Naturalization for Minor Children: Applying Together With Parents and Required Documents
Introduction
When a family of foreign nationality naturalizes in Japan, we often receive inquiries from those who wish to have their minor children naturalize together with them. Carrying out a child’s naturalization together with the parents’ relaxes the requirements and allows the procedures to proceed all at once.
This article explains naturalization for minor children, covering how to apply at the same time as the parents and the required documents.
This article is prepared based on the Nationality Act and public information from the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Affairs Bureau. Please always confirm official information for the latest practices.
A Child Can Naturalize Together With the Parents
Naturalization is originally something each person applies for individually, but a minor child can apply at the same time as the parents. When a parent naturalizes, that child (one who is to become the child of a Japanese national) becomes eligible for simplified naturalization, and requirements such as the period of residence are relaxed (Article 8 of the Nationality Act).
Key point: As a rule, naturalizing a minor child alone, on their own, is not contemplated. A child’s naturalization should fundamentally be considered as a single unit together with the parents’ naturalization.
Advantages of Applying Together With the Parents
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Relaxed requirements | When a parent naturalizes, the child becomes eligible for simplified naturalization, and requirements such as residence are relaxed |
| Unified procedure | The family’s documents can be prepared together, and the review proceeds on a family basis |
| Unified family nationality | Parents and children all acquire Japanese nationality, and the family register is consolidated into one |
Documents Specific to Children
For a child’s naturalization, in addition to the parents’ documents, documents concerning the child themselves are required. Common examples are as follows.
- Documents proving birth (such as a birth certificate from the home country)
- Documents proving the parent-child relationship
- Certificate of enrollment (if the child is attending school)
- Materials concerning the child’s own status of residence
- Photographs
The documents required differ depending on the child’s age and circumstances. For documents obtained overseas, a Japanese translation must be attached. For the documents required for naturalization overall, please also refer to “List of Documents Required for a Naturalization Application.”
Points to Note by Case
Children Born in Japan
Even a child born and raised in Japan must go through the naturalization procedure if they are of foreign nationality. Materials showing the circumstances of birth and residence in Japan should be prepared.
Children Aged 15 or Older
For those aged 15 or older, the child themselves is required to express their intention to seek naturalization, and confirmation of the person’s own intention, or the preparation of documents by the person themselves, may be required. For those under 15, a legal representative (a parent) carries out the procedures.
When the Parents Have Already Naturalized and Only the Child Remains
There are also cases in which the parents naturalize first and the child naturalizes afterward. The requirements in such cases need to be confirmed on a case-by-case basis. Applying for parents and children at the same time, as much as possible, tends to go more smoothly.
On the Statement of Motivation and the Interview
Even for a minor, a simple confirmation of intention may be conducted depending on age. A child aged 15 or older will feel more at ease if they prepare so they can explain, in their own words, the reasons they wish to naturalize. Regarding the interview, please also see “Preparing for the Naturalization Interview.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can a child naturalize on their own first? A. Naturalizing a minor child alone is, as a rule, not contemplated. The basic approach is to apply together with the parents’ naturalization.
Q. Are there costs for the child’s portion? A. There is no statutory fee for the naturalization application itself, but actual expenses such as obtaining documents and translation also arise for the child’s portion.
Q. Is the child’s Japanese ability also examined? A. It may be confirmed within a range appropriate to the age, but young children are not required to have the same Japanese ability as adults.
How Our Office Supports You
In a family naturalization, it is important to prepare the respective documents for parents and children and to apply consistently on a family basis without contradictions. The Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office supports your family’s naturalization in a comprehensive manner.
- A 98% approval rate track record
- Supported languages: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, English
- Free initial consultation