Spouse Visa without Alien Registration?

I am a US citizen who came to Japan as a temporary visitor, and I just got married to my Japanese husband. Since I don't have a visa yet, I assumed I could not get my alien registration card as I am technically not allowed to be a resident yet. But it looks like I need a alien registration card to get my spouse visa. Is this true? I thought I could just use my passport instead, but I don't want to find out I was wrong by getting a big rejection stamp on my visa application!

Have any of you gotten the spouse visa without an alien registration number? What did you put in the blank that asks for it?

You can get an alien registration card while on a temporary visa. It takes exactly one week for your card to arrive so plan accordingly.

Oh, I thought I couldn't get an ARC as a visitor. Anyways, if I do get one before handing in my spouse visa application, do I have to get a new ARC once I get my spouse visa?

The ARC will only be updated

Once you get your Spouse visa, you will need to report that "change of status" to the city hall where you have your Alien Registration issued. Any material change to your circumstances, including address, visa status, employment status, etc., needs to be reported as they arise in the same way :) The city hall will note that change on the back of the card, and also record the change to the registration record (the document they keep) as well.

I don't think you need a alien registration card to get a spouse visa, how do you explain all the other people who were not in Japan at the time of marriage and gotten spouse visas to come to Japan?

ARCs can be gotten by anyone even on temporary visitor's permits. The time it takes to process depends on the city/ward that issues the cards, however, you can get a number and temporary certificate immediately, it costs around 300yen and given to you right after you fill out the form. I used this certificate to open a bank account and buy a phone when I first came to Japan when I didn't have the actual card.

But again I don't think it is a requirement to have a ARC to get a spouse visa.

Everyone who is a foreigner living in Japan has to be registered with their local town office. My town office said to just do the marriage paper and the application for ARC on the same day, then we wouldn't have to make so many trips. They give you a paper that says you have applied for your ARC, we took that along with all the Visa and Marriage paperwork to Immigration, and it was no problem. The other poster is right, you have to update your ARC with any changes (visa, name, address, etc). It only takes a few minutes, though. Ask your local town office they can tell you what you need to do.