If you’ve ever tried to navigate international bureaucracy, you know that having the right document is only half the battle. The other half is making sure that document is actually accepted by the country where you need to use it.
In the photo above, I’m holding a perfect example of what we do best here at Dave Higgins Office: a complete document package ready to be sent to a client overseas. This specific bundle includes a newly reissued Japanese Marriage Certificate, a certified English translation, and an Apostille authentication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan.
It’s a common scenario: you got married in Japan years ago, but now you’re living in the US, UK, or Australia and need to prove that marriage for a visa application, mortgage, or legal name change. The problem? You don’t have an original copy, and even if you did, it’s in Japanese.
Here is how we solve that problem with our three-step process:
1. Document Reissue Services
Many people don’t realize that Japanese city offices (Yakusho) do not issue “permanent” marriage certificates like other countries. Instead, you get a certificate of acceptance or an entry on your Family Registry (Koseki Tohon). If you lose your original, or if it’s more than three months old (a common requirement for immigration), you can’t just print a new one online.
We handle the legwork for you. Whether you need a Marriage Certificate, Divorce Decree, or Family Registry, we physically obtain a brand-new certified copy directly from the Japanese city office where it was originally recorded. You don’t need to fly back to Japan; we handle the request locally on your behalf.
2. Apostille Authentication
Once we have the fresh Japanese document, it often needs an “Apostille.” An Apostille is a specialized certificate issued by the Secretary of State or Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) that authenticates the document for international use under the Hague Convention.
Without this stamp, foreign governments often view Japanese documents as just pieces of paper. We take your reissued document directly to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain this critical authentication, ensuring your marriage or divorce is legally recognized in your home country.
3. Certified Translation
Finally, an Apostilled Japanese document is useless if the receiving authority can’t read it. We provide a Certified English Translation that mirrors the format of the original Japanese document. Our translations are accurate, professional, and trusted by embassies, immigration services (like USCIS), and foreign courts.
One Stop for Total Peace of Mind Rather than coordinating with three different agencies—one to fetch the document, one to translate it, and one to courier it to Tokyo for an Apostille—Dave Higgins Office handles the entire chain of custody.
If you see me holding a document package like this, you know another client is about to breeze through their paperwork process. If you need help retrieving and legalizing your documents from Japan, contact us today.