- Registering the birth of a child in Japan
- Applying for Australian citizenship for the child
- Applying for an Australian passport for the child
Registering the birth of a child in Japan
If your child is born in Japan, you cannot register their birth with the Australian Government or Australian missions in Japan.
When a child is born in Japan, even when one or both parents of the child are Australian citizens, the child's birth needs to be registered with the local Japanese municipal office where the parent(s) reside. Please enquire with your local municipal office for further details and requirements.
There are no processes available for the Australian Government and Australian missions in Japan to register the birth of a child born in Japan. In principle, an Australian Birth Certificate cannot be issued to children born outside of Australia. The official Japanese municipal government birth registration paperwork will be the official proof of birth for the child used in Australia
If one parent of the child is a Japanese citizen, this will be an extract of the Japanese Family Register (koseki tohon OR koseki shohon).
If both parents of the child are non-Japanese citizens, this will be a Birth Registration Certificate (shussho todoke kisai jiko shomeisho OR shussho todoke juri shomeisho).
Depending on the organisation/authority, a NAATI certified English translation may need to be presented in conjunction.
Applying for Australian citizenship for the child
If you would like to apply for Australian citizenship for your child, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website for more information, including eligibility requirements:
Become an Australian citizen (by descent) - Your parent was an Australian citizen when you were born overseas (homeaffairs.gov.au)
The Australian Embassy in Tokyo and the Australian Consulate General in Osaka cannot provide information or advice on citizenship matters. For enquiries related to applying for Australian citizenship, please contact the Department of Home Affairs directly:
Department of Home Affairs Global Service Centre (GSC): +61 2 6196 0196 (language support services available)
General Enquiries: Australian Immigration Enquiry Form
Applying for an Australian passport for the child
Once you have obtained an Australian Citizenship Certificate for your child, confirm whether you have the other required documents to apply for their Australian passport. Complete the Passport Application Checklist prior to submitting the passport application at your nearest Australian mission in Japan. You can make an appointment to lodge the passport application via our website.
If you still have questions after reading the information on our website, your nearest Australian mission can answer questions regarding passport applications.
The Department of Home Affairs offers information about travelling as a dual citizen.