Getting Married to a Myanmar National in Japan

Introduction

I (Fukuzoe) submitted our marriage registration with my Myanmar wife in 2016, and it was an incredibly difficult process to get it accepted. Marriages between Myanmar and Japanese nationals are rare, and the Myanmar Embassy does not issue a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. As a result, there is very little accurate information available online.

I don't want other couples to go through the same struggles, so I've put together this page based on my own experience, covering the marriage process, required documents, and the difficulties we encountered.

Steps to Complete Your Marriage

Here is the general process when a Myanmar national and a Japanese national submit a marriage registration in Japan.

1. 1. Get Approval from Both Families

   Family cooperation is essential for gathering the required documents. In particular, documents on the Myanmar side often need to be obtained by family members on your behalf, so getting their approval first is important.

2. 2. Gather the Required Documents

   The Japanese party needs a family register (koseki tohon) and identification. The Myanmar party needs a Single Status Certificate, Family List, passport, and residence card. Preparing the Myanmar-side documents is particularly challenging. Details are explained below.

3. 3. Submit the Documents to the Municipal Office

   You can submit the marriage registration at your local municipal office. What many people don't know is that you can actually submit it at any municipal office in Japan.

4. 4. Review by the Legal Affairs Bureau (Juri Ukagai)

   When the municipal office cannot determine whether to accept the marriage registration, the decision is referred to the Legal Affairs Bureau. This is called "juri ukagai" (acceptance inquiry). Since marriages between Myanmar and Japanese nationals are uncommon, this referral happens frequently. When it does, an interview with a Legal Affairs Bureau officer is required.

5. 5. Acceptance of Marriage Registration

   After the Legal Affairs Bureau's review, if there are no issues, the marriage registration is officially accepted and the marriage is established on the Japanese side.

Required Documents for Marriage

Documents the Japanese Party Needs to Prepare

• Marriage registration form
• Family register (koseki tohon)
• Identification (driver's license, etc.)

These are the same documents required for a marriage between Japanese nationals, so there's nothing unusual here. You can even get the family register at a convenience store.

Documents the Myanmar Party Needs to Prepare

• Single Status Certificate (original)
• Family List (a copy is acceptable if the original cannot be taken out of the country)
• Passport
• Residence card

Since the Single Status Certificate and Family List are written in Myanmar (Burmese), Japanese translations must also be prepared. It's best to have family members in Myanmar obtain these documents on your behalf.

Some websites mention that a written statement (shinjutsusho) is also required, but the municipal office will provide this form when you submit your marriage registration, so you don't need to prepare it in advance.

Challenges We Faced

Lack of Accurate Information

There was almost no official information available, and only a few outdated personal accounts existed online. Different websites had different information, making it hard to know what was correct.

Municipal Office Counter Issues

Even though we confirmed the required documents with the office beforehand and prepared everything accordingly, we were told at the counter things like "this Single Status Certificate is not acceptable" and "we need photos of you living together." When we called the Legal Affairs Bureau for help, they instructed the municipal office to proceed with the "acceptance inquiry," and our documents were accepted without further issues.

Don't give up easily if you're told at the counter that they can't accept your documents. This is especially important if you're expecting a child, as the timing of the marriage registration can affect the child's nationality.

Translating Myanmar Documents

Translating the Single Status Certificate and Family List from Myanmar (Burmese) to Japanese is quite challenging. Our office also provides Myanmar language translation services, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you need help.

Insights from Experience

International marriage procedures involve not only document preparation but also significant anxiety due to cultural and language differences. Having gone through all of this myself, I believe I can provide support not only on the procedural side but also emotionally.

Administrative procedures in Myanmar can take longer than expected. It's important to plan with plenty of time, pay careful attention to the spelling of names and place names in translations, and be aware that procedures may differ between rural and urban areas. These are insights that only come from personal experience.

If you have any questions or concerns, no matter how small, please feel free to reach out.