Japanese Marriage Certificate Translation for UK Visa
Japan does not issue separate marriage certificates the way Western countries do. Marriage is recorded in the Koseki (戸籍) family register instead. UK visa applicants need a certified translation of the right Koseki extract. Knowing which document to ask for matters just as much as the translation itself.
Japan's civil registration system is unusual. It does not issue a separate certificate for each event (birth, marriage, death). Instead, each family unit has a Koseki — a household family register — that records every one of these events. To prove a marriage for a UK visa, you need the right type of Koseki extract, plus a certified translation of it.
Which Koseki Document Does UKVI Need?
For UK spouse and family visa applications, UKVI usually accepts one of two documents. The first is the Kon-in Todoke-Zumi Shomeisho (婚姻届出済証明書) — the "Confirmation of Marriage Notification". The second is a Koseki Tohon (戸籍謄本), the full family register extract that shows the marriage entry. The Koseki Tohon shows more, so most people prefer it: it lists both spouses' full details.
Types of Japanese Marriage Documents
Koseki Tohon (戸籍謄本)
Full copy of the family register. It shows all family members, plus every marriage, birth, death and divorce in that Koseki. It shows the most detail, and it is usually what UKVI wants.
Koseki Shohon (戸籍抄本)
An extract covering only named people in the register. It shows less than the Tohon. It is usually enough to prove one person's own details, but the Tohon is safer for visa applications.
Kon-in Todoke-Zumi Shomeisho (婚姻届出済証明書)
A certificate showing the municipal office has accepted your marriage notification. It is shorter than the Koseki, but it confirms the marriage itself. Useful when you are short of time.
Gaikokujin Toroku (外国人登録)
Foreign resident registration — useful if a non-Japanese spouse is registered in Japan. It holds address and relationship details that can back up the Koseki.
Japanese Name Order and Characters
Japanese names put the family name first and the given name second — the same as Chinese and Korean. In Yamada Hanako, Yamada is the family name and Hanako is the given name. Japanese documents mix three scripts: kanji (Chinese-derived characters), hiragana (a phonetic script), and katakana (used for foreign words and names).
Japanese Name Romanisation Challenges
- Official Hepburn romanisation: This is the standard system the Japanese government uses for passports. Your translator uses it too, so the spelling matches your passport.
- Surname change on marriage: Japan's Civil Code (as of 2026) traditionally required a married couple to share one surname. This is changing, but in the past the wife usually took the husband's surname. The Koseki shows the surname change, and the translation must show it too.
- Kanji with multiple readings: Many kanji can be read in more than one way. A name like 和子 could be Kazuko or Katsuko. Translators work it out from the context and from any kana reading printed on the document.
- Foreign names in katakana: A non-Japanese spouse's name appears in the Koseki in katakana. The translation should show the original katakana and the English spelling.
Obtaining Your Koseki from Japan
The Koseki is kept at the municipal office (shiyakusho 市役所 or kuyakusho 区役所) for the family's registered address (honseki 本籍). Here is how to get a copy:
- In person: Go to the municipal office with your ID and pay a small fee (usually ¥450–¥750 per document)
- By post within Japan: Send a request form with a copy of your ID and the fee (postal orders or cash in Japan)
- Via the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in London: They offer limited help with getting Koseki documents from abroad
- Through the My Number portal: Some municipalities now let you get Koseki documents online through Japan's digital government services
- Through a registered administrative scrivener (gyosei shoshi): A licensed Japanese professional who can request the documents for you
Costs and Turnaround
| Service | Turnaround | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Translation | 24 hours | From £17.99/page |
| Rush Translation | 8 hours | From £29.99/page |
Frequently Asked Questions
My spouse is non-Japanese. Is our marriage in the Koseki?
Yes. When a Japanese national marries a foreign national, the marriage goes into the Japanese spouse's Koseki. The foreign spouse's name appears in katakana. They are not added as a full member of the Koseki — they appear as a note beside the Japanese spouse's entry. This is normal.
Our marriage took place outside Japan. Is it in the Koseki?
If you married overseas, you should have filed a marriage report (Kon-in Todoke 婚姻届) at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. The embassy then sends it to the Japanese spouse's hometown municipality, which records it in the Koseki. If that was done, the marriage will show in the Koseki. If it was not done, the Koseki may not show the marriage at all. In that case, use the foreign marriage certificate, with a certified translation, as your main evidence.
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