Hi everyone,
My Fiancé (Japanese) and I (Australian) are both 19, currently studying at university and have been dating for 22 months, and I recently became self-employed. We’re planning to get married in Japan soon and eventually apply for a spouse visa so I can stay longer and continue my remote work legally.
Since we’re young and this is our first time navigating Japanese bureaucracy, I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has experience with: I've already done research myself but would love some input from people with experience or insight regarding any of the following
- Getting married in Japan as a foreigner (CNI, translations, city hall requirements)
- Applying for a spouse visa / Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)
- Any tips for making the process smoother, especially regarding relationship proof, income documentation, or timing
I’d really appreciate any advice, personal experience, or resources that could help us avoid mistakes and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Additional info: with my remote work and my Fiancé's part time income we can both afford to rent and live in japan pretty easily but if it would help with approval I think we can get some sort of letter from her parents to show we have an additional option for housing as a kind of safety net.)
We are planning to get married when I arrive in japan in early November and hopefully within the next week or so apply for the Visa (I'm staying until Jan 5th so it could wait a bit longer if needed)
Thanks so much in advance! (Also any positive information is also welcome as I'm a bit of an anxious person myself haha)
by NJLaw420