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Certified Japanese Birth Certificate Translation
Get your Japanese birth certificate translated into English by a professional human translator, with a signed certification accepted by USCIS, courts and universities. Flat $24.95 per page and a 100% USCIS acceptance guarantee.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
Japan does not issue a birth certificate
There is no Japanese document called a birth certificate. Births are recorded in the koseki, the family register kept by the municipality, and what you obtain is an extract from it. USCIS accepts three things: the koseki tohon (the full register, zenbu jiko shomeisho), the koseki shohon (the individual extract, kojin jiko shomeisho), or the shussei juri shomeisho, the Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Birth.
Whichever you submit has to show the date and place of birth and the parentage. A register issued within the last three months is the safer choice, because a newer one can be asked for at interview. A foreign national born in Japan does not appear in a koseki at all and needs the acceptance certificate instead.
Era years, and vertical text
Japanese official documents date events by imperial era — Reiwa, Heisei, Showa — so a birth in "Showa 45" is 1970 and nothing on the page says so. Each era year is converted individually and both are shown, because an era year read as a Gregorian one is wrong by decades rather than by one.
Older registers are handwritten and set vertically, and a full koseki tohon runs to several pages listing everyone in the register. All of it is translated, including the entries for people who are not you — see our Japanese page.
What USCIS requires
Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a foreign-language document must be accompanied by a complete English translation and the translator's certification that it is accurate. Every seal, stamp and marginal note is part of the document, so every one is translated.
State agencies set their own rules — see government agencies — and what our certification states is on this page.
How it works
Upload a photo or a scan of your document, pick the language pair and check out online. You never have to mail originals: a legible copy is all we need.
A professional human translator, never machine translation, translates the document word for word and mirrors the layout of the original. Every certified translation ships with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy that meets the requirements of USCIS, courts and universities.
Your translation is delivered digitally, usually within 24 hours for documents of one to three pages, and same-day delivery is available. If anything needs adjusting, we revise it.
Certified vs. standard translation
A certified translation is a word-for-word translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting to its accuracy and completeness. It is what official bodies require: USCIS, courts, universities and government agencies. Certified translations are $24.95 per page, where a page is up to 250 words.
A standard translation is for business or personal use where certification is not needed, such as CVs, client intake forms or marketing material, and is billed at the same $24.95 per page of up to 250 words.
Frequently asked questions
Which document should I order?
The koseki tohon (full register) is the safest default, and a copy issued within the last three months. If you are not a Japanese national, you need the Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Birth instead.
My register says Showa 45. What year is that?
1970. Japanese documents date by imperial era, and we convert each date individually and show both, because an era year misread as Gregorian is decades out.
Do you translate the whole register, including my relatives?
Yes. A koseki tohon lists everyone in the register and a partial translation is an incomplete document.
Ready to get started?
Upload your documents and receive your certified translation, typically within 24 hours.