AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKAKOBE（美国总领事馆OSAKAKOBE）.pdf

AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKA-KOBE 11-5 Nishitenma 2-chome, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8543 Tel. 06-6315-5912/FAX 06-6315-5914 e-mail: AOK@ MARRIAGE IN JAPAN A Guide for American Citizens Americans can get married in Japan, either to a Japanese, to another American or to a person from another foreign country. You will marry under Japanese civil procedures at a village, town, ward, or city office. Your legally registered marriage in Japan is fully recognized in the United States. For information whether your spouse’s country may recognize the marriage, please consult with the relevant Embassy/Consulate. Since your marriage is registered under the Japanese authorities, when you will need your marriage certificate, you must contact the Japanese civil office where your marriage is registered. The U.S. Consulate General does not issue a marriage certificate. Please note that religious ceremonies or other ceremonial marriage rites in Japan are not legal marriages, although they may be conducted in addition to civil registration of marriage. U.S. Embassy or Consulate officials cannot witness or perform marriages. U.S. citizens under age 21 must be of marriageable age under the state law of their U.S. residence. All other applicable state laws must also be adhered to for the marriage to be legal in Japan. Under the Japanese civil code, Japanese citizen male can marry at the age 18 years or older and Japanese citizen female can marry at the age 16 years or older. A person who is under the age 20 must have a parental consent to marriage. A woman cannot marry within six months after dissolution of a previous marriage. The U.S. government does not require the reporting or registration of your marriage outside the U.S. As an American ci