The procedure for both foreign and mixed foreign-Japanese weddings is similar. To file a marriage registration, go to the local city office of your permanent address or of your Japanese partner’s address. A foreigner will need to present their passport and a Certificate of No Impediment from their embassy (cost varies by country), an alien registration card and personal seal (inkan) if they have one, otherwise a signature will suffice. A Japanese person should supply a copy of their Family Register (koseki tôhon) and their inkan. In both cases the marriage notification form should be signed (in advance) by two witnesses over the age of 20. Once these documents are approved you are officially married. Once married, a Japanese citizen can open their Family Register to a foreigner and apply for a spouse visa (p.54). A Japanese woman can change her name and record it in her Family Register, but this must be done within the first six months of marriage, otherwise it will go through the courts and the request may be denied.