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Certified Japanese Passport Translation
Certified translation of the documents that establish identity and nationality in Japan, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$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.
Red and blue, and what the colour says
Japanese passports are red for a ten-year validity and blue for a five-year, and applicants under twenty can only hold the five-year book.
So the colour states the validity and something about the holder's age at issue. We name the type as printed.
Hepburn, and the non-Hepburn exception
Japanese passports romanise by Hepburn and drop long-vowel marks, so Satō becomes SATO and Ōno becomes ONO — merging names that are distinct in Japanese. A holder with a foreign-linked name may apply for a non-Hepburn spelling, which is permitted with documentary support.
So two people with the same kanji may hold passports spelled differently, lawfully. We reproduce the kanji, the passport spelling and the reading the koseki supports.
The koseki is the underlying record
A Japanese passport shows no parents and no address. The koseki, the family register, is where parentage, marriage and every change of name live, and the kaisei genkoseki holds entries left behind by computerisation.
So any family matter needs the koseki alongside the passport, and if the current register shows nothing, ask for the pre-computerisation original.
Dual nationality, and what the passport implies
Japanese law requires a person holding another nationality to make a declaration of choice by a stated age, and that shapes how families handle documents.
We translate what the document says and do not draw inferences about nationality status from the existence of a Japanese passport. See our Japanese page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my passport blue and my colleague's red?
Blue is five-year validity, red is ten. Under-twenties can only hold the five-year book.
Can the spelling differ from Hepburn?
Yes, with documentary support for a foreign-linked name. Two people with the same kanji can be spelled differently, lawfully.
Does the passport show my parents?
No. The koseki does, and older entries may be in the kaisei genkoseki.
Sato or Satō?
The passport drops the long-vowel mark, which merges distinct names. We reproduce the kanji and the reading.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.