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When a child is born to an international marriage, many parents are unsure about where to file the Birth Registration, whether the child will acquire Japanese nationality, or what differences arise if the child is born abroad, all amidst the busy period immediately after childbirth. For couples where both parents are Japanese, the procedure is completed by submitting the Birth Registration to the municipal office. However, if either the father or mother is a foreign national, or if both parents are foreign nationals, two additional points arise: nationality and Status of Residence. Furthermore, these procedures have separate deadlines of 14 days, 3 months, and 30 days, and missing one can result in the child losing Japanese nationality or being without a Status of Residence.
This article organizes the notifications and deadlines for when a child is born, based on combinations of “parents’ nationality” and “place of birth,” drawing from the Ministry of Justice Civil Affairs Bureau’s Nationality Q&A, articles from the Nationality Act, Family Register Act, and Immigration Control Act, and guidance from the Immigration Services Agency.
Japan’s Nationality Act limits the cases in which a child acquires Japanese nationality by birth to the following three (Nationality Act, Article 2):
In other words, Japan determines nationality not by “where the child was born” but by “whether either parent was a Japanese national at the time of birth” (principle of paternal and maternal lineage). A child of an international marriage acquires Japanese nationality if either parent is Japanese, even if born abroad.
On the other hand, whether a child acquires the nationality of the other parent’s country is determined by the laws of that country. The Ministry of Justice’s Nationality Q&A cites examples of dual nationality for children of a Japanese national and a national of a country that also follows the principle of paternal and maternal lineage, or for children of a Japanese national born in a country that follows the principle of jus soli (the principle of granting nationality to children born in that country). Since foreign legal systems can change, it is advisable to confirm whether the child acquires the other parent’s nationality with the embassy or consulate of that country in Japan.
| Parents’ Combination | Place of Birth | Child’s Japanese Nationality | Main Notifications and Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese × Foreign National | Japan | Yes | Birth Registration (within 14 days) |
| Japanese × Foreign National | Abroad | Yes | Birth Registration + Retention of Nationality (within 3 months) |
| Foreign National × Foreign National | Japan | No | Birth Registration (within 14 days) + Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence (within 30 days) |
💡 In short: If there is a Japanese parent, “nationality is automatic, notifications within the deadline.” If there is no Japanese parent, “no nationality, apply for Status of Residence.” Confirming these two distinctions first can help organize subsequent procedures.
The Birth Registration for a child born in Japan must be submitted to the municipal office within 14 days from the date of birth (Family Register Act, Article 49, Paragraph 1). The filing location is the municipal office of the child’s registered domicile or the notifier’s residence (Ibid., Article 25, Paragraph 1). If you live in Miyazaki City, the Miyazaki City Hall’s family register counter is the usual place to submit it.
The notification form must include the child’s gender, date and time of birth, place of birth, and the names and permanent domiciles of the parents. If the father or mother is a foreign national, their name and nationality must be stated (Article 49, Paragraph 2, Item 3 of the same Act). A birth certificate prepared by a doctor or midwife must be attached (Paragraph 3 of the same Article).
Since the child acquires Japanese nationality, they will be recorded as a child in the Japanese parent’s family register. Although foreign parents do not have a Japanese family register, the child’s family register will include the names of both parents, and the nationality of the foreign parent will also be recorded.
The Japanese Birth Registration is strictly a procedure on the Japanese side. If the child also acquires the nationality of the other country, birth registration and passport acquisition for the child in the other country must be done separately at the other country’s embassy or consulate in Japan. The necessary documents (such as a certificate of acceptance of birth registration and its translation) vary by country, so it is advisable to confirm with the diplomatic mission early. For information on the registration of marriage itself (Certificate of Eligibility for Marriage or marriage in a foreign style), please refer to “International Marriage Registration | Certificate of Eligibility for Marriage and Japanese/Foreign Style“.
If a child of a Japanese parent is born abroad, the deadline for Birth Registration is extended to within 3 months (Article 49, Paragraph 1 of the Family Register Act). The notification must be submitted to a Japanese embassy or consulate in that country (Article 40 of the same Act) or to the municipal office of the permanent domicile.
This is the most crucial point for international marriage families. Article 12 of the Nationality Act stipulates that a Japanese national who is born abroad and acquires foreign nationality by birth will lose Japanese nationality retroactively to the time of birth unless they express their intention to retain Japanese nationality as stipulated by the Family Register Act.
According to Article 104 of the Family Register Act, this declaration of intent is made by notifying the intention to “retain Japanese nationality” together with the Birth Registration within 3 months from the date of birth. According to the Ministry of Justice’s Nationality Q&A, specifically, this is done by writing the intention to retain Japanese nationality in the nationality retention column on the Birth Registration form. The notification must be submitted to a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad or to a municipal office.
| Item | Content | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Japanese national born abroad who also acquired foreign nationality by birth | Nationality Act, Article 12 |
| Deadline | Within 3 months from the date of birth | Family Register Act, Article 104, Paragraph 1 |
| Method | Notify the intention to retain Japanese nationality along with the Birth Registration (by writing it on the Birth Registration form) | Same Article, Paragraph 2, Ministry of Justice Q&A |
| Place of Notification | Diplomatic Missions Abroad or municipal office | Ministry of Justice Q&A |
| If deadline is missed | Loss of Japanese nationality retroactively to the time of birth | Nationality Act, Article 12 |
| Exception | If unable to notify due to natural disaster or other unavoidable circumstances, within 14 days from when notification became possible | Family Register Act, Article 104, Paragraph 3 |
For example, if a child of a Japanese mother and an American father is born in the United States, the child acquires both Japanese nationality (jus sanguinis) and American nationality (jus soli) by birth. In this case, if the Retention of Nationality is not made along with the Birth Registration within 3 months, Japanese nationality will be treated as if it never existed.
Even a child who lost Japanese nationality due to not retaining it can re-acquire Japanese nationality by notifying the Minister of Justice if they are under 18 years old at the time of notification and reside in Japan (Nationality Act, Article 17, Paragraph 1). They acquire Japanese nationality at the time of notification (Paragraph 3 of the same Article).
According to the Ministry of Justice’s Nationality Q&A, “residing in Japan” means having one’s main place of living in Japan at the time of notification, and does not include temporary stays in Japan for tourism or visiting relatives. Since residing in Japan is a condition for re-acquisition, the notification must be submitted to the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau that has jurisdiction over the place of residence. The notification must be made by the person themselves, or by a legal representative such as a parent if the person is under 15 years old.
Please note that the age requirement has been changed from “under 20 years old” to “under 18 years old” due to the lowering of the age of majority on April 1, 2022 (Reiwa 4). Older explanatory articles may still state 20 years old, so please be aware.
As stated in the guidance from the Immigration Services Agency, if both parents are foreign nationals, their child born in Japan cannot acquire Japanese nationality. The child’s nationality is determined by the laws of the parents’ home country, so it is necessary to report the birth to the embassy or consulate of the father’s or mother’s country of nationality in Japan and obtain a passport for the child.
Even for a child of foreign nationals, if born in Japan, a birth registration must be submitted to the Japanese municipal office within 14 days. Notifications concerning foreign nationals are made at the municipal office of the notifier’s location (Article 25, Paragraph 2 of the Family Register Act). Although a family register is not created, a record of the birth remains, and a certificate of acceptance of birth registration may be required later for an Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence or for notification to the home country.
Article 22-2 of the Immigration Control Act stipulates that a foreign national who comes to reside in Japan without undergoing Landing procedures due to birth may reside without a Status of Residence for a period not exceeding 60 days from the date of birth. If the foreign national intends to reside for more than 60 days, an application for the acquisition of Status of Residence must be filed within 30 days from the date of birth.
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Application Name | Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence |
| Application Deadline | Within 30 days from the date the reason for acquiring the status (birth) occurred |
| Applicant | The child themselves (in practice, a legal representative such as a parent) |
| Submission Location | Regional Immigration Services Bureau with jurisdiction over the place of residence (Fukuoka Regional Immigration Services Bureau Miyazaki Office for Miyazaki Prefecture) |
| Fee | None |
| Standard Processing Period | Within 60 days from the date the reason for acquiring the Status of Residence occurred (may be processed on the same day) |
| Online Application | Possible |
The Status of Residence to be acquired is determined by the parents’ Status of Residence. For example, a child of parents working under a work-related Status of Residence would acquire “Dependent,” a child of a Permanent Resident would acquire “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident,” and a child of a Long-Term Resident would acquire “Long-Term Resident.” You should select the applicable Status of Residence on the Immigration Services Agency’s guidance page and submit the application form and documents corresponding to that Status of Residence. For children of Permanent Residents, procedures for acquiring the Status of Residence of Permanent Resident are also stipulated in the Immigration Control Act (Article 22-2, Paragraph 4 of the Immigration Control Act). For the requirements and work restrictions for “Dependent” Status of Residence acquired by children of those working under work-related Status of Residence, please refer to “Requirements and Work Restrictions for Dependent Visa.”
⚠️ What happens if the deadline is missed: The Immigration Control Act stipulates that a foreign national may reside without a Status of Residence only for up to 60 days from the date of birth. If 60 days are exceeded without filing an application, the child will be staying in Japan without a Status of Residence. The period after birth is a busy time for both mother and child, but it is recommended to arrange for birth registration (14 days) and Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence (30 days) before childbirth.
If a Japanese father and a foreign mother are not married, the child’s nationality depends on the timing of acknowledgment. According to the Ministry of Justice’s Nationality Q&A, if the Japanese father acknowledges the child while it is in the mother’s womb (acknowledgment of a fetus), the child acquires Japanese nationality upon birth. On the other hand, if acknowledged after birth, the child does not acquire Japanese nationality by birth because there was no legal parent-child relationship at the time of birth.
However, even a child acknowledged after birth can acquire Japanese nationality by notifying the Minister of Justice if they are under 18 years old and meet requirements such as the acknowledging father being a Japanese national at the time of the child’s birth and also at the time of notification (Article 3 of the Nationality Act). The notification should be submitted to the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over the address if residing in Japan, or to a Diplomatic Mission Abroad if residing in a foreign country.
A child of a Japanese parent and a foreign parent may have dual nationality (Japanese and foreign) depending on the laws of the other country. Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Nationality Act stipulates that if dual nationality was acquired before reaching 18 years of age, the child must choose one nationality by the time they reach 20 years of age. If acquired after reaching 18 years of age, the choice must be made within 2 years from that time (deadline after the amendment on April 1, 2022).
To choose Japanese nationality, one can either renounce foreign nationality or submit a Nationality Selection Notification to a municipal office or a Diplomatic Mission Abroad, stating the intention to “choose Japanese nationality and renounce foreign nationality” (Article 14, Paragraph 2 of the Nationality Act). A person who has made such a declaration must endeavor to renounce their foreign nationality (Article 16, Paragraph 1 of the same Act). If the choice is not made within the deadline, a demand may be issued by the Minister of Justice, and if the choice is not made within one month from the date of the demand, Japanese nationality may be lost (Article 15 of the same Act).
While this is a matter for the future for a newborn child, knowing whether the child has dual nationality at birth will simplify future procedures.
| Japanese × Foreign National, Born in Japan | Japanese × Foreign National, Born Abroad | Foreign National × Foreign National, Born in Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child’s Japanese Nationality | Yes | Yes (conditional on retention) | No |
| Birth Registration Deadline | Within 14 days | Within 3 months | Within 14 days |
| Birth Registration Submission Location | Municipal office of registered domicile or current location | Diplomatic Mission Abroad or municipal office of registered domicile | Municipal office of current location |
| Retention of Nationality | Not required | Required (with birth registration, within 3 months) | Not applicable |
| Status of Residence | Not required | Not required | Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence (within 30 days) |
| Other Country/Home Country Side | Birth registration at embassy/consulate (depends on country) | Procedures in country of birth (depends on country) | Birth registration at home country’s embassy/consulate, passport |
| Main Basis | Nationality Act Article 2, Family Register Act Article 49 | Nationality Act Article 12, Family Register Act Article 104 | Immigration Control Act Article 22-2 |
The deadline for Birth Registration is within 3 months from the date of birth. If it’s within the deadline, you can submit it to the municipal office of your registered domicile after returning to Japan. However, if the child also acquired the nationality of the birth country, it is necessary to complete the notification of Retention of Nationality along with the Birth Registration within 3 months. If there’s a possibility of a delayed return, it’s safer to file it at the Japanese embassy or consulate in the local country beforehand.
The child will be treated as having lost Japanese nationality retroactively to the time of birth. However, if the child is under 18 years old and has a domicile (main place of living) in Japan, they can reacquire Japanese nationality by filing a notification with the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau in their place of domicile. Please consult the Legal Affairs Bureau regarding the requirements and necessary documents.
No, they will not. Japan follows the principle of jus sanguinis (nationality by blood), so unless one of the parents is a Japanese national, a child born in Japan does not acquire Japanese nationality (except when both parents are unknown or stateless). A Birth Registration with your home country’s diplomatic mission and an Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence within 30 days are required.
According to the Immigration Services Agency, there is no fee for the Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence (as of September 2026). The standard processing period is within 60 days from the date of birth, and it may sometimes be processed on the same day.
The Immigration Control Act stipulates that a child can reside without a Status of Residence for up to 60 days from the date of birth. If this period is exceeded, the child will be in a state of not having a Status of Residence. Please consult the regional Immigration Services Agency with jurisdiction over your place of residence as soon as you notice. The handling varies depending on the circumstances, so it is important not to leave it unattended based on self-judgment.
It is not uncommon for a child to have dual nationality at birth. However, Japan’s Nationality Act requires individuals who acquired dual nationality before turning 18 to choose one nationality by the time they turn 20. The treatment varies depending on the legal system of the other country, so it is necessary to confirm this as the child grows.
The key points to remember for Birth Registration in international marriage households can be summarized into the following three:
Birth Registration is handled by municipal offices and Legal Affairs Bureaus, while Status of Residence is handled by the Immigration Services Agency, meaning there are separate points of contact. Before childbirth, writing down “where the child will be born” and “which office to visit by when” can help you avoid missing deadlines during the busy post-childbirth period.
Our office provides consultation services to both foreign nationals and accepting companies, based on the latest institutional trends.
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・If we find that a document contains information that is not true, or that the application is not your own (or a family member’s), we will decline the check.
This article is written based on publicly available information as of September 2026. The details and operation of the system may change in the future. The acquisition of nationality of the other country and procedures at diplomatic missions abroad vary by country, so for actual notifications, please confirm with official information from municipal family register counters, Legal Affairs Bureaus, the Immigration Services Agency, diplomatic missions abroad of the other country, or our office.
Author of this article: Administrative Scrivener Authorized to File Applications Satoshi Nakayama
Representative, Administrative Scrivener Corporation Miyazaki International Legal Office
Location: Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture
