Singaporean getting a spouse visa in japan

hi, i'm a Singaporean citizen planning on going to japan to marry my girlfriend in September. I've read several articles on this topic but i do not understand if it applies to Singapore as well. please give me advice on what i have to do or correct me if my route to getting a spouse visa in japan is done wrongly.( she has a seven year old child and is divorced once )

- Bringing my girlfriend to Singapore for ROM( getting certificate of marriage)
- Returning back to japan together to be married in japan
-Apply COE( certificate of eligibility)
- waiting for answer

My girlfriend does not have income in japan so i will be bringing quite a large amount to japan to sustain our life before finding a stable job.

I don't know how many times I will have to say this... If you will be in Japan alrteady, you need to apply for a change of status, not a CoE.

If neither you nor your spouse has a stable job, it is likely that, at best, you will get only one year permissions to stay (meaning you have to apply for an extension each year) until you find one.

Thanks firas for the reply

so i do not need to apply for COE if i am in japan on tourist visa? After after confirmation of marriage in japan, i will just need to change a status to spouse visa?

Don't you mean the Certificate of No Impediment and not COE?

Under which country's law do you intend to get married?
(1) If you want to get married under the Singapore law, you can do that (in Singapore), and your Japanese spouse can report that after-the-fact to the Japanese authorities.

For that, probably you need to go through your country's RoM notification period in Singapore, and get married in Singapore. I don't know what the Japanese spouse needs (documents and stuff) to get married in Singapore.

When you report your Singaporean marriage to the Japanese authorities, your Japanese spouse can make a translation of the Singaporean marriage certificate into Japanese, take it to her city hall where her "koseki" (family registry) is, and present it (ask her city hall for exact documents needed).

(2) If you want to get married under the Japanese law, you can do that too, in Japan. "Probably" you need to get a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from your country, and come to Japan on that, go to the city hal where her "koseki" is to submit a form saying you ARE getting married. That completes the process.

I got confused when you started talking about "ROM" and then "getting married in Japan" and "confirmation of marriage in Japan," so just wondered which way you wanted to go.


After either (1) or (2), if you ARE already in Japan, you apply for a change of status from "Temporary Visitor" to "Spouse, etc., of Japanese National." If you want to do the process from OUTSIDE the Japan, you go through the Certificate of Eligibility route, applying for CoE at the Embassy/Consulate of Japan in Singapore, etc.

Spouse Visa application from outside Japan, COE process.

Slight correction on the COE in the above post.
COE application is done INSIDE JAPAN.

COE application is to be done by your Japanese spouse , and once approved it will be delivered to your Japanese spouse.

THEN, your Japanese spouse need deliver it to you, where you will submit the original COE together with your Spouse Visa application at Japanese Embassy in Singapore.

Once your Visa application is approved, you will get a Visa stamp on your passport and the COE will be returned to you. Check the validity of the Visa, normally within 90 days but can vary.

At the Japanese airport Immigration, you will need to show your passport with stamped Visa, together with the COE. Immigration will keep the COE, and your will get permission landing stamp, as well as Zairyu Card ( Resident Card), which you will then need to update any changes within 14 days at nearest Immigration Branch near your place.

if both don't have jobs, it might be difficult to get a spouse visa.

。。＠
I was more referring to where the Singaporean spouse is, instead of who/where exactly does the application for him :) but your details are right.

It is actually stability they look for, not just for savings. So if you have support from her parents or other relatives in Japan, who is willing to be a financial supporter, that would help with the application. And show that you have a good prospects (if you do) for finding a job in Japan soon. You could write up a note saying you don't have a job right now in Japan but that you will look for one, with such and such experience/qualifications you hope to find one soon, etc.

thank you for the responds guys.