I’ve already checked the subreddit but no one seems to have my exact issue. I’m a British National and I married my husband, a Japanese National, about a year ago.
We both live and work in Japan. I’m on a work visa. I wish to change my surname legally to his. I’ve looked in the embassy website and just called the consulate but they told me to check the website and hung up.
Can someone please tell me the steps for changing my name? I’d be eternally grateful! I thought I had to change it on my passport but there is just a passport renewal form and it doesn’t clearly indicate name change after marriage. I’m going insane trying to understand what to do clearly.
3 comments
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/change-the-register-ap1/guidance-change-your-name-after-marriage-or-civil-partnership
I think that would be your first stop. After that is done, then get a new passport and submit it to Japanese authorities to have it changed here.
I don’t think you can take a Japanese name unless you have Japanese citizenship, even if you’re married to a Japanese citizen. The law requires the wife to take the husband’s name if both are Japanese but that doesn’t apply if one of the spouses is not a Japanese citizen.
I don’t know about UK citizens, but when I asked about this at the Canadian embassy they told me I’d have to go back to Canada to change my name, change my passport then come back to Japan to change my zairyu card. I don’t have that kind of time, so I decided to keep my name.