Changing surname after marriage

Hello there,

I'm an Indonesian currently living in Japan under the spouse visa after getting married to my Japanese husband last year. When we first got married, we didn't think it would be necessary for me to change my surname but recently his family changed their mind and wanted me to change my surname to his family name.

Is anyone familiar with what the process of changing family names is here in Japan? And is it still possible to change after 1 year of marriage?

Thank you in advance!

Ask your husband to contact city hall about this matter.

Since it is you, Indonesian national, who will be changing your surname, you will need to ask your country's consulate what can be done.

For convenience, you should be able to register your husband's surname as an alias on Residence Card as far as Japan goes. But that does not really change your name.

�šName (surname)
Even if a notification of marriage between a Japanese national and a foreign national is submitted, the woman�fs surname is not automatically changed. The Japanese national may adopt the surname of his or her spouse, without the permission of the family court, if a �gshi-no-henko�h (Ž�‚Ì•Ï�X) application form is submitted within six months of the marriage at the woman�fs local municipal office. Any children will officially take the Japanese national�fs surname.
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If a foreign spouse wants the Japanese spouse�fs surname to be officially recognized as his/her name, then he/she must:

change their name in their home country (via an embassy or consulate). Procedures vary from country to country, but usually the Japanese marriage certificate is required to do this.
change or get a new passport with the new name on it; if a new passport is issued he/she must have his/her visa information transferred from his/her old passport at his/her local immigration bureau.
With the new / revised passport, apply for a change to his/her Alien Registration Card at their local city hall/ ward office.
Another option you to consider, which does not require a legal name change, is to register an alias (tsusho ’Ê�Ì) for yourself on your Alien Registration Card. It is possible to register a Japanese name as an alias. To register an alias you may be required to give proof that you are using that alias (for example addressed mail, pay slip, business card, bank book, etc.)