Marriage Certificate Translation Services

Accurate English Translations of Japanese Marriage Certificates and Related Documents

If you’re planning to register your marriage internationally, apply for a spouse visa, or submit official documentation abroad, you may be required to provide an English translation of your Japanese marriage certificate. At Samurai Translators, we specialize in the translation of Japanese legal and civil documents, including all documents related to marriage.

The following are commonly required for translation when proving a marriage to foreign authorities:

• Certificate of Registered Matters in Family Register (Marriage) [Kosekitodokegakikisaijiko Shomeisho:Marriage]
• Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage [Konintodoke Jurishomeisho]
• Family Register [Koseki Tohon]

Requirements vary depending on the destination country and the authority you are submitting documents to (such as embassies, immigration offices, or family courts). We recommend confirming which documents are needed before placing your translation order.

At Samurai Translators, we provide accurate and reliable translations for marriage-related documents. All of our translations are accompanied by a Certificate of Translation, which is signed by the responsible translator and stamped with our official company seal. This certificate verifies that the translation is a true and faithful rendering of the original document, and is suitable for visa applications, marriage registration, and other official purposes.

To get started, simply email us a scanned copy or clear photo of your original document(s). We will respond promptly with a quote, estimated delivery time, and payment instructions. Our team has extensive experience handling translations for international marriage, immigration, and legal use.

As a member of the Japan Association of Translators (JAT) and the Japan Translation Federation (JTF), Samurai Translators is committed to maintaining high standards of quality, confidentiality, and professionalism.

Translation Fees

For more information, please visit our Family Register page.　⇒　Family Register Translation

Delivery Times

Turnaround: Standard delivery is within 5 business days of receipt of payment. Earlier delivery made by the following day is available (express translation fees will apply)
See here for more information on our delivery times.　⇒　Translation Delivery Methods and Times

Certificate of Translation

Our certificate translations come with a Certificate of Translation attached with our company seal and the signature of the translator in charge of your translation. Our Certificate of Translation Service is widely accepted. You can rest at ease that translated documents submitted with your visa application will be accepted as authentic.

Sample: Certificate of Translation (Sample)

Translation Notarization

Many marriage certificate translations are required to be notarized so be sure to check the requirements of the institution you are submitting your documents to before placing your translation order.
For more on notarization, visit our “Notarization Page“.

What translated marriage documents do I need to submit?

Many people who are instructed to submit translations of their marriage certificates and translations of other documents by an institution are confused about which of the documents issued in Japan they are required to submit.

For example, in the United States and other predominantly Christian countries, the ritual of marriage is performed before a Christian priest who witnesses the commitment of marriage between the two people and issues a certificate (Marriage Certificate) for the marriage.

In Japan, marriage is not a religious institution and when marrying in Japan the parties are required to submit a “Notification of Marriage” to the relevant public office and obtain an “acceptance of the notification” therefrom.

Therefore, the “Marriage Certificate” as seen in Christian countries does not exist in Japan. So what in Japan constitutes this type of marriage certificate which certifies the marriage between two people?

Here we will explain the differences between the Notification of Marriage (Konintodoke), Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage (Konintodoke Jurishomeisho) and Certificate of Registered Matters in Family Register.v

Japanese Translation of Marriage Certificate

If you are in an international marriage and have married abroad, you may be required to provide a translation of the marriage certificate issued by the overseas country when submitting a notification of your marriage to a public office in Japan. We translate marriage certificates issued in any country most commonly in the United Sates and the Philippines. To marry a foreigner in Japan, you may also be required to present a marriage license, Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage, Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage and other documents together with a translation from English to Japanese. Samurai Translators handles a large number of translations of Japanese official documents into English as well as translations of official documents issued overseas into Japanese so do not hesitate to take advantage of our translation service if you need to translate your marriage documents into Japanese.

Translation of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage

In the case of international marriages, the documents required will vary depending on whether the couple is married in Japan or overseas and if a couple marries overseas; Japanese citizens will still generally need to submit a notification of their marriage to a public office in Japan after their marriage.

Translation of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage from Japanese to English

When marrying abroad, in many cases a Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage issued by the Japanese government will be required together with an English translation. Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage certifies that according to the Family Register, the party to the intended marriage (the Japanese partner) is single and there is no legal impediment under Japanese law to the marriage with his/her partner. When the certificate is issued, the marriage partner must also be entered on the certificate and a generic certificate is not available. (However, recently due to emergence of countries which accept same-sex marriages, versions for same-sex marriages in which the partner is not stated are also becoming available.)

Translation of Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage from English to Japanese

When marrying in Japan, the marriage is established by notifying the marriage to the City Hall and receiving acceptance thereof. In order to make notification of the marriage, where one of the parties to the marriage is a foreigner, a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (an affidavit or Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage) and a translation thereof is required.

As countries overseas do not adopt a system like the Family Register, many countries accept a sworn statement made by the person concerned to be authenticated by the staff at the Public Office or notary publics, etc. instead of above certificates as evidence of no impediment to marriage. In Japan generally self-translated documents are accepted, however, if you want to have a translation company handle your translation to be sure, please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Do translations of Family Registers (Koseki Tohon / Koseki Shohon) include a Translation Certificate?

Yes. All translations of Family Registers (Tohon/Shohon) are delivered with a Translation Certificate that includes the translator’s signature and our company seal. This is provided as a standard service.

Q2. Do I need notarization, authentication, or an apostille? Can you handle these procedures?

Depending on the destination country or institution, you may be required to obtain not only a Translation Certificate but also notarization, authentication, or an apostille. We offer a notarization, authentication, and apostille application service, so please inform us when applying if you require these procedures.

Q3. How do I apply?

You can apply simply by sending scanned data or photos of the original Family Register via our online application form, or by email attachment (or fax). Mailing the physical original is generally not required, but if notarization or authentication is needed, we may ask you to provide the original document.

Q4. Can I request translations of multiple Family Registers or combine them with other certificates?

Yes, you can. Many clients submit multiple Family Registers together, or request them along with other documents such as Residence Certificates or Birth Certificates. Submitting them together can make the process more efficient.

Q5. Can I request specific romanization or English spellings?

Yes, we can follow your preferred spelling. If your name has an official romanized form—such as the spelling shown in your passport—please specify it when submitting your request.

Q6. Can I request and receive translations even if I live overseas?

Absolutely. We can deliver translations as PDF files and also provide international shipping (EMS, registered mail, etc.). Please let us know the destination country when requesting a quote, and we will inform you of shipping fees and estimated delivery times.

Q7. How long does the translation take?

For the standard schedule, we ship the documents five business days after confirming your payment. We also offer urgent and super-express services, although availability may vary depending on the document type and our workload.

Q8. Can you translate old-format or restructured Family Registers?

Yes, we can translate old-format Family Registers as well as restructured ones. However, special or older formats may require additional time. If you send us images of the documents in advance, we will confirm feasibility and provide an estimate.