Sponsoring my Japanese wife

[Mohammad.nazzal]

Hi Everyone,

I'm about to start the application to sponsor my wife who is Japanese and currently residing in Canada on a visit visa. Before we got married, she had her Koseki Tohon and Kaiseigen Koseki Tohon issued from Japan. We also translated them from a certified translator.

My question is do we have to issue a new Koseki Tohon and Kaiseigen Koseki Tohon that reflect the change in her martial status from single to married? Also, do we have to register her marriage in Japan to be able to submit the application here in Canada. Her family name was not changed.

Thanks for help.
Mohammad

 

[funboy101]

Hi Everyone,

I'm about to start the application to sponsor my wife who is Japanese and currently residing in Canada on a visit visa. Before we got married, she had her Koseki Tohon and Kaiseigen Koseki Tohon issued from Japan. We also translated them from a certified translator.

My question is do we have to issue a new Koseki Tohon and Kaiseigen Koseki Tohon that reflect the change in her martial status from single to married? Also, do we have to register her marriage in Japan to be able to submit the application here in Canada. Her family name was not changed.

Thanks for help.
Mohammad

Where were you married? Does your wife have her own koseki or is she still on her parents' one? Was your marriage in the last 3 months?

I think she will need to change her status, check out question 4 on this MOJ link: http://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji15.html the type of documents she needs to submit for changing depend on where and how you were married. It's supposed to be done within 3 months of marriage too. I think she can do the change via the Japanese embassy in Canada though but I'd advise your wife call to get 100% confirmation on this. If you need a translator in Canada I can recommend one.

The Canadian embassy in Japan's website contains similar info to what the MOJ says, may also be good to confirm with them as they will know the context well: https://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/ryoji_todokede-kon'in.html

 

[Mohammad.nazzal]

Where were you married? Does your wife have her own koseki or is she still on her parents' one? Was your marriage in the last 3 months?

I think she will need to change her status, check out question 4 on this MOJ link: http://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji15.html the type of documents she needs to submit for changing depend on where and how you were married. It's supposed to be done within 3 months of marriage too. I think she can do the change via the Japanese embassy in Canada though but I'd advise your wife call to get 100% confirmation on this. If you need a translator in Canada I can recommend one.

The Canadian embassy in Japan's website contains similar info to what the MOJ says, may also be good to confirm with them as they will know the context well: https://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/ryoji_todokede-kon'in.html

Thank you very much for your reply. We got married in Toronto. We also went to the Japanese embassy and registered the marriage there. Now, I want to start the application to sponsor her in Canada. But, the koseki she has right now is the one where she is under her parent. Does she need a new one after the registration of marriage in Japan so I can apply to sponser her here in Canada?

 

[funboy101]

Thank you very much for your reply. We got married in Toronto. We also went to the Japanese embassy and registered the marriage there. Now, I want to start the application to sponsor her in Canada. But, the koseki she has right now is the one where she is under her parent. Does she need a new one after the registration of marriage in Japan so I can apply to sponser her here in Canada?

When you registered the marriage at the Japanese embassy, there was no requirement to create a new koseki? Do you know the name (in Japanese) of what your wife actually did there? Are you also legally married in Canada?

I'm not an expert here (just learning from having a Japanese wife too) but my understanding is a foreign marriage still needs to be reflected in a Japanese citizen's koseki within 3 months so if the embassy assisted you with some procedure, seems they would have helped your wife establish her own koseki. She just may not have a copy of it.

I would suggest your wife call the embassy to determine exactly what family registry documentation she has in her own name now. If she needs copies of a koseki her family should be able to assist from within Japan to get them from the ward office. You can also order koseki documents online.

 

[Mohammad.nazzal]

When you registered the marriage at the Japanese embassy, there was no requirement to create a new koseki? Do you know the name (in Japanese) of what your wife actually did there? Are you also legally married in Canada?

I'm not an expert here (just learning from having a Japanese wife too) but my understanding is a foreign marriage still needs to be reflected in a Japanese citizen's koseki within 3 months so if the embassy assisted you with some procedure, seems they would have helped your wife establish her own koseki. She just may not have a copy of it.

I would suggest your wife call the embassy to determine exactly what family registry documentation she has in her own name now. If she needs copies of a koseki her family should be able to assist from within Japan to get them from the ward office. You can also order koseki documents online.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm legally married in Canada and I'm a permanent resident. We submitted the registration in the Japanese embassy 8th January 2019. They did not ask us to apply for a new Koseki. I asked them does she have to get a new Koseki for the PR application? The answer was they don't know.

The name of the documents she submitted for the Japanese embassy in Canada are Ko-intodoke and Zairyutodoke. They also said to get a new Koseki, she needs to wait up to 8 weeks after we submitted registration of Marriage in the embassy.

I'm a bit confused whether she has to get a new Koseki with her status married and my name is there or use the one she has now and submit the PR application right away!

 

[funboy101]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm legally married in Canada and I'm a permanent resident. We submitted the registration in the Japanese embassy 8th January 2019. They did not ask us to apply for a new Koseki. I asked them does she have to get a new Koseki for the PR application? The answer was they don't know.

The name of the documents she submitted for the Japanese embassy in Canada are Ko-intodoke and Zairyutodoke. They also said to get a new Koseki, she needs to wait up to 8 weeks after we submitted registration of Marriage in the embassy.

I'm a bit confused whether she has to get a new Koseki with her status married and my name is there or use the one she has now and submit the PR application right away!

Just my opinion but if I were you I would get a new koseki showing her status as married. Koseki is a required document so IRCC will question why you've submitted something showing her status as single if in fact you are actually married. The whole basis of your sponsorship is spousal class. I suspect they would reject it and ask for a koseki showing her actual status. It can take 2-3 months for AOR (or for an application to be sent back) so maybe not so different if you wait for new koseki now, then apply with it.

Your wife or her relatives could follow up in 3-4 weeks with her ward office to see if new koseki is available then, it may only take 8 weeks via the embassy or in extreme cases. In my experience things in Japan move quickly but they give you a conservative estimate just to be safe. If it's ready earlier her family can apply for a new koseki or she can do it herself via mail.