Subscribe

What you need before you head to a Japanese municipal government office:

Documents substantiating applicants’ nationality (birth or naturalization certificate, passport).If applicable, evidence of previous marriage termination.Proof of physical exam (must be within the last six months) for both applicants.If younger than 20, written consent of parents or legal guardians.English translation of the Certificate of Notification of Marriage.A servicemember must obtain an Affidavit of Competency to Marry from his or her legal services unit. The affidavit must have a Japanese translation.Japanese residents must obtain from a city hall a koseki tohon — family register — with an English translation.Japanese residents also need a kon-in todoke — a Japanese municipal government form — signed by two witnesses, 20 or older, of any nationality.The Marine Corps and Navy require servicemembers to attend a premarital seminar and get their commander’s approval to marry.Air Force Policy Directive 36-31 requires that airmen complete a pre-marriage checklist including a legal briefing and medical check-up.Things to do after you’re married

A servicemember’s Record of Emergency Data must be updated.If a servicemember married a nonservicemember, the servicemember must obtain a Department of Defense ID card for the new spouse.If a servicemember married someone other than a U.S. citizen, within 30 days of marriage the servicemember must file a petition with the U.S. Embassy to classify the spouse’s status for issuance of an Immigrant Visa (form I-30).Within 30 days of marriage, the servicemember must file IRS form W-7.Six to seven months before a transfer, a servicemember should begin seeking an immigration visa for a foreign-born spouse.City offices and their phone numbers near military bases on Okinawa:

Camp Schwab: Nago City, 098-053-1212.Camp Courtney: Gushikawa City, 098-974-3111.Kadena Air Base: Okinawa City, 098-939-1212.MCAS Futenma: Ginowan City, 098-893-4411.Camp Hansen: Kin Town, 098-968-3557.Torii Station: Yomitan Village, 098-982-9200.Camp Lester: Chatan Town, 098-936-1243.Camp Kinser: Urasoe City, 098-876-1234.Helpful links:

Embassy of the United States, Tokyo: tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7114a.htmlU.S. Consulate General, Sapporo, Japan: usembassy.state.gov/sapporo/wwwh1004.htmlSources: Marine Corps Community Services’ Personnel Services Center; U.S. Embassy, Tokyo

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now