This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）
In an international marriage, the rule is that each spouse keeps their own surname, and in that case no particular procedure is needed. If you want to change to your foreign partner's surname, you file the 「外国人との婚姻による氏の変更届」 (Notification of Change of Surname due to Marriage with a Foreign National) at the same time as the marriage registration, or within 6 months from the date of marriage. Once 6 months have passed, permission from the family court is needed.
An explanation, for people who have married internationally, of the choices of surname for a couple and the procedure for changing a name.
The rule is that each spouse keeps their own surname, and in that case no particular procedure is needed.
Under the Japanese Family Register Act, as a rule a married couple take the same surname, but there is a special rule for international marriages.
The rule is that the Japanese spouse does not change to the foreign partner's surname, and each spouse keeps their own surname. In that case, no particular procedure is needed.
If you want to change to your foreign partner's surname, you can do so by filing the 「外国人との婚姻による氏の変更届」 at the same time as the marriage registration, or within 6 months from the date of marriage. This notification changes the surname on the family register.
If 6 months from the date of marriage have passed, changing to the foreign partner's surname requires permission from the family court, and the procedure becomes very complicated.
The couple's surnames are determined by the law of that country, and a reporting marriage registration is filed in Japan.
Where the marriage was formed under the law of a foreign country, the couple's surnames are determined by the law of that country. In Japan, you file a 「婚姻届」 (marriage registration, in its reporting form) to report that the marriage has been formed.
Starting with the 在留カード and passport, the name must be changed on every document that shows your name.
Among the changes to the entries on the 在留カード, the counter for notifying a change of name is the 地方出入国在留管理官署. What the municipal office counter handles is only the notification of place of residence, so going to the municipal office when you change your name will not get the procedure done. If you are also moving house, note that the counters are split: the notification of place of residence goes to the municipal office, and the notification of the change of name goes to the 地方出入国在留管理官署.
The procedure differs by financial institution, but in general you will need identification showing your new surname (在留カード, passport, and so on) and a certified copy of the family register.
Once you change your surname it is very hard to change it back, so we suggest deciding carefully.
The choice of surname in an international marriage is not just a procedure. It is a matter that goes deeply into the identity of both of you and into your life from now on.
A change of surname is a procedure that, once done, is very hard to reverse. It is an important decision that will stay with you, so we suggest talking it through fully with your partner, respecting each other's culture and identity, and deciding carefully.
The procedure for changing a surname requires not only the marriage registration but various other documents, and it may feel complicated. In particular, where the marriage procedure took place abroad, or where 6 months have passed, the legal procedure becomes more complicated still. If you feel uncertain about the procedure, please consult a specialist such as a 行政書士 (certified administrative procedures legal specialist (gyoseishoshi)) early on.
No. In an international marriage, the rule is that each spouse keeps their own surname. In that case, no particular procedure is needed.
You can change it by filing the 「外国人との婚姻による氏の変更届」 at the same time as the marriage registration, or within 6 months from the date of marriage. This notification changes the surname on the family register.
Changing to your foreign partner's surname then requires permission from the family court, and the procedure becomes very complicated. If you are thinking of changing your surname, we suggest completing the notification within the 6-month period.
The name needs to be changed on every document that shows your name: the 在留カード, passport, bank accounts, credit cards, driving licence, health insurance card, pension book, and so on. Of these, the change of name on the 在留カード is notified to the 地方出入国在留管理官署. Please note that the municipal office handles only the notification of place of residence.
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This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.