r/JapanCitizenship

Hi if you are in chiba area and got naturalised recently can you give me your timeline,I’m curious 🤨

I'm an American applying for my Japanese citizenship in Niigata. I've provided my passport and birth certificate to 法務局, but they are insisting they need some other kind of 国籍証明書 from the US Embassy. If translated directly, they must be referring to the Certificate of Citizenship that you can apply for with the from N-600 which that costs $1385 and takes up to a year to produce. Apparently this is for people who were born outside of the US who have at least one US citizen parent. That doesn't apply to me since I was born in the US to two US citizen parents.
I called 法務局 and tried explaining that I really don't want to spend $1385 and that a birth certificate and passport are proof of US citizenship, but they are being insistent. Has anyone else been asked to provide this $1385 document? If so, did you really have to provide it, or did they finally say that just a passport and birth certificate were sufficient?

This is officially the first of probably many "are you serious" bureaucracy moments so far in the application process!

EDIT: Thanks to the responses of many commenters, it is apparent that they are looking for a document with passport information that is notarized by the US Embassy. https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/notarials/
Many thanks to everyone for the helpful info!

Yes, its true that during the phone call, there was miscommunication, as I am only at an N2 level of Japanese. The US Embassy's website lists 国籍証明書 as the $1385 Certificate of Citizenship document, which is why I thought that's what they were asking for. The staff at the Legal Affairs Bureau and I were both unaware of the notarized passport information process, and at one point, the person on the phone said yes, the expensive certificate must be what is required since it seemed like there was no alternative. But toward the end of the call, we agreed that I should contact the US Embassy to make sure there wasn't some other kind of document. I must came across as a frustrated oaf, so I'll be apologizing at the next meeting. And I should have more thoroughly checked the embassy's website beforehand.

Also, I can see how what I wrote could be interpreted by some as an assertion that at a national level, the Legal Affairs Bureau was definitely requiring this now. Admittedly in a flustered state, I could have been clearer with my original post. What I meant was that it seemed like the office in Niigata was requiring it from me. Since it seemed wrong and I couldn't find any other info, I reached out to reddit while waiting for the response from the embassy since they can be slow.

I saw a 行政書士 say in a video that your application time or screening time would be significantly shorter if one of your family members has naturalized, "because they have already investigated you once when your family member was going through the naturalization process and they have some of your information in the database."

So why is it such a big deal if you don't get documents back when they reject you? When I hear people talk about this, they make it sound like you have to go back and get all the same documents again, go through all the same steps again, and your wait time is going to be the same as before. Sounds like they just shred and delete all the info they have about someone who was rejected.

I have been living in Japan for 7 years, and my current Japanese level is around N5. Would it still be possible for me to start the naturalization process and continue improving my Japanese before the interview stage?

Has anyone gone through the same process while still studying Japanese?

I would like to know if anyone with a spouse visa holder and staying in japan for less than ten years has applied for naturalization recently . Does spouse visa holder also has to be ten years in Japan . Or they can apply early as like permanent residency?

Hello everyone.

I applied my naturalization in 1st week of Jan 2026. On submission day my case officer took 45 mins of interview regarding my Jobs ( Previous and Present work, 仕事内容), then she accepted my documents.

After 64 days, case officer called me along with my wife for interview and scheduled on next day. Next day My interview lasted for around 20mins, same question as submission date( seems like just a formality interview as case officer already heard everything on submission date) , then my wife interview was around 3-4 mins.

My case officer told me that they might call my company boss), and after 1 week they called my previous and current work boss and seems everything ok.

I had no request for additional documents in interview and also after that and it is already 2and half months. After rule changed on April 1,2026 did any one get call for additional documents ( like 5 yrs tax certificates) from any houmukyoku of Kanto region? Actually in middle of march after interview, it has been 10 yrs since I came to Japan.

Note:
My first soudan was on Jun 2025
Second on Sept 2025
Final submission on Jan 2026
No Japanese exam ( I have N1 and prepared and translated all documents by myself), HSP visa.

hi all.

i just got back from legal affairs. learned below:

for tax records: you take 課税非課税証明書 and 納税証明書 for latest 5 years.

for insurance: they require 被保険者記録照会回答票 now, which is similar to PR. This is changed from the old teikinin copy. they said this is not enough anymore.

good luck everyone.

Has anyone been rejected for Japanese naturalization recently? If you're comfortable sharing, what was the reason? I'm just trying to understand what factors may lead to a rejection.

Hello. I submitted my documents and gave final interview in August 2025. 7 years 11 months of residence in Japan. Applied in Kudashita

After the April change of rule about residency I have not got any call or any update. I would like to know if anyone similar to my situation has got any update or call (to withdraw or not).

I am not sure if it is a good idea to call them and check about updates.

Does anyone have experience moving to a different home while waiting for their results?

I want to know specifically if you had to submit the new rental contract with your name on it.