Apostille Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates in Japan for use in the United States and abroad
We legalize Japanese Koseki (family registration certificates), Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates with Apostille stamps from Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan.
Family Registry Certificates (Koseki), Birth, marriage and death certificates issued in Japan are legalized for official use abroad by obtaining an Apostille stamp from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Apostilles on Japanese birth, death and marriage certificates can be obtained in 3 business days.
- We can obtain copies of Family Registry Certificates (Koseki) and other certificates directly from municipal offices in Japan for overseas clients needing Apostille Stamps and legalization.
Authorities of countries that have signed the Apostille Convention will recognise the Apostille directly as confirmation of authenticity. Otherwise, the authentication must be legalized by the destination country's embassy in Tokyo.
- See list of Apostille Convention Countries
- We work with all major embassies in Tokyo to attest and legalize certificates, including the embassies of Qatar, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates and the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office.
Japanese birth, death and marriage certificates
Obtaining Certificates in Japan
Isarey can obtain Family Registry Certificates (Koseki) and certified copies of birth, death and marriage directly in Japan for clients overseas needing authentication with an Apostille Stamp or legalization by an embassy in Tokyo. Please contact us for assistance.
Family Registry Certificates (Koseki)
Koseki certificates record marriages, divorces, births, and deaths in each Japanese household. These certificates are only issued to Japanese citizens. They can be used as proof of Japanese citizenship, as birth certificates and proof of civil status.
To be valid for an Apostille, a certified copy of the Koseki is needed from the municipality responsible for your registered domicile (honseki). Family Registry Certificates do not have a fixed validity, but a recent copy issued within the last 3 months to be valid for an Apostille Stamp.
There are two types of Koseki certificate available:
- Koseki Tohon - is a record of all family members.
- Koseki Shohon - is a record of one individual family member.
Birth Certificates
Birth Certificates are issued in Japan by Japanese municipalities and valid for authentication with an Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are two official certificates:
- Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Birth (Shusshou Todoke Juri Shomei Sho), which confirms the municipality's acceptance of the notified birth notification issued by the hospital
- Certificate of Acceptance of Birth Report (Shusshou Todoke Kisai Jiko Shomei Sho) which verifies the contents stated in the Notification of Birth.
Marriage Certificates
Marriage Certificates issued in Japan by Japanese municipalities and legal affairs bureaus are valid for authentication with an Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are two official certificates:
- Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage (kekkon-todoke juri shomeisho), which confirms official registration of the marriage at a municipal office and includes basic details of the marriage and spouses
- Certification of Marriage Registration (kekkon-todoke kisai jiko shomeisho) which includes copies of all documents submitted to the municipal office when the marriage was registered.
Death Certificates
Certificates of Acceptance of Notification of Death (Shibo-todoke-jurishomeisho) issued by the Japanese Municipality can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Consular Certificates
Birth certificates in English (Japanese citizens, and foreign citizens born in Japan) and marriage certificates (Japanese citizens only) are also issued by Japanese Embassies and Consulates
These may be accepted directly by authorities in the country where the issuing embassy is based, but they are not valid for Japanese Apostille Stamps from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Certified translations of Japanese death, marriage and birth certificates
When presenting Japanese marriage, death and birth certificates and other vital records in countries which do not have Japanese as an official language, then a certified translation may be required. The certified translation must meet the requirements of the destination country, so that a translation done locally in Japan may not be valid.
Isarey works with local notaries and sworn translators in a wide range of destination countries. We'll take care of the entire legalization and translation process, so that your certificates are correctly translated and ready to submit:
- GERMANY: translations into German must be certified by an officially authorized and appointed sworn translator.
- SPAIN: translator must be authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Spanish) ("Traducción Jurada")
- FRANCE: translations into French must be certified by a translator accredited by a French court of appeal (Cour d'appel)
- ITALY: translations must be authenticated by a Court Clerk or by a Notary Public in Italy
- PORTUGAL: translations into Portuguese can be certified in Portugal by a local notary
For further information about our Japanese apostille service and about legalizing birth, death and marriage certificates issued in Japan for use in the United States and abroad, use our online quotation form or send us an email us. We will get back to you directly with a quotation and details of how to proceed:
Office Documents