Key Points
- A Japanese Birth Acceptance Certificate certifies that a municipality accepted the relevant birth notification.
- The English words “birth certificate” alone do not determine which Japanese record is required. A Birth Acceptance Certificate, a family-register record, a Certificate of Matters Stated in the Birth Notification, a medical birth certificate prepared by a physician or midwife, and a birth certificate issued by a foreign authority are different records.
- Within our current five-destination service scope, we handle eligible MOFA apostille procedures and Japanese-to-English Certified Translation.
- Issuing authority, procurement eligibility, filing route, document recency, authentication target, and translation requirements are case-specific.
What is a Japanese Birth Acceptance Certificate?
出生届受理証明書 / Shussho Todoke Juri ShomeishoA Japanese Birth Acceptance Certificate (shussho todoke juri shomeisho / 出生届受理証明書) is an official certificate issued by the municipality that accepted the relevant birth notification. It certifies acceptance of that notification. It is different from a family register, from a Certificate of Matters Stated in the Birth Notification, and from a physician- or midwife-prepared birth certificate (shussho shomeisho / 出生証明書), the medical attestation of the birth that accompanies a Japanese birth notification (referred to on this page as the medical birth certificate).
The certificate is not automatically equivalent to a foreign “birth certificate,” and the English words “birth certificate” alone do not identify the Japanese record required. We identify the required record from the receiving authority's instructions, the place of birth, the nationality and Japanese registration status of the child and parents where relevant, and the authority that issued or prepared the document. For a birth notification accepted by a Japanese municipality, the acceptance certificate is requested from the municipality that accepted that notification. This may differ from the municipality of registered domicile.
Issuance timing depends on the municipality, filing circumstances, whether the notification has been fully accepted and recorded for certificate issuance, and the request method. Same-day issuance should not be assumed or promised. A family register is a different record. The timing for birth information to appear in a family register depends on the relevant municipal processing, so no nationwide fixed number of days should be stated.
A Birth Acceptance Certificate issued by a Japanese municipality is a public document and may be eligible for a direct MOFA apostille where it satisfies MOFA's requirements concerning the issuing authority, original document, issue date, issuer, and official seal. For a direct MOFA apostille, an eligible public document is generally required to be an original issued within the preceding three months. An apostille should be obtained only where authentication of the Japanese public document is requested for the specific submission. If the receiving authority instead requires authentication of a translation certificate, a medical birth certificate, a signature, a combined document set, or another private-document element, different Japan-side steps may be required. Confirm the authentication target before documents are bound or notarized.
A medical birth certificate is a different document from the municipal Birth Acceptance Certificate. If the medical birth certificate itself must be authenticated, the applicable Japan-side process depends on the document, issuer, authentication target, and receiving authority.
A Certificate of Matters Stated in the Birth Notification (shussho todokesho kisai jiko shomeisho / 出生届書の記載事項証明書) certifies the contents of the filed notification form itself. It is a separate certificate and not a simple substitute for a Birth Acceptance Certificate. Filed notification forms are in principle not open to public inspection, so whether this certificate can be requested, by whom, and from which office depends on requester eligibility, the reason for the request, and where and how long the form has been retained. Where a receiving authority specifically asks for this certificate, we confirm availability case by case. Research or retrieval of historical birth-notification records is not promised as part of our standard service.
A birth certificate issued by a foreign authority is separate from the Japanese family-register or birth-notification record created or maintained in Japan. Filing or recording a birth in Japan does not convert a foreign-issued birth certificate into a Japanese public document. The MOFA apostille handling described on this page concerns eligible public documents issued in Japan, so we first confirm which Japanese record exists for the birth in question.
A note on terminology: A Gyoseishoshi (行政書士) is a Japanese national qualification under the Gyoseishoshi Act. Within the scope permitted by Japanese law, a Gyoseishoshi may prepare and submit certain documents to government agencies and handle related administrative procedures.
Birth Acceptance Certificate vs. Family Register
Different Records for Different Evidence RequestsA Birth Acceptance Certificate and a family register are not interchangeable simply because both may contain birth-related information. The receiving authority's evidence request should determine which Japanese record is appropriate.
| Aspect | Birth Acceptance Certificate | Family Register (koseki tohon) |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Municipality that accepted the birth notification | Municipality responsible for the relevant registered domicile |
| What it records | Acceptance of the specific birth notification | Civil-status and family-register information recorded in the relevant register |
| Record scope | Specific notification | Relevant family-register record |
| Availability | Depends on the accepting municipality and processing status | Depends on when the birth has been recorded in the relevant family register |
| Format | Municipality-specific acceptance-certificate format | Family-register certificate format |
| MOFA apostille | May be eligible for a direct MOFA apostille if the submitted original satisfies MOFA requirements | May be eligible for a direct MOFA apostille if the submitted original satisfies MOFA requirements |
| Receiving-authority use | Confirm current instructions | Confirm current instructions |
| MOFA recency | Eligible public original generally issued within the preceding three months for a direct MOFA apostille | Eligible public original generally issued within the preceding three months for a direct MOFA apostille |
Do not select the document solely from the destination country, visa category, family composition, or filing urgency. Confirm what fact the receiving authority asks the Japanese document to prove.
If the instructions refer generally to a “birth certificate,” birth record, civil-status record, or proof of parent-child relationship, clarify the exact Japanese document before ordering multiple records.
Birth notifications for children born outside Japan may be filed through a Japanese embassy or consulate or, depending on the procedure, sent to a Japanese municipality. These cases should not be treated as identical to a birth notification filed directly with a municipality in Japan. The available Japanese record, the authority that can issue it, the family-register status, and the appropriate evidence for the overseas receiving authority should be confirmed from the actual filing route. We do not promise that a municipal Birth Acceptance Certificate will automatically become available from the registered-domicile municipality after a fixed period.
Birth Acceptance Certificate Requirements by Destination
Receiving-Authority Requirements Are Case-SpecificThe five destinations in our current service scope do not share one fixed Birth Acceptance Certificate authentication or translation process. For each matter, confirm the receiving authority, the exact Japanese birth or civil-status record requested, whether authentication is required, the authentication target, and any translation or additional formality specified.
The organizations below are examples of possible receiving authorities. Requirements for one organization or procedure should not automatically be applied to another.
the United States
USCIS · Courts · State and Local Authorities · Other Recipientsthe United Kingdom
UKVI · Government Bodies · Courts · Other OrganizationsSingapore
ICA · MOM · Other Receiving AuthoritiesNew Zealand
Immigration New Zealand · Government and Other Receiving Authoritiesthe Philippines
Government Authorities · Courts · Civil Registrars · Other RecipientsDestination country alone does not determine the Japan-side process. We confirm the Japanese record, issuing authority, authentication target, receiving authority, and current instructions before determining the required steps.
Birth Acceptance Certificate Process
Document-Specific WorkflowThe workflow starts by confirming the receiving authority and the exact Japanese birth record requested. We then review the accepting municipality or other filing route, document status, procurement availability, MOFA eligibility, authentication target, and any translation or additional formality required.
* Requirements and timing vary by filing route, municipal processing, certificate status, receiving authority, required Japan-side procedures, translation work, and delivery arrangements. Same-day municipal issuance and external authority processing times are outside our control.
Pricing for Birth Acceptance Certificate
Public-Document Package, MOFA Apostille Handling, and Certified TranslationFor an eligible Birth Acceptance Certificate matter requiring both MOFA apostille handling and one Certified Translation, the Public-Document Package — Where Applicable starts from JPY 77,000 (tax included). Certified Translation alone starts from JPY 33,000.
If only public-document apostille handling is required, the separate professional fee starts from JPY 55,000. MOFA itself does not charge the applicant an apostille application fee.
Where certificate procurement assistance is legally and procedurally available, the professional fee is JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements. Municipal issuance fees and postage are third-party costs, not part of our professional fee.
Municipal issuance fees, domestic postage, international courier or shipping charges, and other third-party disbursements are not included in the professional fees shown on this page and are settled separately from them.
MOFA Apostille Handling starts from ¥55,000 where the Birth Acceptance Certificate is eligible for direct MOFA apostille and no Certified Translation is included.
Birth Acceptance Certificate Procurement Assistance is JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements such as municipal issuance fees and postage, where the relevant notification filer can authorize the request and the accepting municipality's procedure permits our handling.
Birth Acceptance Certificate FAQ
Eight Practical QuestionsThese questions address document selection, issuing authority, procurement, overseas birth notifications, medical birth certificates, authentication, translation, recency, and overseas submission requirements.
How should I request a Birth Acceptance Certificate review?
For an initial inquiry, please provide the destination country, receiving authority, document name, desired deadline, and whether the document has already been issued.
Email is recommended where written requirements or detailed instructions need to be reviewed. WhatsApp may be used for initial overseas inquiries, and LINE is available for clients residing in Japan.
Should I use a Birth Acceptance Certificate or a Family Register?
Use the document identified by the receiving authority's evidence request. A Birth Acceptance Certificate certifies acceptance of a specific birth notification, while a family register contains the relevant civil-status information recorded in the family-register system.
Do not assume that one document is always the primary document or that obtaining both is automatically safer. If the receiving authority's wording is unclear, confirm what Japanese record it expects before ordering multiple certificates.
Can Apostille Japan obtain the Birth Acceptance Certificate on my behalf?
Procurement assistance may be available, but it is conditional.
The Birth Acceptance Certificate is generally requested by the notification filer from the municipality that accepted the notification. A parent who was not the notification filer should not automatically be treated as independently entitled to request the certificate.
An authorized agent may be able to request the certificate with authorization from the notification filer under the municipality's current procedure.
We confirm requester eligibility, required authorization, accepting municipality, and the current request procedure before accepting procurement work.
Where our procurement assistance is available, the professional fee is JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements such as municipal issuance fees and postage.
What if the child was born outside Japan?
Birth notifications for children born outside Japan may follow a different filing route from births reported directly to a municipality in Japan.
A Japanese birth notification may be filed through a Japanese embassy or consulate or, depending on the circumstances and procedure, submitted to a Japanese municipality. Applicable deadlines and nationality-related requirements are separate legal matters and should be confirmed with the relevant Japanese authority.
For document-service purposes, we first confirm how the birth notification was filed, what Japanese record is now available, which authority can issue it, and what the overseas receiving authority actually requests.
We do not promise that a municipal Birth Acceptance Certificate will automatically become available from the registered-domicile municipality after a fixed number of weeks or months.
Is a Birth Acceptance Certificate the same as a medical birth certificate prepared by a physician or midwife?
No. A municipal Birth Acceptance Certificate certifies acceptance of a birth notification. A medical birth certificate (shussho shomeisho) prepared by a physician or midwife is a different document attesting to the medical facts of the birth.
Do not assume that one is the automatic Japanese equivalent of the other for an overseas procedure.
If the receiving authority asks generally for a “birth certificate,” confirm exactly which Japanese record it accepts.
If the medical birth certificate itself must be authenticated, its Japan-side procedure should be assessed separately rather than assuming a universal notary-first route.
Is notarization required for a Birth Acceptance Certificate or its translation?
Not necessarily. If authentication is requested only for an eligible original municipal Birth Acceptance Certificate itself, a direct MOFA apostille may be the relevant Japan-side procedure.
If the receiving authority instead requires authentication of a translation certificate, medical birth certificate, signature, combined document set, affidavit, or another private-document element, notarization or other additional steps may be required.
The correct process is determined by the authentication target and receiving authority, not by destination country alone.
How long is the Birth Acceptance Certificate valid for overseas submission?
An apostille itself does not have a uniform expiration date. Separately, for a direct MOFA apostille, an eligible Japanese public document is generally required to be an original issued within the preceding three months.
The receiving authority may impose a separate document-age or submission-time requirement on the Birth Acceptance Certificate. These are separate requirements.
Check both MOFA eligibility and the receiving authority's current recency instructions before requesting or reissuing the certificate.
Do translation and authentication requirements differ among the five destinations?
Yes, but the requirements are not determined by destination country alone. The receiving authority may specify which Japanese birth record is required, whether the public document must be apostilled, what must be translated, and whether any additional certification, affidavit, or notarization is required.
USCIS, UKVI, ICA, Immigration New Zealand, Philippine authorities, courts, civil registrars, educational institutions, and other receiving authorities may issue different instructions for different procedures.
We therefore confirm the receiving authority and authentication target before determining the Japan-side steps. For general destination information, please refer to our Country-by-Country Guide.