Temporary visa: How to (dis)prove my status of Japanese nationality?

Hi, all.

I (23M) visited my local Japanese consulate today to apply for a temporary visitor’s visa. However, I did not have anything on hand to prove or disprove my status of Japanese nationality.

(EDIT: Per the consulate, if I have no Japanese nationality, there is no issue; otherwise, I will either have to apply for a Japanese passport or apply separately to renounce my Japanese nationality.)

For context:

* My father is a U.S. national and resident
* My mother is a Japanese national, but resides in the U.S. via her Green Card
* I was born in Japan, but per my Consular Report of Birth Abroad, I was granted U.S. citizenship at birth
* I have been a U.S. resident for 20 years

Now, I have never sent any paperwork to renounce any Japanese nationality. However, my understanding is that, per Japanese law, a dual citizen must choose one nationality or the other by their 22nd birthday; soon after, their Japanese nationality is revoked.

The consulate official was stern about me providing a copy of my _koseki tohon_ to confirm my status of nationality; my half-brother in Japan could provide this. However, do the circumstances above in and of themselves disprove any Japanese nationality? Are there important details I may have not included in this post?

Thank you.

3 comments
  1. Don’t renounce anything without good reason.

    You were born with dual nationality, assuming that your mother properly registered your birth.

    Apply for a Japanese passport.

    The immigration folks are getting worked up, because a Japanese national cannot legally apply for a visa.

  2. > The consulate official was stern about me providing a copy of my koseki tohon to confirm my status of nationality; my half-brother in Japan could provide this. However, do the circumstances above in and of themselves disprove any Japanese nationality?

    The koseki proves your birth as a Japanese national. That’s all you need.

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