APOSTILLE FOR JAPAN
Apostille Services for Japan
Working in Japan, marrying a Japanese citizen, settling an inheritance, selling property or setting up a company? Japan accepts apostilles, and many Japanese offices also need Japanese translations or sworn statements. We prepare your U.S. documents from Boston.
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JAPAN AT A GLANCE
Hague Convention member
An apostille is all you need.
- Work visas and teaching
- Marriage registration
- Inheritance and property
- Company formation documents
How documents for Japan work
Documents we prepare for Japan
- FBI background checks for work visas and teaching programs
- Diplomas and transcripts for Certificates of Eligibility
- Birth and marriage certificates for marriage registration
- Sworn statements (affidavits) for inheritance in Japan
- Signature certificates in place of a registered seal
- Powers of attorney for property sales and bank accounts
- Corporate documents for forming a Japanese company
What Japan usually requires
| Document | Where the apostille comes from | What else to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| FBI background check | U.S. Department of State | Follow the employer's or program's instructions |
| Diploma or transcript | Secretary of the Commonwealth, through your school | See our university pages |
| Sworn statement or signature certificate | Secretary of the Commonwealth, after notarization | Usually requested by a Japanese judicial scrivener or lawyer |
| Corporate documents | Issuing state | Often with a notarized declaration of company details |
Requirements change and can differ by consulate, city and purpose. Always confirm the exact requirements with the office receiving your documents. We're happy to review what they sent you.
How we handle it
- 1
Tell us what the recipient asked for
Send us the list or the email from the consulate, school, employer or attorney. We review it and confirm exactly what each document needs.
- 2
We prepare each document
Certified copies, notarization by appointment, or retrieval of records you don't have yet.
- 3
Apostilles from the right offices
Massachusetts documents go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, other states' documents to that state, and federal documents, like FBI checks, to the U.S. Department of State.
- 4
Japanese translation, if needed, and shipping
We arrange certified translation when it's needed, then ship everything back with tracking, to you or directly abroad.
Good to know
Teaching in Japan
JET and private schools often need an FBI check and an apostilled diploma. See Teach Abroad Packets.
Inheritance in Japan
Japanese estates with U.S. heirs often need notarized sworn statements. See below.
No registered seal?
Americans usually sign a notarized signature certificate instead.
Businesses
See Corporate Documents.
Common reasons clients need documents for Japan
Work visas
Diplomas, transcripts and background checks for a Certificate of Eligibility.
Teaching
FBI checks and apostilled diplomas for JET and private schools. See Teach Abroad Packets.
Marriage registration in Japan
Birth certificates and other records for marriage registration.
Settling an estate in Japan
Sworn statements, death certificates and powers of attorney for Japanese estates.
Selling property in Japan
Signature certificates and powers of attorney in place of a registered seal.
Starting a company in Japan
Corporate documents and sworn declarations for a kabushiki kaisha or godo kaisha.
Sworn statements for inheritance in Japan
Signature certificates instead of a registered seal
Forming a company in Japan
Mistakes that delay files for Japan
- A state apostille on an FBI check. FBI checks are federal and need the U.S. Department of State apostille.
- Signing a Japanese form before the notary arrives. Sworn statements and signature certificates must be signed in front of the notary.
- Name order and spelling. Japanese and English name order differs. Make sure names match across documents.
- Forgetting attachments. Japanese sworn statements often have attached pages. Keep everything together.
- Missing translations. Many offices want a Japanese translation attached. Ask who should prepare it.
- An electronic diploma or transcript. PDFs usually can't be apostilled as is.
What to have ready
The Japanese form or instructions
From your employer, school, judicial scrivener, lawyer or the receiving office.
Your ID
A current government photo ID that matches the name on the document.
Supporting records
Birth, marriage or death certificates, if the Japanese side asked for them.
Shipping details
Where the finished documents should go in Japan.
Serving Boston's Japanese community and Japan-bound professionals
How long it takes
Marrying a Japanese citizen
Where you marry matters
Couples can marry in the U.S. and report the marriage in Japan, or marry in Japan at a municipal office.
Records from the U.S. side
Birth certificates and, if previously married, divorce or death records, apostilled and translated as requested.
Documents from the U.S. embassy
Americans marrying in Japan are often asked for a sworn statement issued through the U.S. embassy or a consulate in Japan. We handle the U.S. state documents that go with it.
Reporting a U.S. marriage
Your Japanese spouse reports the marriage to their family register, usually with an apostilled marriage certificate and translation.
Teaching and working in Japan
JET Programme
Follow JET's current instructions for background checks and degree documents.
Private schools and eikaiwa
Employers often need degree documents for your Certificate of Eligibility.
Engineers and specialists
Degrees and transcripts for skilled work visas.
Researchers and academics
Degrees and records for university appointments.
Japanese documents used here in the U.S.
Family register extracts
Koseki records translated into English for USCIS, courts and marriage applications.
Japanese diplomas and transcripts
Translated for credential evaluation and U.S. employers.
Japanese apostilles
Documents from Japan used here usually carry an apostille from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Translation
Certified Japanese-to-English translations accepted by USCIS. See Certified Translation.
Questions to ask the Japanese side before you sign
- Do you need an apostille, or is notarization enough?
- Should the document be signed in English, Japanese or both?
- Do you need my birth, marriage or death certificates too?
- Who will prepare the Japanese translation?
- Where should the original be sent, and by when?
Getting these answers first saves a second round.
Inheritance in Japan, step by step
1. The Japanese side prepares the documents
Usually a judicial scrivener or lawyer drafts the sworn statement and any agreement among heirs.
2. You gather U.S. records
Birth, marriage and death certificates, if requested. We can order them. See Vital Records Retrieval.
3. You sign in front of us
We notarize your signature at your home or office.
4. Apostille and return
We add the apostille and ship the originals back to Japan with tracking.
Official sources
Requirements change, and the receiving office always has the final word. We link to official sources so you can check the current rules yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Does Japan accept apostilles?
Yes. Japan has been a member of the Apostille Convention since 1970.
Do my documents need to be translated into Japanese?
Often, yes. Many offices accept a translation attached to the document. Ask the receiving office.
Can you notarize a Japanese-language document?
We can notarize your signature as long as you understand what you're signing. The notarial certificate will be in English.
Do you ship to Japan?
Yes, with tracking.
Can you notarize a sworn statement for an inheritance in Japan?
Yes. We notarize your signature at your home or office and add the apostille.
What is a signature certificate?
A notarized statement confirming your signature, used in Japan in place of a registered seal certificate.
Can you prepare the Japanese form?
No. The Japanese judicial scrivener, lawyer or office usually provides it. We notarize and apostille it.
Do you work with Japanese companies and law firms?
Yes. We regularly coordinate with lawyers and agents in Japan.
Can my spouse and I sign at the same appointment?
Yes, as long as each person has ID.
Do you help with documents for the Consulate General of Japan in Boston?
Yes. We prepare apostilled U.S. documents. Confirm the consulate's checklist first.
Do I need to send my original diploma to Japan?
Often not. Ask your employer whether a notarized copy with apostille is accepted.
Can you help if my documents are from several states?
Yes. Each document is apostilled by the state that issued it, and we send them together.
Do you ship directly to Japan?
Yes, with tracking, to you, your lawyer, your employer or the receiving office.
Can you notarize a document for a Japanese bank?
Yes. Japanese banks often ask for notarized signatures or sworn statements. We notarize and apostille them.
Do you translate Japanese documents into English?
Yes, with certified translations accepted by USCIS and most U.S. offices.
Do all heirs need to sign?
Often, yes. Each heir usually signs their own documents. We can notarize for several family members in one visit.
Can heirs in different states sign separately?
Yes. We notarize signers in Massachusetts and coordinate with notaries elsewhere.
How long does an inheritance file take on the U.S. side?
Once the Japanese documents arrive, notarization is usually quick and the Massachusetts apostille follows soon after. Ordering records or coordinating several heirs adds time.
Can you handle documents for a property sale in Japan if I can't travel?
Yes. You sign a power of attorney and signature certificate here, and we notarize and apostille them so your representative in Japan can complete the sale.
Sending documents to Japan?
Tell us the documents, the purpose and your deadline, and we'll map out every step.