Apostille Certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Certified Translation for Documents to be Submitted to France

When applying for a visa to travel to France, you may be required to submit Japanese documents such as a family register (koseki tohon).

However, Japanese official documents are not accepted as-is by French authorities.
You will typically be instructed to obtain an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a certified French translation of the document.
Note: Some institutions may not require a certified translation, depending on their individual submission requirements.

Obtaining an Apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires a minimum waiting period of four business days from the date of application

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was sometimes possible to obtain an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within about two days if applying in person. However, currently, without exception, a minimum of four business days is required from the time of application to receive the apostille.

There are two ways to apply: by mail or in person at the counter. However, the earliest possible receipt date is the same for both methods.

For example, if you submit your application by mail on November 1, and it arrives at the Ministry on November 2, the documents will typically be dispatched by the Ministry on November 5, so you can expect to receive them by November 6 (assuming standard postal delivery within one day).

Similarly, if you apply in person at the Ministry's counter on November 2, the apostilled documents will also be ready for pickup or dispatch from November 6.

Please note that some online sources may contain outdated information claiming you can receive the apostille the next day after applying. This is no longer accurate, so please be cautious.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has application counters in both Tokyo and Osaka, and the processing time is the same at both locations.

Private documents cannot be apostilled directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Apostille applications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Certification Division are accepted only for public documents.

Please note that private documents cannot be processed at the MOFA Certification Division. Instead, apostilles for private documents must be obtained through a notary public office.

Public documents refer to documents issued by Japanese government offices or other public institutions.
Private documents refer to documents created by individuals or private entities.

Please also note that academic transcripts and graduation certificates issued by private universities or private schools are considered private documents, not public documents.

In addition, translations of documents such as family register certificates (koseki tohon) are also treated as private documents. Therefore, if you attach a translation to a family register certificate and apply for an apostille, the MOFA Certification Division will not accept it. In such cases, the apostille must be obtained through a notary public office.

Apostille Certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Certified Translation for Documents to be Submitted to France

Our office provides proxy services for obtaining apostilles and certified translations.
Note: Certified French translations are handled through a professional French translation agency.

Feel free to contact us using the form below.
Consultations are free of charge, and we never engage in aggressive sales tactics.

For detailed pricing, please refer to the price list page below.

2-19-4-506 Azabu-juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0045, JAPAN
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