By Edward Drummond
While nearly every marriage spawns memories that will last a lifetime, a wedding in Japan can really turn your nuptials into a unique cultural experience. Japanese weddings run the gamut from ceremonies patterned after the Christian weddings of the West, to traditional weddings with a kimono-clad bride. If you're a foreigner, however, you'll need to enter the country on a visa.
These steps apply to a marriage between an American and a Japanese national, or two Americans who want to wed in Japan. The procedure can vary for participants of other nationalities.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Step 1
Book your flight and travel to Japan. Americans do not need to secure a visa in advance to visit Japan. Upon arrival, you'll be given a short-term visa. You will not be able to work on this visa, but you can marry and take in the sights.
Step 2
Make arrangements for your wedding. Your short-stay visa allows you to remain in Japan for up to 90 days. Consider making arrangements for your wedding long before your arrival if want an elaborate, well-planned ceremony, or have a very specific type of wedding in mind.
Step 3
Get married. American guests may attend the ceremony on their own short-stay visas issued at the airport. You may also enjoy your honeymoon on this visa, as long as you leave Japan within 90 days.
Step 4
Change your visa status if you marry a Japanese national and wish to remain in the nation. Japan has very strict rules about what foreign nationals can do on certain visas. If you have entered the country on a short-stay visa, you cannot seek work in Japan or conduct any activities for pay without changing your visa status first. Doing so can jeopardize the possibility of living and working in Japan in the future.
Resources
About the Author:
Edward Drummond has been writing for newspapers, magazines and the Web since 1992. He's been a first-hand witness to some of history's biggest events, and written about some of the world's most remote and unique places from Asia to Antarctica for publications around the world. Drummond has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and political science from SUNY New Paltz.
