The designated activity visa for same sex married couples
Normally, if you are already working in Japan and want your partner to join you, you can apply for a certificate of eligibility of a dependent visa for him or her. Once this is approved, you can send the certificate to him or her in their home country, and he or she applies for a dependent visa there. But this process isn’t applicable for same sex married couples. Your spouse has to apply for a short term stay visa in their home country, and come to Japan on this visa. Then your spouse has to apply to change this visa to a designated activity visa, which is like a dependent visa for your partner. Once this is granted, your spouse can live with you in Japan. The purpose of stay in Japan for your spouse isn’t working, so your spouse isn’t allowed to work. But if he or she obtains permission to work part time, then it is OK for him or her to work 28 hours per week.
Two processes are required for the spouse in a same sex married couple
As you can see, there are two processes involved for same sex married couples.
Process 1: Obtain the short term stay visa in the home country
Your spouse needs to do this by himself/herself in their home country. He/she needs to contact to the Japanese embassy / consulate and tell them the purpose of the visit to Japan is to live with you as a spouse and ask what the necessary documents are. Once he /she prepares the documents, he/she applies for the short term stay visa.
What I can do: If I take this process 1, I will help to prepare the necessary documents. I will also write a letter to explain that this process is advised by Japanese immigration and that the applicant must enter Japan on a short term stay visa then change it to the designated activity visa etc.
Process 2: Change the short term stay visa to the designated activity visa
What I can do: If I take this process 2, I will help to prepare all the necessary documents, including the explanation letter. I will ask you to obtain certain documents, but I put all of them together and create a package. Once I create the package, I will send it to you. You and your spouse can go to immigration and apply for the designated activity visa. If it is rejected, you need to go to immigration and ask for the reason why it has been rejected. If the the situation can be resolved by providing additional documents, then we can reapply for it and I will help you to do so.
Contact us
If you are a same sex married couple and looking for support, or you have any questions about Japanese visas and immigration, please, please contact us through the consultation form.
Visa Navi Japan
Address : Ootemachi ko-ta-su 802 Ootemachi 5-14-10, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan 730-0051
Open Hours : 9:00 – 19:00 Closed : Monday
TEL & FAX : 082-258-4554