If you look closely at the photo above, you’ll see my partner and wife, Hazuki, holding something that represents weeks of stress for most people—but just another successful day at the office for us. In her hands is the “Holy Trinity” of Japanese bureaucratic hurdles: a reissued Marriage Certificate, an official Apostille Authentication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a Certified Japanese-to-English Translation.
At Dave Higgins Office, we don’t just push paper; we solve problems. And when it comes to navigating the complex web of Japanese government requirements, we believe we provide this service better than anyone else in Japan. Here is why.
1. We Are Your Boots on the Ground (Even When You Aren’t) Most administrative scrivener offices require you to already have the original document in hand. But what if you moved back to the U.S., the U.K., or Australia years ago? What if you lost your original marriage certificate?
We are one of the few offices that handles the entire lifecycle of the document. We physically go to the City Office to reissue your official family registers or marriage certificates. We handle the applications, the fees, and the Japanese correspondence so you never have to worry about a “return to sender” envelope because of a minor filling error.
2. The Apostille Advantage: A One-Stop Shop Getting a document is one thing; getting it recognized internationally is another. The Apostille stamp is critical for proving a document’s authenticity to foreign governments. Usually, this involves a separate, confusing trip to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) or navigating a complex mail-in system.
We integrate this directly into our workflow. We take that freshly reissued document and handle the MOFA authentication immediately. You don’t deal with multiple agencies; you deal with us, and we deal with the bureaucracy.
3. Accuracy Guaranteed—For Life Hazuki and I have been serving the international and U.S. military community in Japan for over a decade. We know exactly how the U.S. Embassy, USCIS, and foreign immigration bureaus need these translations formatted.
We are so confident in our precision that we offer a Lifetime Guarantee. If a translation we provided ever needs a revision or reissue due to an error on our part or a formatting request, we do it for free.
When you see Hazuki holding that completed packet, you aren’t just looking at paper. You’re looking at peace of mind. Whether you are still in Okinawa or halfway across the world, let us handle the heavy lifting.