Key Points
- A Japanese Marriage Acceptance Certificate certifies that a municipality accepted the relevant marriage notification. It does not determine how a foreign receiving authority will recognize or record the marriage.
- The English words “Marriage Certificate” alone do not determine which Japanese record is required. A Marriage Acceptance Certificate, a family-register record, a Certificate of Matters Stated in the Marriage Notification, and a marriage certificate issued by a foreign authority are different records, and the Japan-side record for a foreign-form marriage reported to Japan is identified case by case from the receiving authority's instructions.
- Within our current five-destination service scope, we handle eligible MOFA apostille procedures and Japanese-to-English Certified Translation for Marriage Acceptance Certificate matters.
- Issuance timing, procurement availability, document recency, authentication target, translation requirements, and any additional formality are case-specific.
What is a Japanese Marriage Acceptance Certificate?
婚姻届受理証明書 / Konin Todoke Juri ShomeishoA Japanese Marriage Acceptance Certificate (konin todoke juri shomeisho / 婚姻届受理証明書) is an official certificate issued by a municipality to certify that the relevant marriage notification was accepted. It is generally requested from the municipality that accepted the marriage notification. This may differ from the municipality of a Japanese party's registered domicile.
The certificate proves acceptance of the specific marriage notification. It is not automatically equivalent to a foreign “marriage certificate,” and the English words “Marriage Certificate” alone do not identify the Japanese record required. We identify the required record from the receiving authority's instructions, the nationality of the parties, the place of marriage and whether it was solemnized in Japanese or foreign form, whether and how it was reported or filed in Japan, and the municipality or other authority that issued the document. The certificate does not determine how a foreign receiving authority will recognize the marriage.
Issuance timing depends on the municipality, filing circumstances, certificate format, and when the accepted notification can be confirmed. A standard certificate may be available promptly in some cases, but same-day issuance should not be assumed or promised. A family register records civil-status information in the family-register system and is a different document. The timing for a marriage to appear in a family register depends on the relevant municipal processing. The receiving authority should determine which record it requires.
A Marriage 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, signature, 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 Certificate of Matters Stated in the Marriage Notification (konin todokesho kisai jiko shomeisho / 婚姻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 Marriage Acceptance Certificate. Filed notification forms contain sensitive information and 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 marriage-notification records is not promised as part of our standard service.
Where both parties are foreign nationals and their marriage notification is accepted by a Japanese municipality, the municipality holds a Japan-side marriage-notification record, but a Japanese family register is not created for a foreign national merely because the marriage notification was accepted. Where a receiving authority asks for proof that the marriage notification was accepted in Japan, we identify which Japanese record actually exists and which certificate the receiving authority's instructions call for.
A marriage certificate issued by a foreign authority is separate from the Japanese family-register or notification record created or maintained when the marriage is reported to Japan. Reporting a foreign-form marriage to Japan does not convert the foreign-issued marriage 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 marriage 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.
Marriage Acceptance Certificate vs. Family Register
Different Records for Different Evidence RequestsA Marriage Acceptance Certificate and a family register are not interchangeable simply because both may contain marriage-related information. The receiving authority's evidence request should determine which document is appropriate.
| Aspect | Marriage Acceptance Certificate | Family Register (koseki tohon) |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Municipality that accepted the marriage notification | Municipality responsible for the relevant registered domicile |
| What it records | Acceptance of the specific marriage notification | Civil-status and family-register information recorded in the relevant register |
| Record scope | Specific notification | Relevant family-register record |
| Availability | Depends on the municipality and processing status | Depends on when the marriage has been recorded in the relevant family register |
| Format | Municipality-specific 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, or filing urgency. Confirm what fact the receiving authority asks the Japanese document to prove.
If the instructions refer generally to a marriage certificate, marriage record, civil-status record, or family record, the exact Japanese document should be clarified before ordering multiple certificates.
Marriage Acceptance Certificate Requirements by Destination
Receiving-Authority Requirements Are Case-SpecificThe five destinations in our current service scope do not share one fixed Marriage Acceptance Certificate authentication or translation process. For each matter, confirm the receiving authority, the Japanese record requested, whether authentication is required, the authentication target, and what translation certification or additional formality is 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 municipality, authentication target, receiving authority, and current instructions before determining the required steps.
Marriage Acceptance Certificate Process
Document-Specific WorkflowThe workflow starts by confirming the receiving authority and the exact Japanese marriage record requested. We then review the issuing municipality, document status, procurement availability, MOFA eligibility, authentication target, and any translation or additional formality required.
* Requirements and timing vary by 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 Marriage Acceptance Certificate
Public-Document Package, MOFA Apostille Handling, and Certified TranslationFor an eligible Marriage 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. Multiple documents, multiple copies, or combined submissions with family-register records are quoted individually.
MOFA Apostille Handling starts from ¥55,000 where the Marriage Acceptance Certificate is eligible for direct MOFA apostille and no Certified Translation is included.
Marriage 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 issuing municipality's procedure permits our handling.
Marriage Acceptance Certificate FAQ
Eight Practical QuestionsThese questions address document selection, issuance timing, certificate format, procurement, authentication, translation, recency, and overseas submission requirements.
Should I use a Marriage Acceptance Certificate or a Family Register?
Use the document identified by the receiving authority's evidence request. A Marriage Acceptance Certificate certifies acceptance of a specific marriage 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 the certificate be issued on the same day the marriage notification is filed?
It may be possible in some cases after the municipality has accepted and can confirm the notification, but same-day issuance is not guaranteed.
Timing depends on the municipality, filing circumstances, office hours, whether the notification requires additional review, where the underlying record is held, and the certificate format requested.
If the deadline is tight, confirm issuance availability with the municipality rather than assuming immediate issuance.
What is the difference between the standard and presentation-style certificates?
Municipalities generally issue an ordinary acceptance certificate and may offer a higher-quality or presentation-style certificate for certain notifications. Availability, paper size, design, issuance timing, and fee can vary by municipality.
For example, JPY 350 for an ordinary certificate and JPY 1,400 for a higher-quality certificate are common statutory or municipal fee amounts, but they should be treated as reference amounts rather than a nationwide guarantee of format or same-day availability.
For overseas submission, use the certificate format accepted by the receiving authority and eligible for the intended Japan-side authentication procedure.
Can Apostille Japan obtain the certificate on my behalf?
Procurement assistance may be available, but it is conditional.
The certificate is generally requested from the municipality that accepted the notification. A notification filer is normally entitled to request the acceptance certificate, and an authorized agent may be able to request it under the municipality's current procedure.
We confirm the requester's eligibility, required authorization, issuing municipality, and 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.
Is notarization required for a Marriage Acceptance Certificate or its translation?
Not necessarily. If authentication is requested only for an eligible original Marriage 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, 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 Marriage 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 Marriage 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 marriage 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, 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.
What if the destination country is outside your current service scope?
Our 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 standard service scope.
For an out-of-scope destination, confirm the authentication and translation requirements with the receiving authority or an appropriate professional familiar with that jurisdiction.