American citizen marrying a dual-citizen in JP?

[reiven]

Hello Jref Forum,

I am in a complicated situation where my boyfriend works on a military base and he is of dual citizenship (US & JP) working as an American Citizen (and as a civilian). He is on a waiver right now with the JP government where he doesn't have to pay JP taxes until he's done with college. And what I want to know is, if anyone can please help me, if we get married right now and I take his American last name, would he have to renounce his Japanese citizenship because of the marriage? Or would the JP government give him an ultimatum, etc? What would happen? Because he plans to, in a couple more years, choose his JP citizenship for good.

Basically, not only do we want to get married, but I am in desperate need of SOFA sponsorship or a legal way to stay here in Japan because I'm on my tourist visa right now. I have been here since early this year trying desperately to find a job but have had no luck and I am already on my 2nd 90-day visa as it is and I am not wanting to go for a 3rd time because I know I will be interrogated at the airport. I have a military ID because I'm a dependent until I turn 23 which isn't until next year but my sponsor (the one in the military) is in the mainland US and therefore I don't have SOFA sponsorship here in Japan. My boyfriend and I are running out of options and I was wanting to do a little research regarding this complicated matter... I want to stay here in Japan and we want to get married but because of his dual-citizenship, we're afraid we can't... because of the legal implications behind it...

If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all for reading!

- Reiven

 

[Damicci]

Whew that's tough. If he can read Japanese I would suggest looking to the Japanese immigration sites for more answers.

Try here:
Immigration Services Agency of Japan

 

[Glenski]

Legally, he is not allowed to hold dual citizenship past the age of 22.

Technically, it's a "don't ask, don't tell" situation.

It's he who has the choice to renounce based on his age, not on whether you get married.

I want to stay here in Japan and we want to get married but because of his dual-citizenship, we're afraid we can't

If he stays here, whether as an American or Japanese, and continues to hold a job (and work visa or SOFA as an American), you can be his spouse and stay on a dependent visa.