Enter Japan as tourist and marry a national?

Good evening,

I entered Japan in September 2022 on a 3 year work visa, however due to personal circumstances (mental health) I had to return to the U.K. in November 2022. I made the call to return to the U.K. too quickly through pressures from my family, and I now regret coming home. I had no issues with immigration etc, and I followed all procedures as I was supposed to.

However, circumstances have now changed and I wish to return to Japan to marry my Japanese boyfriend. We have been in a relationship since august 2021, but until September 2022 it was a long distance relationship. Are we likely to encounter issues getting the spousal visa approved?

As I am a British citizen, I understand that I can go to Japan for up to 90 days without the need for a visa. (If this information in incorrect please let me know or point me in the right direction).

I then would like to obtain a spouse of Japanese National visa and live in Japan with him.

Are there any issues that we are likely to encounter? For example, can my stay in Japan be extended if the spousal visa hasnft been approved before the 90 days? Am I likely to be questioned by Japanese immigration about why I left Japan and now why am I returning as a tourist? Are there any rules that prevent us from getting married or obtaining a spousal visa if I enter as a tourist?

Any advice or personal experiences that anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Hi there,

Small disclaimer before I post my 2 cents on this. I'm just a regular guy working a regular job who's kinda been there done that and not some high-flyer CEO; I've gone from work visa to spouse visa and now gotten my PR so take what you will from my advice.

I'm NOT a Japanese immigration officer and while there seems to be a general rule of thumb with regards to certain visa applications, nothing is ever set in stone and at the end of the day it is down to the individual immigration officer's discrection. Hope this helps.

Are we likely to encounter issues getting the spousal visa approved?

Personally I would say yes. I believe you and your boyfriend have a genuine relatioship but scam marriages and/or marriages of convenience are a common thing immigration looks out for, and long distance relationships tend to raise more warning flags than others. It might also just get approved, but likely 1 year at most. Maybe even 6 months, you never know.


For example, can my stay in Japan be extended if the spousal visa hasnft been approved before the 90 days?

I can't remember how long it took but I think it took more than 90 days.


Am I likely to be questioned by Japanese immigration about why I left Japan and now why am I returning as a tourist?

Upon entry into the country? Nope doubt so.


Are there any rules that prevent us from getting married or obtaining a spousal visa if I enter as a tourist?

No rules per se, it's more of a being able to provide sufficient evidence to prove to immigration that the both of you are in a geniune, stable relationship. That means living together, being financially stable as an independent married couple. All that being said however, just give it a shot and see what happens. Meet your boyfriend, get married at city hall and apply for the visa. Best of luck!

Firstly, am I correct in assuming that youfve given up on your previous employer-sponsored gwork visah upon your return to the UK, and currently donft have any resident status for Japan at all?

Secondly please get the terminology right – once youfve entered Japan as a temporary visitor, you have a gresident statush as a temporary visitor (yes, up to 90 days for UK nationals).

Then if you get married in Japan (please be sure to check in advance what documents you might need for getting married in Japan), what you apply for will be gchange of resident statush from gtemporary visitorh to gspouse etc. of Japanese national,h not a visa. (gVisah is something you use to enter Japan, so if you say you want a gspouse visa,h they will instruct you to leave Japan once and apply from outside Japan.)

Having said that, in recent years the Japanese immigration authorities have gotten stricter with any change from gtemporary visitorh status to other longer term resident status (such as employer-sponsored work visa) that I am not sure they allow you to do that.

If they allow you to do that, once youfve turned in the application fully, your period of stay will be extended, so that you can stay until they reach a conclusion about you.

(My spouse is non-Japanese, and we have gone through the change from gworkh to gspouse,h then to gpermanent resident,h but have not done any change from gtemporary visitorh to another. But the above info about recent years is something Ifve heard from an expert in the field.)