Changing name in Japan

I'm planning to move to Japan after i finish School and University (right now i'm still in school) I know that's a long time away but my mind just can't rest thinking about this.

I'm in Afghanistan and i have an Arabic-ish name but i want a Japanese name in Kanji when i move to Japan, already found one.

Which path should i take though? I wanted to change name as i land in Japan but i'm worried about names i would have on my college degree.

Or should i change name here before moving to Japan (and ensure my degree is of the new name?)

Or just use the new name as a nickname with people and all but keep the original name for legal stuff.

What do you recommend? If you have any alternatives paths i'm interested to hear them.

Changing your name aint as easy as changing underwear lol.

You can not go to Japan and request a change of name .

You can do it in your own country i suppose but i dont know if you can change your last name.
Also i dont know if even if you had a Japanese last name you would be able to convert it into Kanji.

I think it would be written in katakana .
Someone correct me if i am wrong but the only one way you can have a name written in Kanji is if you are Japanese or if you get naturalized Japanese.

As you are not a Japanese citizen, you cannot legally change your name in Japan. Moreover, as you come from a country that does not use kanji characters, even if you changed your name to Suzuki Hanako (and you would HAVE to do it in your home country), you still could not use —é–؉Ԏq as your legal name in Japan. At best you'd officially be HANAKO SUZUKI and many places would then use ƒXƒYƒL@ƒnƒiƒR in katakana.

You have two options, basically. First, you can naturalize and become a Japanese citizen. You are then allowed to choose a name, which includes kanji. OR, you can register an official "alias" with city hall.

Now, registering an alias is tricky for the sole reason that each city hall seems to require different things in order to do so. I have registered an alias twice with city hall; the first time it was my name in katakana to make applications easier. It was necessary to provide proof (such as mail or utility bills or a bank statement) that showed I was using the katakana before I was allowed to register it.

The second time, it was the kanji/katakana version of my new married name. In that case, it was on the suggestion of the (young and new!) worker at city hall, and was unexpected so I didn't bring any proof of the name with me, nor was I required to show any.

So clearly, when registering an alias, YMMV. But the gist of it is, it needs to be a name you're using in some sort of official capacity. Your current given name in katakana would be relatively easy to register once you get here; a completely different name complete with kanji? I can foresee you having some problems with proving you use it.

My advice: if it's really important to you to have a "Japanese" name, you're going to need to change it in Afghanistan. When you come to Japan, you'll probably get most of your official documents in romaji or katakana as you are a foreigner, but for non-official stuff you may be able to use kanji. If you can start using the kanji for your name and get some mail or official-type documents that show you're using the kanji, then after awhile you can bring those to city hall and register the kanji as an alias. You still will never be able to use the kanji officially unless you naturalize, but for most things a registered alias will suffice.

If you want to change your name, the only place that you can do this at will be with your countryfs authorities. And that would probably get you a name written in Roman alphabets or in your own countryfs writing.

If you want to have/use a Japanese name, written in the Japanese writing, you can use it as a nickname while you study in Japan (but all your official papers will remain in your original name of course), or if you eventually get naturalized.

yes i think saltystormspirit is correct.

your legal name in japan is what is on your passport, as this is what is on your residence card as soon as you arrive in japan.

some organisations will use katakana to represent your name. some, like banks will use your english letter name as the account name but address to you in katakana

you can have an alias registered at the city hall and then other organisations can use your name as per that. but you have to prove youve been using that name in kanji for a long time etc and its hard work,you wont be able to prove youve been using kanji upon entering japan. because youre foreign and katakana is the default for your japanese name. you cannot have a different legal name in japan than your home country, they do not have authority to change your name.

i live in japan and my legal name is in englush letters. however i also have an alias at tye city hall where my surname is in kanji, this is because i am married to a japanese and therefore have reasonable grounds to have my name shown in kanji, as per my husbands

Thanks a lot for the replies, i think i get it now yet i'm still confused about the university degree though if i change name would that render the degree useless? And since i would be away from my country i wouldn't be able to just contact the university for it.

if i change name would that render the degree useless?

What do you think happens to the people who earn a degree, then get married and change their name? You will have documentation of the name change stating both your previous name and your new one, so while you might have to show that as proof that you're the same person, it doesn't invalidate anything.

You still have a long way to go, man. I hope you keep up this motivation.
Good luck.