All Japan Filers

[Akiko 0]

Okay, thats really good to hear. I went through all my old passports and I seems I entered the U.S. about 14 times. Pretty crazy. i don't even remember taking so much trips!

You should definitely check out the Minato Mirai area. Its very pretty and they're having a big event right now to celebrate the 150 anniversary of the opening of the port there. Theres also a China town. I think its the only China town in Japan. And in Shin-Yokohama, theres a ramen museum if you like ramen. I've never been there but I heard its a good attraction. Theres also a Kirin Beer Villiage if you like to drink. You can drink fresh beer and stuff. Though I really recommend Kamakura. There are a lot of temples to see and a lot of good food! Its a small old fashioned city where they have little shops to the sides. They have a lot of good wa-gashi (Japanese sweets). Kamakura and china town are places you walk around and eat like everything they have to offer. hahah. And, If you like the ocean there are places like Shonandai and Fujisawa to visit. There is so much to see here! Yokohama has a lot of things, its very international because it has the biggest port.

My fiance plans to come next month. It'll be his third time visiting here. We plan to go all over, as always haha. Thinking about it just excites me

Good luck with the interview! I'm sure you guys will be fine. You two seem like wonderful people.

BTW, did your wife have to get any translations for her documents? I'm not too sure where I should go for that. Am i supposed to get it done professionally? I know the k-1 and cr-1 are different visas. I'm just asking, if you don't know then thats cool.

Hey Akiko,

Thanks for the info. Will definitely check out some of those places. I saw the ramen museum on one of the shows here in Hawaii (Ultimate Japan) and I told my wife I wanted to go there. So that’s definitely one on the list. And the Beer Village is a must!!! I didn’t know about that!!! Definitely must partake in some of that!!! hihihi!!! I think she said we are going to Kamakura too and to Minami-Itou. Her old company has a time-share there so she will be able to use that. Sounds good to me because it will be free!!! But I’ll keep in mind those other places too cause we will be there a few days and we probably will just be walking around or catching the train to where ever. I can’t wait, only one more day I have to come to work and I’m off.

As for the translations, yes, you will need to get it translated. As for you (K-1), probably only the Family Register. We had to do our marriage certificate too, but I had to get that professionally translated here in Hawaii for one of my mortgage documents and that cost me a $130 so we already had that for the Visa. For her family register, she actually did the translation herself.

We weren’t really sure if we really needed to get it notarized though because on the Tokyo embassy website, one place specifically says it is not necessary to have translations notarized (and it is underlined on the website) and you just have sign a statement saying the translation is complete and accurate and you are competent to translate. This is the words on the website:

Translations of non-English documents: All foreign language documents must be accompanied by full English translations. Translations need not be made by a professional translator; they can be completed by any competent person. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and correct and that he or she is competent to translate the foreign language into English. For example, the statement written on the translation may read: “I, [insert name], am competent at translating [insert name of foreign language] to English, and I certify that the above translation is true, complete and correct,” followed by the signature of the translator. It is not necessary to have the translation notarized.

But there is another place that said was specific to the Tokyo embassy from the NVC website that says it must be notarized. See this site:

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/pk3_supplement...L-0001-0711.pdf

So we were kind of confused, but I just told her since we went this far already, just get it notarized and pay the fee because at this point, we spent so much money already, what’s another $100 bucks or so. So she went to get it notarized. That was pretty expensive, I think she said about 12000 yen.

So really not sure what to tell you there, but getting it notarized will not hurt, except in your wallet. If you do decide to get it notarized, the embassy website has a list of recommendations on notary (See bottom of this page. http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7126a.html )

Opps, sorry, this is getting kinda long. Anyways, thanks for your recommendations on places to visit. I am so looking forward to this trip and seeing her again. I just wish I could be there with her at the interview, but I guess that’s not going to happen.

So good luck with your paperwork and enjoy his visit there too. I'm sure you will.

Later,

vny

Thank you so much for all the information.

This whole thing is a bit complicated huh? I think the only thing I need to get translated is the family register. Unless I need to the the police certificate done as well. But I heard they give you copies of it in English also. I guess I can translate it myself then. It shouldn't be too hard.

Anywho, I hope you have a safe flight!

[vny 0]

Thank you so much for all the information.

This whole thing is a bit complicated huh? I think the only thing I need to get translated is the family register. Unless I need to the the police certificate done as well. But I heard they give you copies of it in English also. I guess I can translate it myself then. It shouldn't be too hard.

Anywho, I hope you have a safe flight!

Sorry to be so long winded. It was really a mess when we did the paperwork. We were so confused. But yep, I think for you just the family register. To notarize or not is the decision you have to make. As far as the police record, you will receive it sealed, and my wife told me that they told her it was already translated in four languages. I think the medical stuff is sealed too and is also already translated. Good luck.

Now, I just hope they let me in the country. I read today that a flight from LA was quaranteened at a hospital because one of the passengers was feeling sick. This damn swine flu thing. Oh well, I'll just hope for the best.

[Akiko 0]

Thank you so much for all the information.

This whole thing is a bit complicated huh? I think the only thing I need to get translated is the family register. Unless I need to the the police certificate done as well. But I heard they give you copies of it in English also. I guess I can translate it myself then. It shouldn't be too hard.

Anywho, I hope you have a safe flight!

Sorry to be so long winded. It was really a mess when we did the paperwork. We were so confused. But yep, I think for you just the family register. To notarize or not is the decision you have to make. As far as the police record, you will receive it sealed, and my wife told me that they told her it was already translated in four languages. I think the medical stuff is sealed too and is also already translated. Good luck.

Now, I just hope they let me in the country. I read today that a flight from LA was quaranteened at a hospital because one of the passengers was feeling sick. This damn swine flu thing. Oh well, I'll just hope for the best.

No need to apologize.

I'm just really thankful someone's here to help me with this. It really helps to have someone, ya know?

Good to hear that the police certificate & medical is already translated. i think I read that somewhere also. And once its sealed, its not supposed to be opened so I understand why they translate it for you in the first place.

I really hope your flight goes well! Its all over the news. They're checking every single flight at the airport.

Thanks, again.

[ahoka 0]

We weren’t really sure if we really needed to get it notarized though because on the Tokyo embassy website, one place specifically says it is not necessary to have translations notarized (and it is underlined on the website) and you just have sign a statement saying the translation is complete and accurate and you are competent to translate. This is the words on the website:

Translations of non-English documents: All foreign language documents must be accompanied by full English translations. Translations need not be made by a professional translator; they can be completed by any competent person. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and correct and that he or she is competent to translate the foreign language into English. For example, the statement written on the translation may read: “I, [insert name], am competent at translating [insert name of foreign language] to English, and I certify that the above translation is true, complete and correct,” followed by the signature of the translator. It is not necessary to have the translation notarized.

But there is another place that said was specific to the Tokyo embassy from the NVC website that says it must be notarized. See this site:

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/pk3_supplement...L-0001-0711.pdf

So we were kind of confused, but I just told her since we went this far already, just get it notarized and pay the fee because at this point, we spent so much money already, what’s another $100 bucks or so. So she went to get it notarized. That was pretty expensive, I think she said about 12000 yen.

So really not sure what to tell you there, but getting it notarized will not hurt, except in your wallet. If you do decide to get it notarized, the embassy website has a list of recommendations on notary (See bottom of this page. http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7126a.html )

I haven't posted here in a while, but if you would like to hear another experience about translations...

we did the CR-1 path. Self translated both the marriage certificate and family register (birth certificate) and we got both notarized. It seemed like the safest thing to do. The marriage certificate was notarized by a Consul at one of the Consulate (Nagoya for us, about 2 years ago). I had to make an appointment. At the time, they had notary service only once a month, i believe it was about $20 per item at the time. no checks and no credit cards, so bring cash, us dollars or yen and they don't make change either...i had to buy a stick of gum at the convenience store in the building lobby with a Y10000 bill. we made multiple notarized translations, as we thought it would be a good idea for any possible future use.

good luck on your visa journey.

[vny 0]

I haven't posted here in a while, but if you would like to hear another experience about translations...

we did the CR-1 path. Self translated both the marriage certificate and family register (birth certificate) and we got both notarized. It seemed like the safest thing to do. The marriage certificate was notarized by a Consul at one of the Consulate (Nagoya for us, about 2 years ago). I had to make an appointment. At the time, they had notary service only once a month, i believe it was about $20 per item at the time. no checks and no credit cards, so bring cash, us dollars or yen and they don't make change either...i had to buy a stick of gum at the convenience store in the building lobby with a Y10000 bill. we made multiple notarized translations, as we thought it would be a good idea for any possible future use.

good luck on your visa journey.

Yes, last year after we signed marriage papers in Musashino City Hall and the next day my wife did the translation and we went to the embassy in Tokyo to get the translation notarized. Last year it was $30 cash. We sent that one in with the I-130. But it was only the fill in the blank form affidavit from the embassy, and when I was refinancing my house this year, for some reason the Land Court here in Hawaii wouldn't accept that so I had to get that professionally done for another $130.

As for her family register, was looking at the embassy website and didn't seem like they would do services for that and they had a link to notarial services in Japan. Plus since my wife is not a USC or LPR yet, I don't think she could even get into the embassy without me being there, but not sure. We were just confused on whether we really needed the family register notarized because one place it says not required and another place says required. We just didn't want anymore holdups with the paperwork so we just went ahead and did it. And we had no RFE's so it was all good.

[s-luvs-k 0]

hajimemashite

just thought I would say hi and ask if anyone here is originally from Kawasaki-shi or kanagawa-ken. thats where my wife is from.

And also if anyone is living near tennessee.

[Akiko 0]

hajimemashite

just thought I would say hi and ask if anyone here is originally from Kawasaki-shi or kanagawa-ken. thats where my wife is from.

And also if anyone is living near tennessee.

hajimemashite!

I live in Kanagawai-ken. Pretty close to Kawasaki, actually.

[bikozu 0]

I'm going to be in Kawasaki with my fiancee for 3 months starting in 33 days!! I'm really excited, I just got my passport

[Akiko 0]

I'm going to be in Kawasaki with my fiancee for 3 months starting in 33 days!! I'm really excited, I just got my passport

thats awesome

Hope you have fun!

[potatoboss 0]

Hello! I am new here. My husband and I are filing the I-130 for him in Tokyo this week. Hopefully everything will go well!

[Akiko 0]

Hello! I am new here. My husband and I are filing the I-130 for him in Tokyo this week. Hopefully everything will go well!

Welcome!

And best wishes with your journey!

[Akiko 0]

I read somewhere that the DS-156 form has to be printed back to back. Is that true?

[potatoboss 0]

Hello! I am new here. My husband and I are filing the I-130 for him in Tokyo this week. Hopefully everything will go well!

Welcome!

And best wishes with your journey!

Hi, thanks for the welcome! We will file tomorrow, but I still have a million things to copy ><

[HelloMiffy 1]

Hi all,

I have another question on changing or not changing my family name on Koseki. Is it OK if passport (Japanese registered) name is, for example, "Hanako Yamada (Smith)" and my green card's name is "Hanako Yamada Smith"? I wonder if anyone had any issues when you travelled in and out of the US by having two different names.

- Miffy

[redglasses 1]

Hello! I am new here. My husband and I are filing the I-130 for him in Tokyo this week. Hopefully everything will go well!

Welcome!

And best wishes with your journey!

Hi, thanks for the welcome! We will file tomorrow, but I still have a million things to copy ><

Welcome aboard, potatoboss.

I am on the same boat.

My husband I filed I-130 at Tokyo last year.

I am now counting down to the day of my interview.