Key Points
- This page covers the main types of Japanese documents, including family registers, certificates of residence, civil-status acceptance certificates, academic, employment, tax, seal, and police records, and corporate registry documents and Articles of Incorporation, together with Certified Translation services.
- Our supported destination countries are the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
- The required authentication route depends on whether the document is public or private, the issuing authority, the receiving authority, and the intended use.
- Before providing a quotation, we confirm the destination country, receiving authority, document type, number of originals, requested deadline, and current document status.
For Certified Translation Only
If you need Japanese-to-English translation with a Certification of Translation Accuracy without apostille procurement, please see the Certified Japanese-to-English Translation page. Fees are quoted individually based on document type, volume, number of copies, and receiving-authority instructions.
Supported Documents Organized into 5 Categories
Documents for overseas submission can be organized into 5 use-case categories. Personal identity documents (family register, certificate of residence, birth acceptance certificate) are core to overseas relocation and international marriage; marriage-related documents (marriage acceptance, single status certificate) are required for spouse visa applications and international marriage procedures; employment and income documents (employment certificate, tax payment certificate) are essential for overseas work visa applications, including the four-document work visa set; education and background documents (diploma, police clearance) are used for academic verification and criminal record checks; corporate and commercial documents (seal certificate, corporate registry documents, and Articles of Incorporation) are used for Singapore company incorporation, overseas branch registration, and international commercial transactions. Each document detail page covers country-specific authentication routes, validity periods, and practical notes for the five supported destination countries.
Personal Identity Documents
個人身分関係 · Kojin Mibun KankeiPersonal identity documents under the Family Register Act and Basic Resident Registration Act. These are the most fundamental documents used for overseas relocation, international marriage, spouse visa filings, and US IR-1/CR-1 permanent residency applications. All 3 are public documents apostillable directly by MOFA.
The most standard public document for proof of family relationships. Used for spouse visa applications, US IR-1/CR-1 permanent residency, and international marriage procedures. Issued by the municipal office of registered domicile, recording the entire family registry (marriage, birth, adoption, etc.).
Public document certifying current residence. Used for overseas relocation address verification, Singapore company Director registration, international marriage address consolidation, and overseas banking account opening. Convenience-store issuance guidance may be available; Apostille Japan does not take custody of the client's My Number Card or PIN for proxy issuance.
Public document certifying acceptance of birth registration. Used for US IR-2/CR-2 permanent residency (US citizen children residing abroad), foreign-side birth registration, and parent-child relationship verification. Depending on the municipal office's processing status, the certificate may be available on the same day or at a later date. Choosing between this and family register requires careful consideration.
Employment & Income Documents
就労・収入証明 · Shuro Shunyu ShomeiCore documents for overseas work visa and employment-related applications, including United States H-1B, United Kingdom Skilled Worker Visa, Singapore Employment Pass, and New Zealand work visa matters. The employment certificate is a private document, so a notary route may be required depending on the receiving authority and document purpose. Employer Coordination Support add-on (+¥11,000) is available.
Private document certifying employment status, prepared by the employer. Used for work visa and employment-related applications, including United States H-1B (USCIS Form I-129), United Kingdom Skilled Worker Visa, Singapore Employment Pass, and New Zealand work visa matters. Company seal, representative seal, and notary route requirements are checked against the receiving authority's instructions. Where a notary-route process is required, the matter is handled as a Private-Document Notary-Route Matter from ¥121,000, tax included.
Public document issued by the Tax Office certifying income and tax payment status. Used for overseas permanent residence applications (USCIS I-485, Singapore PR, New Zealand residence or visa-related applications), work visa income verification, and proof of earnings. Recent 1, 3, and 5-year set options are available for year-by-year application needs.
Education & Background Documents
学歴・経歴 · Gakureki KeirekiDocuments used for overseas graduate school admissions, WES degree evaluation, overseas permanent residence applications, and criminal record verification. Graduation certificates, diplomas, and academic transcripts may require a notary-office route depending on the issuing institution and the receiving authority's requirements. A Japanese police clearance certificate may be handled for MOFA apostille purposes after confirming the receiving authority's requirements.
Private document issued by educational institutions certifying graduation and academic transcripts. Used for overseas graduate school admissions (US Graduate School, UK Postgraduate), WES degree evaluation, and academic verification for work visa applications. Diploma + transcript bundle is the standard combination.
A Japanese police clearance certificate, also known as a criminal record certificate, is applied for through the relevant prefectural police authority or other designated Japanese public authority. It may be handled for MOFA apostille purposes after confirming the receiving authority's requirements. Sealed envelope must not be opened; validity periods are short, requiring careful timeline planning.
Corporate & Commercial Documents
法人・商取引 · Hojin ShotorihikiDocuments used for overseas company incorporation, international commercial transactions, and overseas real estate transactions. A Japanese seal registration certificate, based on Japan's registered seal system, may be requested as supporting documentation for signature verification, identity confirmation, or corporate-related filings in overseas submissions. For Singapore company incorporation, the CSP or receiving party may require address and identity documents issued within a specified recent period. Corporate registry certificates and Articles of Incorporation follow different authentication routes depending on whether the document is public or private.
Seal registration certificate issued by municipal office (individual seal) or Legal Affairs Bureau (corporate seal). Used for Singapore company Director registration, overseas real estate transactions, international banking, and overseas subsidiary establishment. We can provide procedural guidance for convenience-store issuance. Apostille Japan does not take custody of the client's My Number Card or PIN for proxy issuance.
Corporate registry certificates, corporate seal certificates and company articles: certificates of registered matters and corporate seal certificates issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau, and company-prepared documents such as the Articles of Incorporation, shareholder registers, and minutes. May be requested for overseas branches, corporate banking and KYC. Public and private documents follow different authentication routes.
Use-Case Bundle Packages
Document Bundles for Common Use CasesWe offer 4 bundle packages aligned with typical overseas submission needs. Multiple-document orders allow efficient scheduling and a combined quotation. Custom combinations beyond these are available via individual written quotation.
Identity documentation set often requested by Corporate Service Providers (CSPs) for Singapore Pte Ltd incorporation and foreign Director registration. For Singapore company incorporation, the CSP or receiving party may require address and identity documents issued within a specified recent period. We confirm the CSP's validity period and authentication format before proceeding. Convenience-store issuance guidance (+¥3,300) can be combined.
Documentation set often used for overseas work visa and employment-related applications, including United States H-1B, United Kingdom Skilled Worker Visa, Singapore Employment Pass, and New Zealand work visa matters. Employer Coordination Support (+¥11,000) can be combined; recent 3-year tax payment certificate set is also supported for income verification.
Two-document set frequently required for spouse visa applications (US IR-1/CR-1, UK Spouse Visa, Singapore LTVP). Standard package fee ¥138,000 (tax included) and up; engaging the two documents separately totals approximately ¥154,000 (tax included) and up as a reference. USCIS and UKVI commonly request both, making this a sensible combination when in doubt.
Two-document set commonly used for United States IR-2/CR-2 permanent residency applications (United States citizen children residing abroad). Depending on the municipal office's processing status, the birth acceptance certificate may be available on the same day or at a later date; combined with the family register, it provides documentation of parent-child relationship, birth fact, and nationality. Also supports foreign-side birth registration.
Route A vs. Route B: Country-Specific Authentication
Two Routes Across the Five Supported Destination CountriesAuthentication routes diverge into two paths depending on the destination country and receiving authority. The United States and the United Kingdom generally follow Route A (Translator-Certified Route), while Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines may require Route B (Notary-Verified Route) where required by the receiving authority. Employment certificates and other private documents may require a notary route depending on the receiving authority and document purpose.
Route A and Route B indicate typical workflows only. The final route is not determined solely by the destination country. It is reviewed case by case based on the document, the receiving authority's publicly available guidance or written instructions provided by the client, and current practice at MOFA, notary offices, and other relevant Japanese authorities. (Reference: MOFA: Certification (Authentication / Apostille))
| Aspect | Route A (the United States, the United Kingdom) | Route B (Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines) |
|---|---|---|
| Expected steps | 2 steps | Up to 4 steps where required by the receiving authority |
| Step 1 | MOFA apostille procurement | Certified Translation preparation |
| Step 2 | Certification of Translation Accuracy attached | Japanese notary office authentication, where required |
| Step 3 | — | Legal Affairs Bureau certification, where required |
| Step 4 | — | MOFA apostille procurement, where required for the receiving authority |
| Standard turnaround | 3-5 business days | 5-10 business days |
| Notary public | Often not required for public documents | May be required depending on the receiving authority |
| Translation requirement examples | USCIS translation requirements, UKVI / Home Office translation requirements, etc. | ICA, Immigration New Zealand, and other receiving authority requirements |
Note: Whether a notary-office step is required depends on whether the document is a public document, such as a family register, residence certificate, or certificate of acceptance, or a private document, such as a translation, affidavit, power of attorney, or employment certificate. Where the receiving authority specifies requirements, the authentication route is determined based on those requirements.
Each document detail page covers country-specific authentication requirements, validity periods, and practical notes across the five supported destination countries. Our Country-by-Country Guide provides general guidance on country-specific requirements and practical considerations.
Common Questions About the Documents Catalog
Frequently Asked QuestionsI'm not sure which of the supported documents I should obtain. How do I decide?
The document set depends on your destination country and application purpose. Common cases:
- Spouse visa applications (US IR-1/CR-1, UK Spouse Visa): Family register + marriage acceptance certificate (International Marriage Bundle)
- Work visa and employment-related applications (H-1B, Skilled Worker, EP, New Zealand work visa matters): Employment certificate + certificate of residence + tax payment certificate + police clearance (Overseas Work Visa Bundle)
- Singapore ACRA company incorporation: Seal certificate + certificate of residence (Singapore ACRA Incorporation Bundle)
- United States IR-2/CR-2 permanent residency applications: Birth acceptance certificate + family register (United States IR-2/CR-2 Birth Documentation Bundle)
- Overseas graduate school admissions / WES degree evaluation: Diploma + academic transcripts
Email is recommended for written document review and quotation requests. Please include your destination country, document type and quantity, requested deadline, current document status, and shipping destination. We then review the inquiry and provide the expected document combination in writing. See the 4 bundle packages on this page for typical combinations.
How is pricing handled for multiple-document orders?
Typical multiple-document combinations are offered as bundle packages with standard package fees. The 4 bundle packages featured on this page represent typical combinations:
- Singapore ACRA Incorporation Bundle (seal certificate + certificate of residence)
- Overseas Work Visa Bundle (employment + residence + tax + police)
- International Marriage Bundle (family register + marriage acceptance) = standard package fee from ¥138,000 (tax included)
- US IR-2/CR-2 Birth Documentation Bundle (birth acceptance + family register)
Custom combinations beyond these are available via individual written quotation. Optional add-ons (Employer Coordination Support +¥11,000 for employment certificates, convenience-store issuance guidance +¥3,300 for individual seal certificates) can be combined with bundle pricing. Email is recommended for written document review and quotation requests. WhatsApp Business may be used for initial overseas inquiries, but formal quotation, document scope, and written instructions may be handled by email.
Do you handle countries other than the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines?
Our service scope primarily covers five supported destination countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Destinations outside our scope:
- Jurisdictions where sworn translator systems may be relevant: generally outside our scope
- Jurisdictions where embassy or consular legalization routes are often relevant: generally outside our scope
- Other non-Hague Convention countries: consular legalization routes may be required
Our service scope primarily covers these five destination countries. We check the required translation format and authentication route against the receiving authority's requirements before proceeding. We do not handle destinations outside this service scope. Please confirm the applicable authentication and translation route with the destination country's embassy, consulate, local qualified professional, or a specialist familiar with that jurisdiction's translation and authentication rules.
I'm based overseas. Can you procure Japanese documents on my behalf?
Yes — we handle the entire process by power-of-attorney-based procurement service. Most clients are based overseas. The workflow:
- (1) Document procurement (¥5,500/document + actual costs, from registered domicile or residence registry)
- (2) MOFA apostille procurement at Kasumigaseki
- (3) Certified Translation preparation (with gyoseishoshi's Certification of Translation Accuracy)
- (4) International shipping (DHL or EMS to destination country)
Most clients are based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, or the Philippines. Email is recommended for written document review and quotation requests. WhatsApp Business may be used for initial overseas inquiries, but formal quotation, document scope, and written instructions may be handled by email. Please prepare a power of attorney template, passport copy, and registered domicile information when contacting us.
How long does the entire process take from document procurement to overseas submission?
It depends on the destination country (Route A or B) and document type:
- Route A (the United States, the United Kingdom): Standard 3-5 business days
- Route B (Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines): Standard 5-10 business days
- Employment certificate and other private documents: 5-10 business days (including employer coordination and route confirmation)
- With procurement service: Above + 3-5 business days (document procurement time)
- International shipping: Above + 3-7 business days (DHL, EMS, etc.)
Office-side priority handling may be considered depending on the document type, receiving authority requirements, and the operating status of MOFA, notary offices, municipal offices, and other issuing authorities. Documents with short validity periods (police clearance, employment certificate, seal certificate) require careful reverse-calculated timeline planning from the final submission deadline. We provide a reverse-calculated schedule at engagement.