International marriage in Japan and America | What surnames can be registered in each country?

*This site was created by a Japanese person who is not good at English using a translation site. note that.

What will happen to my last name if I marry an American internationally?

In this article, we will explain “What happens to the surname of a Japanese person who marries an American internationally?” and “Procedures for changing the surname after an international marriage.”

What happens to your last name after you get married in America?

In America, what happens to your last name after you get married?

In the United States, changing your last name upon marriage is not mandatory, so there is no need to change your last name just because you get married.

When changing your last name due to marriage, the rules vary depending on the state, but the following names can be registered:

If you want to change your surname to the other person’s surname in ① or ②, you generally do not need permission from the court, but ③ to ⑥ are handled differently depending on the state.

For example, for combined surnames in ③, no court procedures are required in New York state, but court procedures are required in Texas.
On the other hand, there is no need for court procedures in Texas to include the surname from before marriage as the middle name (5), but it is required in New York.
(Reference page: Texas State Law Library, etc.)

However, unlike Japan, court procedures in the United States do not seem to be as strict.

When registering your last name, please check with the local government office in each state.

What happens to your surname after international marriage in Japan?

In Japan, in the case of marriage between two Japanese people, the couple must have the same last name, but in the case of international marriage, the couple are allowed to have different surnames.

Therefore, when a Japanese person and a foreigner get married, in principle, the couple will use different surnames in Japan, but it is possible to use the same surname by filing a notification.

Also, if certain requirements are met, you can use a “composite surname,” which is a combination of each other’s surnames, or a “common name” for your foreign spouse.

Surname change procedure in Japan

What procedures do I need to take regarding my surname after an international marriage?

We will explain the surname procedure in the following order. Click on it to move to the corresponding explanation.

①When Japanese and American couples use different surnames

In Japan, if a Japanese and a foreigner who got married internationally do not change their surnames and want to use separate surnames for the couple, there is no problem as long as they only submit a “marriage registration” and there is no procedure for changing the surnames for the couple.
Submitting a marriage registration will not automatically change your name to your partner’s last name.

②When a Japanese person changes to an American last name

When a Japanese person changes his or her last name to an American one, the necessary procedures will differ depending on when the name is changed.

If you want to change your surname to your spouse’s surname within 6 months after getting married in ①, you can change your surname to your spouse’s surname by submitting a “Notification of Change of Surname Due to Marriage to a Foreigner” to the government office.

② If you want to change your surname to that of your foreign spouse after 6 months of marriage, you will need to go through the “family court procedures.”
This procedure will be explained in detail later in “Family Court Procedures.”

③When a Japanese person changes to a compound surname or a foreigner’s common name

When a Japanese person wishes to change his or her surname or name in the following ways, it is not enough to simply go through the procedures at a government office; procedures at a family court are also required.

Please refer to the following article for detailed information on family court procedures.
「国際結婚後の苗字の変更手続きを丁寧に解説」
「苗字・名前の変更手続きの流れを徹底解説」

Is it easy for a Japanese family court to approve a change to a composite surname?

In the United States, many states allow compound surnames, and if you live in a state where compound surnames are allowed, changing to a compound surname can be fully approved as long as you create the appropriate grounds for your petition. This is the content.

summary

I explained the procedure for changing a surname when a Japanese person marries an American internationally.
After an international marriage, if you want to change your surname to a composite surname or to the surname of a foreign spouse, you will need permission from the family court, but the requirements for permission to change are not low, and detailed knowledge of the procedure is required. Become.

If you would like to consult about the procedures for changing your surname after an international marriage, please feel free to contact Everest Judicial Scrivener Office, as the first consultation is free.