[Blog]A Spouse Visa for Japan Values “Feelings and Daily Life” — Understanding the Line Between a Genuine Marriage and One That Is Not

2025-11-19

Why Marriage and Visas Are Drawing Public Attention

In recent years, news reports about the “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” residence status have been appearing more often. For example, an article reporting a case in which a couple renewed the status without living together (link) highlighted just how important the actual married life is when this visa is examined. International marriage itself is a natural and ordinary part of life, and many couples build their families peacefully in Japan. However, when marriages entered primarily for visa purposes get mixed in, it shakes the trust in the system and creates unnecessary anxiety for couples who are genuinely trying to build a life together. This is precisely why this residence status looks not only at the existence of a marriage certificate, but also at whether the couple lives together, supports each other, and intends to build a shared life.

What Makes a Marriage “Genuine”?

The biggest factor in determining whether a marriage is genuine is whether the couple actually lives as a married pair. Marriage is more than a legal procedure—it is a unit of daily life where two people support each other. Living together is a strong indicator of this, but what matters most is the real-life situation: “Do the spouses actually share a life?” That said, temporary separation due to work, overseas assignments, or family circumstances is not uncommon. In such cases, what matters is explaining why they are living apart and how they maintain their relationship during this period. Another essential point is that the marriage must be a legal one. Without an officially filed marriage registration, the spouse visa cannot be granted in principle. Still, even a legal marriage alone is not enough; it must be accompanied by the real substance of marital life. Most importantly, marriage is founded on intention and commitment. It is the desire to continue living together and supporting each other that forms the core of marriage. Even if the couple has a short dating period or a significant age difference, what matters is whether they can clearly explain how their relationship developed and why they chose to marry. In other words, the question is not whether the marriage looks typical from the outside, but whether their life as a couple has naturally taken shape.

What You Need When Applying or Renewing the Visa

When applying for or renewing the visa, it becomes important to prepare documents that show the couple’s daily life as husband and wife. This often includes sharing the same address on the residency record, information about how living expenses are managed, mail or packages delivered to the same residence, utility bills, photos, and communication records—everyday pieces of life that naturally accumulate over time. This does not mean you must prepare excessive or burdensome evidence. Simply organizing the natural traces of your life together is usually enough to demonstrate the reality of the marriage. If the couple lives apart for unavoidable reasons, a written explanation is helpful, along with evidence of regular contact, financial support, and in-person visits. Every couple’s situation is different, and clearly explaining those circumstances is key. Even after obtaining the visa, similar confirmation may be required at renewal. When your living situation changes, explaining the reasons helps ensure continued stability of your residence status. Ultimately, this visa is not about whether the couple is married “on paper,” but whether they truly live as a married couple. Rather than focusing only on meeting formal requirements, valuing your everyday life together and being able to convey that naturally is what leads to the most secure application process.