From: blamb@rodan.hri.com (Bill Lambert)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Marriage Logistics
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:49:45 GMT
Reply-To: blamb@rodan.hri.com (Bill Lambert)
Organization: Horizon Research

In article <1992Jul30.153810.2164@island.COM>, fester@island.COM 
(Mike Fester) writes:
=> 
=> Just a couple of expansions on a couple of points.

=> In article <6827@bigbird.hri.com.hri.com> blamb@rodan.hri.com
(Bill Lambert) writes:
=> 
=> >First case - Marriage in Japan: The procedure is different than here. A
=> >marriage isn't made by an official at a ceremony or service but would be
=> >done by the Japanese member of the couple making a new "family register"
=> >(a family register is the official documentation of people in Japan,
=> >and is a combination birth, marriage and death certificate that
=> >is associated with one household).
=>
=> >The procedure (as I understood it, anyway) is a little different if
=> >one of the partners is gaijin, in that a ceremony must take place
=> >first and registration must be done at one of a few places - one
=> >of them being Minato-ku City Hall. 

=> I don't think you actually need any sort of ceremony first (at least, some
=> friends of mine got married without having to have a church ceremony; they
=> simply registered in her family register). 

My wife was told (by Kamakura City Hall) that marriage to gaijin had to be
registered after a ceremony. If you're right, I'm not sure if this was
a misunderstanding on her part, or bogus info from Kamakura city officials.
This is a key point, because that bit of information caused us some
mistakes. They also told her she could register her marrige at the US
consulate in Boston, but neglected the fact (or didn't know) that this
required a valid US marriage certificate when done at a US consulate.

Anyone have related experiences? We should be careful, because I got
surprisingly large amount of email from people contemplating
marrying Japanese nationals. Looks like some kind of epidemic!

=> Also, when my wife and I went to
=> register, I wasn't required to sign anything! I guess you can just be 
=> registered without your knowledge!

This is because you weren't, in fact, really registered. Our family
register only has reference to me as the person she married, but
she was (and now our daughter) the only person "offically" on that
family register. Is yours the same, Mike? This is a bit discriminatory,
it seems, but I guess this is due to the fact that I'm not a Japanese
citizen or resident, and never was.

=> >After you are legally married in Japan, then presentation of the
=> >proper documention to support that fact to INS (certified copies
=> >of family register and official translations done by the Japan
=> >consulate) should be sufficient to attain US permanant resident
=> >status provided there are no other disfavorable factors (disease,
=> >membership in subversive organizations, drug addiction - all that
=> >stuff everybody has).

=> The Japanese party also has to get a copy of his/her police record
=> and present that to the embassy. (also, a complete physical is required).

The police record was not a requirement after we married here!
Just questions about criminal records. Interesting.

=> >Second case - Fiance(e) Visa: You apply for this visa category at
=> >the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. It's a fairly painless, by sometimes
=> >lengthy procedure as I understand it. I believe this allows your
=> >fiance(e) 6 months stay in the US during which time it is presumed
=> >you two will marry and apply for PR status for the non-US honeymooner.

(please note: someone corrected the 6 months to 3 months)

=> Does anyone know if you must provide the same documentation as in Case 1
=> above? I'd imagine you do, and this may be part of the delay.

Shiranai.

=> >Third Case - Tourist Visa: When you're ready, have your fiance(e)
=> >come to the US and just get married. I did this. 
=> 
=> >What's the difference with case 2 and 3? Well.... just the INS seems
=> >to like 2 better and you avoid the question of whether you are just
=> >getting married so that the alien spouse can stay in the U.S. ala
=> >"Green Card" movie. I was married this way, and had to face the
=> >inquisition during the permanent residence procedure. The fiance(e)
=> >visa is less painful, after you get it.

=> Does anyone know if there is a "change of visa status" procedure from 
=> tourist to fiance'?

I was told by the INS agent at our final interview that this was possible.

=> >Permanent residency takes a few months to acquire. You must have all the
=> >documents - and translated if needed, a physical exam, a couple of hundred
=> >bucks, and a little patience. I believe the usual case is to get a final
=> >interview for approval  1-3 months after filing the papers and having
=> >the physical exam. It might take 3 - 4 trips to the INS. Please note
=> >that your fiance will have trouble getting work (if they're so inclined)
=> >without PR status, so plan on 2-4 month vacation for them.

=> Actually, including the examine and all documentation, we spent about $70.
=> Also, the permanent residence is probationary. In 2 years, your spouse will
=> get the permanent, permanent resident card.

I think we spent somewhere around $280 all told. This included a total of
$160 to the INS, fees to the Japan consulate for translation of family
register, and physical exam.

Yeah.... I like that, "Probationary Permanent Residence".

- Bill Lambert