Apostille Authorities in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Quick Summary
このページの結論For Japanese documents submitted to our five current destination countries, the required Japan-side steps depend on the receiving authority, document type, and submission purpose. The table below lists points to confirm rather than fixed country-level rules. The actual requirements must be confirmed from the receiving authority's instructions for the specific submission.
| Destination | Example receiving authorities | Apostille | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USCIS, courts, state or local authorities, universities, employers, banks, and other organizations | Confirm for the specific submission | Receiving-authority requirements vary |
| United Kingdom | UKVI, Home Office, universities, Companies House, courts, banks, and other organisations | Confirm for the specific submission | Receiving-authority requirements vary |
| Singapore | ICA, MOM, ACRA, corporate service providers, banks, and education institutions | Confirm for the specific submission | Receiving-authority requirements vary |
| New Zealand | Immigration New Zealand, NZQA, Department of Internal Affairs, universities, employers | Confirm for the specific submission | Receiving-authority requirements vary |
| Philippines | PSA, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine courts, SEC, education institutions, local civil registries | Confirm for the specific submission | Receiving-authority requirements vary |
How We Determine the Required Japan-Side Steps
日本側手続の確認The destination country is only one factor. Before determining the Japan-side process, the document and the receiving authority’s requirements must be reviewed.
- An eligible Japanese public document may be capable of direct MOFA apostille, while a private document or signature may require different Japan-side steps. Attaching a translation or other material to a public document can also affect what is being authenticated. The sequence should therefore be confirmed before documents are bound or notarized.
- For an initial inquiry, please provide the destination country, receiving authority, document name, desired deadline, and whether the document has already been issued.
United States of America
米国Japanese documents submitted in the United States may be received by federal agencies, state or local authorities, courts, educational institutions, licensing bodies, employers, financial institutions, or other organizations. Their requirements are not uniform, so the receiving authority and purpose of submission should be identified first. Where a U.S. procedure requires an English translation, the required translator certification should be checked against that procedure's instructions. An apostille should be obtained only where the receiving authority or applicable procedure requires authentication of the Japanese document.
For USCIS submissions, foreign-language documents generally require a full English translation accompanied by the translator's certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate. This USCIS rule does not establish the requirements of every U.S. receiving authority. (Reference: USCIS Policy Manual: Foreign Language Documents and Translations)
Examples
Certification of Translation Accuracy — U.S. Submission Example
Signature: _________________________
Name: [Typed Name]
Address: [Translator's Address]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
This is an example used by our office and is not an official form prescribed by the receiving authority. If the receiving authority specifies a form or required wording, that instruction takes precedence.
- For USCIS, the translation should cover the full foreign-language document, including stamps, seals, and signatures, and should be accompanied by the translator's certification of completeness, accuracy, and competence.
- For neutrality and independence, a third-party translator is recommended.
- Passport Romanization of names should match the Certified Translation exactly. Attention to middle names, maiden names, and Romanization conventions (OH vs. O, TSU vs. TU) is important.
- State-level or institution-specific requirements may differ. Verify target requirements before submission.
- Do not assume that a family register, civil-status certificate, diploma, or police certificate is the correct record merely because it is commonly used in another U.S. procedure. Confirm the exact evidence requested.
United Kingdom
英国Japanese documents submitted in the United Kingdom may be used for immigration, civil-status, educational, employment, professional, financial, or other procedures. Requirements vary by the receiving organisation and purpose, so the specific instructions should be reviewed before selecting an authentication or translation process.
Where UKVI instructions require a certified translation, the translation should meet the information and certification requirements stated for that immigration procedure. Other UK receiving organisations may apply different requirements. (Reference: GOV.UK: Guide to Supporting Documents for Visiting the UK)
Examples
Certified Translation Statement — U.K. Submission Example
Signed: _________________________
Name: [Typed Name]
Contact details: [Email / Phone / Address]
Date of translation: [DD Month YYYY]
This is an example used by our office and is not an official form prescribed by the receiving authority. If the receiving authority specifies a form or required wording, that instruction takes precedence.
- The Home Office / UKVI guidance refers to a full translation that can be independently verified and includes confirmation of accuracy, the translation date, the translator's full name and signature, and the translator's contact details.
- An independent third-party translator is often advisable.
- The exact translation format should be checked against the receiving authority's current instructions before submission.
Singapore
シンガポールJapanese documents submitted in Singapore may be used before government agencies, corporate service providers, banks, employers, educational institutions, courts, or other organisations. Requirements can differ significantly between recipients, particularly for translation certification, notarization, copies, and corporate documents.
ICA, MOM, ACRA, corporate service providers, and other receiving parties may publish or provide different document instructions. Requirements issued for one Singapore authority should not automatically be applied to another.
Examples
Certified Translation Statement — Submission Example for Singapore
This translation is submitted for use in Singapore.
Translator's Signature: _________________________
Full Name: [Typed Name]
Professional Address: [Address]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
This is an example used by our office and is not an official form prescribed by the receiving authority. If the receiving authority specifies a form or required wording, that instruction takes precedence.
- Since the Hague Apostille Convention entered into force for Singapore on September 16, 2021, additional embassy legalization is generally not required where the receiving authority recognizes Hague Convention apostille authentication. Translation attestation requirements should be checked separately.
- Corporate filings involving non-English documents may require certified English translations and supporting certification depending on ACRA instructions.
- The receiving authority's translation and attestation requirements should be confirmed before submission.
New Zealand
ニュージーランドJapanese documents submitted in New Zealand may be used for immigration, education, qualification assessment, employment, civil-status, or other procedures. Translation, copy, certification, and authentication requirements should be confirmed with the specific receiving authority. Immigration New Zealand, NZQA, educational institutions, employers, and other receiving organisations may apply different requirements. Guidance for one procedure should not be treated as a country-wide rule.
For Residence Visa applications, all supporting documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. For Visitor Visa applications, non-English supporting documents require a full English translation; from 26 May 2025, these translations generally do not need to be certified, except for medical certificates and police certificates. The applicant, a family member, or an immigration adviser assisting with the application cannot act as the translator, and the translator's full name, address, telephone number, and qualifications or experience demonstrating competence in both languages must be provided. Medical certificates and police certificates that are not in English require a certified English translation. (Reference: Immigration New Zealand: Providing English Translations of Supporting Documents)
Examples
Certified Translation Statement — Submission Example for New Zealand
I, [Translator's Full Name], certify that I am competent to translate from Japanese into English and that the attached English translation of "[Document Title]" is, to the best of my knowledge and ability, a true and accurate translation of the original Japanese document.
Translator's Signature: _________________________
Printed Name: [Typed Name]
Address and Contact: [Full contact details]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
This is an example used by our office and is not an official form prescribed by the receiving authority. If the receiving authority specifies a form or required wording, that instruction takes precedence.
- Immigration New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and education institutions may each specify different translation certification details.
- For Immigration New Zealand, translation requirements differ by visa category. See the visa-category summary above and confirm the current instructions for the specific application.
- Education and qualification matters often require consistency among passport names, school records, degree titles, and transcript terminology.
- Some receiving authorities may request the translator's name, contact details, date of certification, and a statement of translation competence and accuracy.
- If the receiving authority asks for the translation itself to be notarized and apostilled, the process may require additional time and disbursements.
Philippines
フィリピンJapanese documents submitted in the Philippines may be used for civil-status registration, court proceedings, immigration, education, corporate matters, marriage-related procedures, or other purposes. Requirements differ according to the receiving authority and procedure.
PSA, DFA, Philippine courts, immigration authorities, educational institutions, and other receiving organisations may require different document sets, translation certifications, notarization, affidavits, or authentication steps. A requirement arising in a Philippine court proceeding should not be treated as the standard requirement for every submission in the Philippines.
Examples
Certified Translation Statement — Submission Example for the Philippines
This translation is prepared for submission to Philippine authorities.
Translator's Signature: _________________________
Printed Name: [Typed Name]
Address and Contact: [Full contact details]
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
This is an example used by our office and is not an official form prescribed by the receiving authority. If the receiving authority specifies a form or required wording, that instruction takes precedence.
- Where the receiving authority recognizes Hague Convention apostille authentication, additional Philippine Embassy authentication is generally not required for apostillized public documents. The receiving authority's current instructions should still be checked before submission.
- International marriage procedures may require the Marriage Eligibility Certificate, issued by Japanese municipal offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau, with apostille, depending on the receiving authority and procedure.
- Document freshness requirements, if any, vary by receiving authority and procedure. Confirm timing requirements before ordering municipal documents.
- Some matters involve multiple documents. The required combination and timing should be confirmed from the receiving authority's instructions in advance.
Apostille Japan — What Is an Apostille
An apostille is a certificate issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Hague Convention (Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) that certifies the official seal or signature on a Japanese public document. The United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines are all Hague member states, so an apostille may be used as an alternative to consular legalization where requested by the receiving authority. It does not certify the substantive content of the document or guarantee acceptance by the receiving authority. Eligible Japanese public documents that meet MOFA's certification requirements — such as family registers, residence certificates, and certified copies of commercial registers — may be submitted directly to MOFA for an apostille. Private documents such as employment certificates and powers of attorney generally require notarization before a MOFA apostille can be obtained.
- An apostille itself has no uniform statutory expiration date. It certifies the official seal or signature on the underlying document.
- For the MOFA application, the underlying Japanese public document is generally required to have been issued within the preceding three months.
- The receiving authority may separately impose document-age or submission-time rules. Such a period is generally measured from the issue date of the underlying original (e.g., a family register), so we recommend submitting promptly after the apostille is obtained.
- Whether an apostille is requested for the Japanese document depends on the receiving authority and procedure, not on the destination country alone.
- Translation certification, notarization, and any authentication of the translation itself should be confirmed for the specific submission.
- Requirements can differ within the same country by authority, document type, and purpose. See How We Determine the Required Japan-Side Steps and the country sections above.
Apostille Japan — Required Documents and Process
The documents required for an apostille vary by destination and document type, but the general structure is shown below. Within our service scope, we support the Japan-side steps — document review, MOFA apostille handling, and Certified Translation. For the MOFA application procedure itself — mail-in and counter filing, application forms, power-of-attorney rules, and cost breakdown — see our MOFA Apostille Application Guide.
- Public documents: family register, residence certificate, certificate of no impediment, birth acceptance certificate, marriage acceptance certificate, police (criminal record) certificate, corporate registrations, and more.
- Private documents: employment certificates, powers of attorney, affidavits, and similar documents may require notarization and further authentication depending on the document, authentication target, and receiving authority's instructions.
- Academic documents requiring document-specific review: diplomas, graduation certificates, and academic transcripts. Eligibility for direct MOFA certification, and specifically for an apostille, depends on the issuing institution, document type, and date of issue. Some documents require notarial processing before an apostille can be sought.
Apostille Japan — Frequently Asked Questions
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a certification issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. It certifies the official seal or signature on a Japanese public document and may be used in Hague Convention member states as an alternative to consular legalization where requested by the receiving authority.
Does an apostille have an expiration date?
An apostille itself has no statutory expiration date. However, for the MOFA application, the underlying Japanese public document is generally required to have been issued within the preceding three months. In addition, the receiving authority may impose its own document-age or submission-time rules, so in practice the timing of procurement and submission should follow the receiving authority's instructions.
What documents are required for an apostille?
A Japanese public document that meets MOFA's certification requirements can be submitted directly to MOFA for an apostille. It must generally be an original issued within the preceding three months, show the issuing institution, date of issue, and issuer, and bear an official seal. An ordinary photocopy is not eligible. Private documents such as employment certificates, powers of attorney, and translation certificates generally require notarization and certification of the notary's seal by the Legal Affairs Bureau before a MOFA apostille can be obtained.
Does the required process differ by destination country?
The destination country alone does not determine the process. We review the receiving authority, document type, issuing authority, whether the document is public or private, the authentication target, and the current written instructions for the submission. Requirements can differ between authorities within the same country, so the receiving authority's current instructions should always be confirmed.
Confirm the Requirements for Your Submission
For an initial inquiry, please provide the destination country, receiving authority, document name, desired deadline, and whether the document has already been issued. We will confirm the relevant Japan-side service scope and the information needed for a quotation. Many matters can be handled remotely by email and mail.
Japan-based clients may use LINE Official Account; overseas clients may use WhatsApp Business; corporate and institutional clients may use Email.
You may send a message via WhatsApp or email at any time, regardless of your time zone. We also check messages outside regular business hours and aim to respond as promptly as possible. Phone hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (JST).
info@apostille-japan.com Corporate & Institutional Clients · Formal Quotations & InvoicesLegal Notice
Information on this website reflects operational practices at the time of writing to the best of our knowledge. However, requirements, judgments, and operational practices of receiving authorities are subject to change without notice. We are not responsible for decisions or examination outcomes by receiving authorities. Please confirm current requirements with the relevant authority prior to submission.
Scope of Service: Our services are limited to Japan-side document preparation, apostille handling, Certified Translation, and related administrative procedures within the lawful scope of a Gyoseishoshi. We do not provide advice on foreign law, determine whether a receiving authority will accept a document, or represent clients in litigation or other matters reserved for attorneys. Where legal judgment is required, we may recommend consultation with an appropriate licensed professional.