How soon after marriage can we apply for DCF?

[bigred 0]

Hello everybody. I've been a lurker on this forum for a while but it's my first time posting, so I'm a bit nervous!

I'm an American citizen living in Japan with my fiance, who is a Japanese citizen. We got engaged several months ago, and after much discussion and planning, have decided that we want to move together to the US. Because I have heard so many good things about DCF from Japan, we decided to get married here next year and then apply for the visa through the Tokyo embassy.

My question is regarding the timing between getting married and applying for the visa. We'd like to file the actual marriage paperwork next May (trying to time it so that my parents can come be a part of it!) and apply for the visa immediately after, perhaps a week following the actual marriage at city hall.

Is this possible to do? Or, is it generally better to leave more time in between getting married and applying for the visa?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[meauxna 15]

It really depends on how long it takes to get the recorded copy of your marriage certificate. I don't know why, but I have in mind that it is pretty quick in most of Japan.

It does not matter to the Embassy workers if you were married yesterday and file tomorrow; as long as you have the leagal marriage certificate, you're married. DCF is commonly used by newlyweds.

Congrats, and welcome!

[William33 110]

bigred,

You can file immediately after you are married. However, you will need to gather documentation, including the marriage certificate. If you gather the other documents in advance of the marriage, you may be able to file a week later. Have you checked to see how long it will take to acquire the marriage certificate?

Hello everybody. I've been a lurker on this forum for a while but it's my first time posting, so I'm a bit nervous!

I'm an American citizen living in Japan with my fiance, who is a Japanese citizen. We got engaged several months ago, and after much discussion and planning, have decided that we want to move together to the US. Because I have heard so many good things about DCF from Japan, we decided to get married here next year and then apply for the visa through the Tokyo embassy.

My question is regarding the timing between getting married and applying for the visa. We'd like to file the actual marriage paperwork next May (trying to time it so that my parents can come be a part of it!) and apply for the visa immediately after, perhaps a week following the actual marriage at city hall.

Is this possible to do? Or, is it generally better to leave more time in between getting married and applying for the visa?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[bigred 0]

Thank you both for your very reassuring answers!

I'm not sure how long it takes to get the marriage certificate in Japan, so I will look in to that. However, I'm under the impression that getting married in Japan is a pretty simple and straightforward process, so I don't think it should take too long.

Once again, thank you!

[kelly_irl 0]

If its anything about Korea, we got our marriage certificate immediately, and filed DCF a few days later