# Dual nationality and Japan: what happens to your passport URL: https://japanhow.com/visa/naturalization/dual-nationality-japan/ Author: JapanHow editors Updated: Oct 28, 2026 ## Summary As of October 2026, Japan does not generally allow adults to hold dual nationality. A foreigner who naturalizes (帰化) must, in principle, lose the previous nationality. A Japanese national who voluntarily takes a foreign nationality automatically loses Japanese nationality. People who become dual nationals another way, such as by birth, must choose one nationality by age 20, or within 2 years if it arose at 18 or older. Your home country's law decides whether it lets go of you. ## Key facts - Naturalizing: Give up old nationality, in principle - Choice deadline: Age 20, or 2 years if 18+ - Taking a foreign nationality: Japanese nationality lost automatically - Where to declare: City office or embassy/consulate Under dual nationality Japan rules, adults cannot freely hold two nationalities. As of October 2026, a foreigner who naturalizes (帰化, kika) must be stateless or, **in principle, lose their previous nationality** by becoming Japanese. A Japanese national who **voluntarily takes a foreign nationality loses Japanese nationality automatically**. People who end up with two nationalities another way, such as by birth, must **choose one by age 20**, or within 2 years if it arose at 18 or older. **Informational only:** This page summarizes Ministry of Justice guidance. Your home country's law decides how its nationality ends, and the results differ by country. Ask your embassy and a licensed immigration and administrative specialist (行政書士) about your own case. ## Do I have to give up my nationality to naturalize in Japan? In principle, yes. The Ministry of Justice lists a condition to prevent dual nationality (重国籍防止条件): you must be stateless, or lose your previous nationality by naturalizing. There is one exception. If you cannot give up your nationality by your own will, naturalization may still be approved. For the steps, see [the naturalization process](/visa/naturalization/naturalization-japan-process/). ## What happens to my passport? The Ministry pages we checked do not say. They do not cover passports. We could not confirm what Japan requires, so we do not state it here. What you can do: - Ask your home country's embassy in Japan how its nationality ends when you naturalize elsewhere, and what it does with your passport. - Ask the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) at your naturalization consultation. ## What if I am a dual national already? Some people are dual nationals without choosing it. The Ministry lists causes such as a parent's nationality, birth in a country that grants nationality by place of birth, or a foreign nationality gained by recognition, adoption or marriage. You must choose one nationality by these deadlines: | When dual nationality arose | Choose by | |---|---| | Before age 18 | Age 20 | | At age 18 or older | 2 years after it arose | These deadlines follow the rule as amended from April 1, 2022. If you miss the deadline, you must still choose. The Minister of Justice may send a notice. If you do not choose within one month of that notice, you generally lose Japanese nationality when the period ends. ## How do I keep Japanese nationality as a dual national? There are two routes, both filed at a city or ward office, or at a Japanese embassy or consulate. - **Foreign nationality already lost:** file a foreign nationality loss notice (外国国籍喪失届) with proof. - **Declaration of choice:** file a nationality choice declaration (国籍選択届). Whether this ends your foreign nationality depends on that country's law. If it does not, you must make efforts to renounce it (Article 16). A person under 15 chooses through a legal representative. ## How do I keep the foreign nationality instead? You give up Japanese nationality by one of two filings. - **Renunciation notice (国籍離脱届):** to the Legal Affairs Bureau for your address, or an embassy or consulate. - **Loss notice (国籍喪失届):** with proof that you chose the foreign nationality, at a city or ward office or an embassy or consulate. This affects only the person filing, not family members. ## What if I naturalize in another country later? If you are a Japanese national and acquire a foreign nationality of your own will, for example by naturalizing abroad, you automatically lose Japanese nationality. This matters if you plan to move on after becoming Japanese. If you hold a permanent resident status now, compare options in [permanent residency vs naturalization](/visa/residency/permanent-residency-vs-naturalization/). ## More guides - [Japanese naturalization process](/visa/naturalization/naturalization-japan-process/) - [Permanent residency vs naturalization](/visa/residency/permanent-residency-vs-naturalization/) - [Japanese language level for naturalization](/visa/naturalization/naturalization-japanese-language-level/) - [Permanent residency requirements](/visa/residency/permanent-residency-japan-requirements/) ## Questions people ask ### Does Japan allow dual citizenship? Not in the sense of free choice for adults. Dual nationals, such as children of mixed-nationality parents, must choose one nationality by a deadline. Naturalizing as an adult requires losing your previous nationality in principle. ### Can I keep my original passport if I naturalize in Japan? The Ministry of Justice requires you to lose your previous nationality in principle. The pages we checked say nothing about passports, so ask your home country's embassy what happens to your passport. ### What if my home country does not let me renounce? Naturalization may still be approved if you cannot give up your nationality by your own will. ### What is the deadline to choose a nationality? If you became a dual national before 18, by age 20. If at 18 or older, within 2 years. After the deadline, the Minister of Justice may send a notice, and if you do not choose within one month you generally lose Japanese nationality. ### What happens if I take another country's citizenship as a Japanese national? If you acquire a foreign nationality of your own will, for example by naturalizing abroad, you automatically lose Japanese nationality. ## Sources - [国籍Q&A](https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji78.html), Ministry of Justice (accessed Oct 28, 2026) - [国籍選択 (guidance for dual nationals)](https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji06.html), Ministry of Justice (accessed Oct 28, 2026) - [国籍](https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/kokuseki.html), Ministry of Justice (accessed Oct 28, 2026)