Frequently Asked Questions

An apostille is a certification established under the Hague Convention of 1961 (Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents). In Japan it is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Once apostilled, a document is accepted in all 120+ member countries without consular authentication.

The apostille is a stamp affixed by MOFA certifying the authenticity of the issuing authority and official seal. It does not guarantee the accuracy of the document's content.

The required procedure differs depending on the destination country.

The apostille itself has no statutory expiry date. However, please note the following.

• Application limitMOFA generally requires public documents issued within the past 3 months (exceptions for documents issued only once, such as original degree certificates).
• Receiving institution limitsThe receiving institution or embassy may impose its own validity periods (e.g. "within 3 months of issue"). Always verify directly.

MOFA apostille and official seal verification fees are free of charge (both in-person and postal).

However, the following disbursements apply: notary public fee (from ¥5,000/doc, tax-exempt), Legal Affairs Bureau fee (¥1,700/doc, tax-exempt), embassy consular fee (varies by country), and postage.

Required when submitting documents to Hague Convention non-member countries such as China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Vietnam. It is a two-step process: official seal verification at MOFA, then consular authentication at the relevant embassy in Japan.

China is not a Hague member, so apostilles cannot be used. The procedure for China is as follows.

• STEP 1(Private docs) Notary public certification
• STEP 2(Private docs) Legal Affairs Bureau notary stamp certification
• STEP 3MOFA official seal verification
• STEP 4Consular authentication at the Chinese Embassy (or Consulate-General)

Our service fee starts from ¥35,000 (excl. tax). In addition, embassy consular fees (¥3,000–¥30,000+), plus notary, Legal Affairs Bureau and postage costs apply. We provide an all-inclusive total in the quotation.

• STEP 1Free consultation & quote: Contact us via Email or WhatsApp with document type, destination country and required turnaround. We provide an all-inclusive quote.
• STEP 2Confirm & send documents: Once you accept the quote, post your documents to us or drop them off at our Akasaka office.
• STEP 3Authentication: We submit to the notary, Legal Affairs Bureau, MOFA and/or embassy as required. Progress updates by email.
• STEP 4Completion & return: Documents returned via Letterpack Plus (domestic) or DHL / FedEx (international).
• STEP 5Payment: Bank transfer or credit card (coming soon).

The one-stop service allows applicants to file for notary certification, Legal Affairs Bureau notary stamp certification and MOFA apostille at a single notary office in designated prefectures, eliminating multiple institution visits.

Our Akasaka office actively uses the one-stop service to speed up procedures for our clients.

For public documents only, postal application to MOFA is possible. However, private documents or embassy authentication require multiple in-person visits on weekday business hours.

Our service fee starts from ¥25,000 (excl. tax, per document). MOFA fees are free, so you pay only our service fee plus disbursements (postage, etc.).

Express handling adds the following surcharge on top of the standard fee.

• Within 5 business daysStandard fee +50%
• Within 3 business daysStandard fee +100%
• Next-dayStandard fee +200%

Quotations are free. Contact us via Email or WhatsApp with document type, number, destination country and required turnaround. We provide a full breakdown of all fees and disbursements.

Embassy authentication involves multiple steps, so standard turnaround is 10–14 business days from receipt (including postage). Chinese and UAE embassies may take longer during busy periods. Contact us for the Express Plan if you have a tight deadline.

Yes. Family register extracts (koseki tohon / shohon) and residence certificates (jūminhyo) issued by municipal offices are public documents and can be submitted directly to MOFA without a notary. We also offer certified translation if required.

Degree certificates and transcripts from private universities or incorporated national/public universities cannot be submitted directly to MOFA for apostille (not classified as public documents). The following steps are required.

• STEP 1Notary public certification
• STEP 2Legal Affairs Bureau notary stamp certification (¥1,700/doc)
• STEP 3MOFA apostille application

Yes. For private documents: notary public certification → Legal Affairs Bureau certification → MOFA application.

Translation is not required for the apostille application itself. However, the receiving institution may require a translation.

The translation itself is a private document and may require separate notarisation. We offer certified translation (Japanese→English/French) from ¥15,000/doc, with a discount when bundled with authentication.

Registry extracts (zenkō jikō shōmeisho) issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau are public documents. However, for apostille you must separately obtain a LAB Director's official seal certification of the registry official's seal before submitting to MOFA. The registry official's seal alone is not sufficient.

A document with a translation attached is treated as a composite bound document, and MOFA cannot issue an apostille for it. The correct order is to obtain the apostille on the original document before attaching any translation.

Never remove the staples. Documents such as family register and registry extracts that are stapled together function as a single certificate through their physical integrity.

Technically an apostille can be affixed to an original diploma, but MOFA cautions against this. Once attached it cannot be removed, which may cause difficulties for future use.

We strongly recommend confirming with the receiving institution whether a separate degree certificate can be used instead before submitting the original.

Significant additional charges beyond the pre-order quote are not appropriate. Legitimate cost adjustments may occur based on document content, but prior explanation is always required.

When completing marriage procedures abroad, documents such as family register extracts and certificates of eligibility to marry typically require an apostille (Hague members) or official seal verification + consular authentication (non-members).

• Hague member countriesObtain apostille on family register extract and certificate of eligibility to marry, then submit
• Non-Hague countriesObtain official seal verification + embassy consular authentication on same documents, then submit

Yes, many universities abroad require apostilles on degree certificates, transcripts, family register extracts and other documents.

Police clearance certificates are public documents issued by the National Police Agency. The applicant must appear in person to apply, but collection and subsequent MOFA submission can be handled by an agent. We handle everything from collection through MOFA application (personal police attendance still required).

MOFA does not accept postal applications from overseas. Clients living outside Japan must apply through a domestic agent (such as our office).

• Document preparationHave a family member in Japan obtain and post the documents to us, or we can arrange collection (additional fee)
• AuthenticationHandled entirely by our office
• ReturnReturned to your overseas address via DHL, FedEx or equivalent

Yes, we handle authentication of corporate documents including registry extracts, articles of incorporation, powers of attorney and financial statements. Corporate accounts for ongoing (monthly / regular) orders are available.

Yes, we accept mail-in requests from anywhere in Japan. Post your documents to our Akasaka, Tokyo office. We return them via Letterpack Plus (domestic) or DHL / FedEx (international).

Yes, consultations are available in 8 languages: Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Indonesian, Arabic, Vietnamese and Portuguese.

We currently accept bank transfer. An invoice is sent by email after order confirmation (transfer fees at client's expense). Credit card payment (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) will be introduced from opening in July 2026.

Administrative scriveners are nationally qualified professionals authorised under Article 1-2 of the Administrative Scrivener Act to prepare documents and handle submission procedures on behalf of clients. Submission to MOFA, notary offices, Legal Affairs Bureaux and embassies falls within their lawful scope of practice.

A power of attorney from the client to our office is generally not required. MOFA, notary and Legal Affairs Bureau procedures permit representation by an agent. However, some embassies may require a power of attorney or passport copy — we will advise at the time of enquiry.

We operate on a prepayment basis. After order confirmation, payment of the service fee is required before documents are sent. Disbursements can be settled after completion or included in an upfront lump-sum — your choice.

Under the amended Immigration Control Act (enacted June 2024, effective 1 April 2027), permanent residents who intentionally fail to pay public charges — income tax, resident tax, pension and health insurance premiums — may have their residence status revoked.

• Subject to revocationWilful non-payment despite having the financial means to pay — targeting serious, long-term defaulters
• NOT subject to revocationAccidental missed payments, temporary non-payment due to illness, unemployment or other unavoidable circumstances
• Reporting systemA new provision allows (but does not require) national and local government employees to report suspected cases to the immigration authorities

If you hold permanent residence, please verify that all taxes and social insurance contributions are current. If you have arrears, consult the relevant tax office or municipal office promptly to arrange instalment payments. Our office can also advise permanent-resident clients on maintaining stable residence status in connection with authentication services.

Working holiday visa applications may require an apostille or embassy authentication on documents issued in your home country, such as criminal record certificates, bank statements and medical certificates.

Japan currently has working holiday agreements with over 30 countries, and the list is expanding (Malta is among the latest additions). As new countries are added, embassy authentication requirements change, making it important to verify current requirements.

• Hague member countries (e.g. France, Germany, South Korea, Australia)Apostille on criminal record certificate and other documents
• Non-Hague countriesOfficial seal verification + consular authentication at the relevant embassy in Japan

In April 2026, the Japanese government announced its intention to revise the examination guidelines for the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services (Gijinkoku) residence status, requiring new applicants who will perform Japanese-language duties to submit proof of Japanese language proficiency at CEFR B2 level or above (equivalent to JLPT N2) as a matter of principle. The revision was reported to be scheduled for mid-April 2026. Applicants seeking a change of status who are already in Japan — such as graduating international students — are expected to be exempt.

• Subject (planned)Newly arriving foreign nationals applying for Gijinkoku to perform Japanese-language duties
• Exempt (planned)Applicants seeking a change of status, such as international students graduating in Japan
• Required level (planned)CEFR B2 or above (JLPT N2 or higher)

For the Gijinkoku residence status application, you may be required to submit degree certificates, transcripts or Japanese language proficiency certificates issued by an overseas institution. The required authentication procedure depends on the country where the document was issued.

• STEP 1Confirm whether the document-issuing country is a Hague Convention member
• STEP 2Obtain official authentication in the issuing country (via a local agent or the issuing institution)
• STEP 3Prepare a Japanese translation (signed by the translator, with name and signature)
• STEP 4Submit together with the Certificate of Eligibility application to the immigration office

When applying for a Certificate of Eligibility for the Gijinkoku residence status, the following documents issued overseas by the applicant may be required.