Hi! I am half Japanese, half Filipino. I’m 29 years old and I’ve been working as a nurse here in Japan since last year. Is there any way for me to get my Japanese citizenship?
My Japanese father signed my birth certificate in the Philippines, then decided to be absent throughout my life. I don’t know where he is.
Any help would be appreciated!
8 comments
**You can hire a private eye detective to track him down.**
Well, it’s been at least 30 years, he could be dead.
I think the blame lies more with your nuclear family, and not getting the paper work done 30 years ago.
Now, Japan is more stringent than ever with their bloodline paperwork.
This is a very common occurrence, so you can find organizations that specialize in this. https://www.jfcnet.org/news/other/542/
You can get them by yourself
The bigger question is did he register you in Japan. I’m betting not but good luck.
Trying to get a copy of his koseki would be the start. Try the city hall in the town he was from if you know it.
Where you born in the Philippines? If so did he register your birth to Japan within 3 months? If so then you have a Koseki and are already Japanese (unless since after age 20, Article 15 paragraph 1 or Article 15 paragraph 2 has been triggered resulting in a loss of Japanese due to you not making article 14 declaration of choice).
If you were born in the Philippines and he didn’t register the birth to Japan within 3 months, then you’re not Japanese. But you would be entitled to the ‘Child of a Japanese national’ visa, which has fast track to PR or naturalization (of course naturalization would require you to renounce Philippine nationality though)
If you were born in Japan then you would already have a Koseki and be Japanese. Of course again, unless Article 15 of the nationality act has been triggered due to you not making a declaration of choice.
is it necessary to search for the father? If not – just get a lawyer
FYI, you’re NOT half, you’re MIXED race.
Half implies that you haven’t or can’t fully assimilate either one of the two cultures when in reality you’re likely to be perfectly comfortable living in either country unlike Japanese people (or Filipinos for that matter) who has only known and lived in only one country all their lives.
If nothing else, you’re double.
Wow, I didn’t realize this would get much traction. Thank you all for your help.
I don’t know if my father regustered me here, but I know this can be checked in the city hall. I was born and raised in the Philippines, btw.