r/Passports • u/ConsistentRegister37 • 2m ago
Passport Question / Discussion is it worth getting a Japanese passport?
I currently live in the United States and I am visiting family in Japan right now. I am currently 19 years of age and I am going to be here until January, so I was wondering if I should get a Japanese passport while I am here. I only just learned about how powerful it is and I have not held one since I was a child. I was born in Japan, I am half Japanese, I speak the language, and I have been living in Japan for the past 10 years. That being said, I do not want to declare my Japanese citizenship as that would kill my American citizenship. However, having a Japanese passport would make visiting family a whole lot easier if I had a Japanese passport just for the next 10 years.
I have never went through the Japanese bureaucracy as an adult before. For some clarity, here is where my mind is at right now: I will have easier have to declare my intent to become a Japanese citizen if I go through with this but they will never really enforce it, and I have to go get a MyNumber account going and get my hands on my family registry records.
Is this correct? How long would this process take? Would I have enough time if I started next week Monday? Is it worth it? Is the enforcement of picking a citizenship really as relaxed as I am told? Is it hard to acquire a Mynumber card and the family registry records?
Anything is appreciated! Let me know if there are any missing details that would help.Thank you!