How Two Filipino Nationals Can Get Married in Japan: A Comprehensive Guide (2025)

Before my wife and I got married two years ago, I was doing a lot of research online for guides on how two Filipino nationals can get married in Japan. From what I have found, I’ve only seen either a Filipino marrying a Japanese national or a Filipino marrying another foreign national, but nothing about two Filipino nationals. That is why I’ve decided to write this blog based from our experience to at least give some guide for Filipinos who want to get married here in Japan.

There are two ways Filipino nationals can get married in Japan. You can either get married in a Japanese city hall or at the Philippine embassy. If you want to get married in a Japanese city hall, both of you will need to obtain an LCCM (Legal Capacity to contract marriage) issued by the Philippine embassy. 

On the other hand, if you want to get married in the embassy, you’ll need a DFA-Issued Marriage License.  A Marriage License issued in the Philippines is NOT VALID for use in Japan. You must obtain one through the Philippine Embassy in Japan if you plan to marry there.

To obtain either an LCCM or a Marriage License, you’ll need the following documents:

             1. Duly accomplished application form

             2. Valid Passport – Original and one (1) copy

             3. Residence Card or visa in Japan – Original and one (1) copy

             4. DFA-Apostilled PSA-issued Birth Certificate – Original and one (1) copy

             5. DFA-Apostilled PSA-issued Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) – Original and one (1) copy

             6. Three (3) Passport-sized photos

             7. 600￥ Letterpack (only for LCCM applicants)

Check these links for more details

Marriage License:
https://tokyo.philembassy.net/consular-section/services/civil-registration/marraige-license/#nav-cat
LCCM or Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage:
https://tokyo.philembassy.net/consular-section/services/civil-registration/legal-capacity-to-contract-marriage-certification/#nav-cat

*The last time I checked with the Philippine embassy, non-residents CAN use their tourist visa for their application, but it’s better to confirm with them if this is still the case.

DFA Authentication or Apostille Process for your CENOMAR and Birth Certificate

Now that you have your CENOMAR and Birth Certificate from PSA, it’s time to have it DFA-Authenticated or ‘Apostilled’.

First, the DFA Authentication or Apostille can only be processed in the Philippines. Do not make the same mistake I did when I obtained my PSA documents through the PSA Serbilis system. The PSA Serbilis service DOES NOT provide a DFA-Authenticated document.

Second, make sure that there are no discrepancies between your Birth Certificate and CENOMAR. If you have earlier copies of your Birth Certificate with you, make sure to input the same details on your CENOMAR application to avoid any discrepancies.

If you are based in Japan and will not be in the Philippines to do the DFA Authentication yourself, you must have an authorized representative to process the DFA Authentication. In my case, I had my mother process both my wife’s and my documents.

Here are the requirements if you’ll have an authorized representative to process it for you:

Double check with your local DFA offices if they have the same requirements.

Now you have all the documents for the Marriage License or LCCM, what’s next? 

The Birth certificate and CENOMAR only have a validity of 6 months. Make sure to do the application process within that period from when you obtained both documents. Both parties have to be present at the Philippine embassy if you are going to submit the documents in person.

*For Filipinos residing in Japan, make sure what jurisdiction you fall under. It’s either the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo or the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka.

You’ll need to book an appointment for the application process through the link below.

Tokyo: https://tokyopeconsularappointment.setmore.com/book

Osaka: https://philippineconsulategeneralosaka.setmore.com/book

You can also apply via mail, but the application forms have to be notarized by a Japanese Notary Public. We chose the former because it’s more convenient for us to go in person.

Once you have set your appointment, it’s time to submit the documents to the Philippine embassy. Make sure that everything is complete to avoid going back and forth.

For those applying for an LCCM, the consul officer will review the documents. When everything is verified, you will be called to review them and sign the documents. Once signed and finalized, the LCCM will be sent via the 600￥ Letterpack.

If you are applying for a Marriage License, the officer will review and verify your documents. Once the documents are finalized, they will ask you to choose a date for the solemnization/wedding ceremony and ask you to come back on that date. In our experience, the latest availability is around 2 months from the submission of documents, so we chose to apply for an LCCM and get married at our local city hall instead. It’s faster and we don’t have to go back to Tokyo to get married.

Getting married in a Japanese city hall

When your LCCM arrives, you can now go to the city hall and get married! You will submit the 婚姻届(kon-in todoke) form together with the LCCM. Additional documents might be needed and may vary from city hall to city hall, but these were what was asked of us:

             1. Valid passport - Original and (1) copy

             2. Japanese translation of Passport (info page only)

             3. DFA-Apostilled PSA-issued Birth Certificate – Original and one (1) copy

             4. Japanese translation of Birth Certificate

             5. Japanese translation of the Apostille (usually attached to the PSA document)

             6. Two witnesses to sign the 婚姻届(kon-in todoke) form

The translated documents don’t need to be done by a certified translator, you can do it on your own like what my wife did with ours. The photos below are the documents we submitted to our city hall.

The city hall staff will check the documents, and once everything is verified, congratulations! You are now married in Japan!

LCCM SAMPLE

APOSTILLE SAMPLE

PASSPORT TRANSLATION SAMPLE

APOSTILLE TRANSLATION SAMPLE

Last thing to do is report your marriage to the Philippine embassy or the consulate where your prefecture is under its jurisdiction which is a whole new process but not as bothersome as this one. I’ll probably write another blog for that. For now, enjoy your wedding planning and I hope that this guide has helped in some way.