Birth registration of children of unmarried parents
What it is
It is the consular registration of the birth of children born out of wedlock.
In this case, Japanese practice is usually to omit the father's name from the register or to indicate the husband or ex-husband as the father, if the mother is or has been married. Similarly, Brazilian law provides for the presumption of paternity of children born after 180 days of marriage and up to 300 days after the end of the marriage (by death, legal separation, divorce and annulment) in the name of the husband or ex-husband.
However, if the parents are Brazilian or if one of the parents is Brazilian and the other foreign, both of whom do not hold dual Japanese nationality, recognition of paternity may be requested at the time of registration at the Consulate, provided that the appropriate documents are presented in each case and provided that the presumed father (husband/ex-husband) is also Brazilian.
⚠️ If either of the people involved has Japanese nationality, even if they have dual Brazilian nationality, it is not possible to have paternity acknowledged directly at the Consulate. In this case, the paternity must be recognized before the Japanese prefecture or court and registered in Koseki Tōhon (戸籍謄本) before the consular birth registration.
How to apply
With the necessary documents in hand, schedule the service through the e-Consular system. Check out the system tutorial here. Once the appointment has been made, the Brazilian parent must go to the Consulate and present the original documents.
Documents required
Please check the specific sections for each case:
- Unmarried parents (non-Japanese nationals)
- Mother married, but not to the biological father (non-Japanese)
- One of the parents is Japanese or has dual Japanese nationality
Single Brazilian and/or foreign parents who do not hold Japanese nationality
| 1 | Form | Birth registration form completed and signed by parents ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 2 | Documents issued by the Japanese city hall |
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| 3 | Parents' identity card |
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| 4 | Parents' birth and/or marriage certificate, as appropriate |
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Additional documents (for those over 12 years old)
| 5 | Identity document of the person to be registered | Original and copy of photo ID, which may be:
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| 6 | Witnesses' data form | Completed and signed by them ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 7 | Witnesses' identity documents | Original and copy |
Brazilian or foreign mother, married but not to the biological father (both do not have Japanese nationality)
💡 In these cases, a consular birth registration is recommended so that it can serve as the basis for the foreign birth registration. The parents and two witnesses must be present.
| 1 | Birth Registration Form | Filled in and signed by parents ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 2 | Paternity acknowledgment form | Completed and signed by the father ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 3 | Witness data form | Completed and signed by the witnesses ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 4 | Birth certificate issued by hospital | Shusshō Shoumeisho (出生証明書） |
| 5 | Parents' identity document |
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| 6 | Birth and/or marriage certificate of parents, as appropriate |
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| 7 | Witnesses' identity documents | Original and copy |
Additional documents (for registering people over 12)
| 8 | Identity document of the person to be registered | Original and copy of a photo document, which can be:
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| 9 | Witnesses' data form | Completed and signed by witnesses |
| 10 | Witnesses' identity documents | Original and copy |
One parent holds Japanese nationality
| 1 | Birth Registration Form | Completed and signed by parents ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 2 | Paternity acknowledgment form | Completed and signed by the father |
| 3 | Documents issued by the Japanese prefecture |
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| 4 | Parents' identity documents |
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| 5 | Parents' birth and/or marriage certificate, as appropriate | If married: copy of marriage certificate If single: copy of birth certificate If divorced: copy of marriage certificate with annotation of divorce |
Additional documents (for registering people over 12)
| 6 | Identity document of the person to be registered | Original and copy of a photo document, which can be:
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| 7 | Witnesses' data form | Completed and signed by witnesses ⚠️ Disable your browser's pop-up blocker to open the form. |
| 8 | Witnesses' identity documents | Original and copy |