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Procedures After Getting Married in Japan: 婚姻届, Residence Card, Health Insurance・Pension and 在留資格

Procedures after marrying in Japan: 婚姻届 and the 婚姻要件具備証明書, the 世帯変更届 and 在留カード記載事項変更届出 within 14 days, dependent status in the spouse's health insurance and 国民年金 Category 3, whether a 在留資格 change is needed, and the 配偶者控除.

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Highlights:Where to goDocumentsAmountsDeadlines

After you marry in Japan (whether to a Japanese national or between two foreign nationals), you have to complete procedures at several separate offices: the 市区町村, the immigration services bureau, health insurance・pension, and tax, and many of them have a "within 14 days" deadline. This article organizes what to do after marriage, and the points to watch, by procedure, for foreign residents in Japan who are about to marry or have just married. Counters and required documents differ by 市区町村; follow the instructions of the office where you file.

Key points

  • 婚姻届: When marrying in Japan, you submit the 婚姻届 to the 市区町村, and the marriage takes effect once it is accepted; a foreign national must in general attach a 「婚姻要件具備証明書」 issued by their home country, together with a Japanese translation.
  • Within 14 days: when the 世帯 or 世帯主 changes, submit a 世帯変更届; when your name changes because of marriage, submit a 「在留カード記載事項変更届出」 to immigration.
  • Health insurance・pension: to become a dependent in your spouse's health insurance and a 国民年金 Category 3 insured person, your spouse submits the forms through the company within 5 days.
  • 在留資格 (status of residence): marriage does not change your 在留資格 automatically; if you no longer carry out the activities of your original status and live as a spouse, you must apply to change your 在留資格.
  • Tax: the 配偶者控除 is judged by the situation on December 31 of that year, and is declared through the 年末調整 or the 確定申告.

Timeline

When Procedure Office Deadline / notes
At marriage 婚姻届 市区町村 of the 本籍地 or of the place where you are staying Marriage takes effect on acceptance; no fee
After marriage 世帯変更届 (merging 世帯 at the same address, etc.) 市区町村 Within 14 days from the day of the change; if you move, follow the 転入・転居届
If your name changes after marriage 在留カード記載事項変更届出 Regional immigration services bureau Within 14 days from the day of the change; no fee
After marriage Health insurance dependent・国民年金 Category 3 Spouse's company → 日本年金機構 Within 5 days after the event
After joining the spouse's health insurance Withdrawal from 国民健康保険 市区町村 Within 14 days
When living as a spouse 在留資格変更許可申請 Regional immigration services bureau From the occurrence of the reason for change until the day of your period of stay expires
Year-end 配偶者控除 年末調整 or 確定申告 Based on the situation on December 31

婚姻届

  • For a marriage in Japan between a Japanese national and a foreign national, or between foreign nationals, the 婚姻届 must be submitted to the 市区町村 of the 本籍地 or of the place where the notifying person is staying, and the marriage takes effect once it is accepted; there is no fee, the form needs the signatures of 2 adult witnesses, and you must show identification at the counter.
  • A foreign national must also attach a 「婚姻要件具備証明書」 issued by their home country's embassy・consulate or similar, and a Japanese translation with the translator's name stated (a translation by yourself is also accepted). If your home country does not issue this certificate, a sworn statement made before a consul, or a copy of your home country's law together with identity documents such as a passport・birth certificate, can be used instead.
  • A foreign national who completes the marriage at their home country's embassy・consulate in Japan according to their home country's method does not need to notify the Japanese counter again.
  • From March 1, 2024, when you submit somewhere other than the 本籍地, a 戸籍証明書 is in principle no longer needed; other attachments depend on the 市区町村 where you file.

Resident registration: 世帯変更届 (within 14 days)

  • If, after marriage, you merge 世帯 at the same address, change the 世帯主, or otherwise your 世帯 or 世帯主 changes, you must submit a 世帯変更届 to the 市区町村 within 14 days from the day of the change (住民基本台帳法第25条); if you move to a new address, follow the 転入・転居届.
  • For a foreign resident who is not the 世帯主, when the 世帯主 is also a foreign resident, a 「世帯主との続柄を証する文書」 (such as a marriage certificate) must be attached when making these notifications or when the relationship to the 世帯主 changes.

Residence card: within 14 days when your name changes

  • A mid- to long-term resident whose name changes because of marriage must submit a 「在留カード記載事項変更届出」 to the regional immigration services bureau within 14 days from the day of the change; there is no fee.
  • You must submit the passport showing the new name, a marriage certificate (a 戸籍謄本 when marrying a Japanese national) and a photo, and show your current residence card. It is best to have your passport updated or reissued first; otherwise the new card may not be issued the same day.
  • If your name has not changed, no procedure is needed.

Health insurance and pension

  • To become a dependent in your spouse's health insurance after marriage, your spouse (the insured person) submits the 「健康保険 被扶養者（異動）届」 and the 「国民年金 第3号被保険者関係届」 (a single combined form) to the company, and the company submits them to the 日本年金機構 within 5 days after the event; for 健康保険組合, the procedure goes through each 組合.
  • A dependent must have an address in Japan (住民票) and an annual income of in principle under 1.3 million yen; when living together, the income must also be less than half of the spouse's income (when living apart, less than the amount remitted by the spouse).
  • A person aged 20 or older and under 60 who is supported by a spouse enrolled in 厚生年金 is a Category 3 insured person and pays no premiums themselves.
  • If you were previously in 国民健康保険, after joining your spouse's health insurance you must go to the 市区町村 and withdraw within 14 days.

在留資格: whether to change it

  • Marriage itself does not change your 在留資格 automatically, and while you continue the activities of your current 在留資格 (such as working) you may keep it.
  • If you marry a Japanese national or a 永住者 and no longer carry out the activities of your original 在留資格 but live as a spouse, the 出入国在留管理庁 asks you to apply promptly to change to 「日本人の配偶者等」 or 「永住者の配偶者等」; not carrying out the activities of your original 在留資格 may lead to the 在留資格 being revoked.
  • The application period runs from the occurrence of the reason for change until the day your period of stay expires; when an over-the-counter application is approved, a fee of 10,000 to 75,000 yen is charged depending on the permitted period (6,000 yen for applications accepted before September 30, 2026), and the standard processing period is 1 to 2 months. You can check the fee for your desired period of stay with the self-check tool.
  • If your spouse holds a work-type 在留資格 such as 「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 and you are supported by them, the relevant 在留資格 is 「家族滞在」.

Tax: 配偶者控除

  • The income-tax 配偶者控除 is judged by the situation on December 31 of that year: the person must be a legal spouse under the Civil Code (a de facto marriage does not count), share the taxpayer's living expenses, have a spouse whose total income is 620,000 yen or less (from the 令和8年分; if only wages, wage income of 1.36 million yen or less), and the taxpayer's own total income must be 10 million yen or less.
  • If the spouse's total income exceeds 620,000 yen and is 1.33 million yen or less, the 配偶者特別控除 may apply.
  • Company employees generally declare through the 年末調整, and others through the 確定申告.

Common misconceptions

  • "Once married, my 在留資格 automatically becomes a spouse visa": it does not change automatically; if you live as a spouse, you must apply for a change.
  • "If I keep working, I must also change to a spouse visa": while you continue the activities of your current 在留資格, you may keep your original status.
  • "I changed my surname, so I will update the residence card at the next renewal": a name change requires a 在留カード記載事項変更届出 within 14 days.
  • "The 配偶者控除 also applies to de facto marriage": the 配偶者控除 is limited to legal spouses under the Civil Code.

Document checklist (you can tick items)

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Marriage to a Japanese national: change to 「日本人の配偶者等」

0／15

Only for people who no longer engage in the activities of their original status of residence and apply for a change in order to live as the spouse of a Japanese national. Submit to the 地方出入国在留管理官署 with jurisdiction over your address, from the occurrence of the reason for the change of status of residence until the day of expiry of the period of stay; standard processing time is 1 to 2 months. When an over-the-counter application is approved, a fee (revenue stamp) of 10,000 to 75,000 yen is paid according to the permitted period (applications accepted before 2026-09-30 remain at 6,000 yen). Certificates issued in Japan must be within 3 months of the issue date, and foreign-language documents need a Japanese translation.

  • 📍 出入国在留管理庁 (immigration)

  • 📍 You prepare it⏳ Taken within 6 months before the submission date

    Not required for those under 1 year old on the date the residence card is issued (required at age 1 or older for cards issued from 2026-06-14)

  • 📍 City/ward office (市区町村)⏳ Within 3 months of issue (official general rule: all certificates issued in Japan must be within 3 months of the issue date)

    Of the Japanese spouse, and it must state the marriage with the applicant

  • 📍 Other

  • 📍 City/ward office (市区町村)💴 Varies by 市区町村. For example, 新宿区: 300 yen per copy at the counter or by mail, 200 yen per copy at a convenience store; 大阪市: 300 yen per fiscal year at the counter, 200 yen per fiscal year at a convenience store.⏳ When submitted to Immigration, it must be within 3 months of the issue date (出入国在留管理庁).🏪 Available at convenience stores (マイナンバーカード)

    For the person bearing the applicant's costs in Japan, the most recent fiscal year; it is enough if one of this and the tax payment certificate states both total income and tax payment status

    How to get it →

  • 📍 City/ward office (市区町村)💴 Varies by 市区町村. For example, 新宿区: 300 yen per copy at the counter or by mail; 大阪市: 200 yen per fiscal year per tax item at a convenience store.⏳ When submitted to Immigration, it must be within 3 months of the issue date (出入国在留管理庁).🏪 Available at convenience stores (マイナンバーカード)

    Same as above

    How to get it →

  • 📍 You prepare it

    The Japanese spouse residing in Japan serves as the sponsor

  • 📍 City/ward office (市区町村)💴 Varies by 市区町村. For example, 新宿区: 300 yen per copy at the counter, 200 yen per copy at a convenience store.⏳ When submitted to Immigration, it must be within 3 months of the issue date (出入国在留管理庁).🏪 Available at convenience stores (マイナンバーカード)

    Listing all members of the Japanese spouse's household; omit My Number, do not omit other items

    How to get it →

  • 📍 出入国在留管理庁 (immigration)

  • 📍 You prepare it

  • 📍 You prepare it

    Must also be presented when someone else submits on your behalf

Only if it applies to you

  • Only if the marriage is not yet recorded in the 戸籍謄本

    📍 City/ward office (市区町村)

  • Only if costs in Japan cannot be proved with the tax assessment/payment certificates, e.g., because of recent arrival or moving

    📍 You prepare it

  • Same as above

    📍 Your employer (organization)

  • Only if submitted by someone other than the applicant

    📍 Other

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Official sources

This article is based on the official pages below. Check the originals before you apply.

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