Pinoys in Japan reminded about 'Gaimusho' seal for documents

Foreign documents from Japan will not be honored in the Philippines if they do not bear the seal of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Certification Section (Gaimusho Shomei-han),  the Philippine embassy in Japan warned. In an advisory on June 7, the embassy said: "The public is hereby reminded that foreign documents sourced in Japan intended to be used in the Philippines shall be accepted for authentication only if the said documents bear the seal of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Certification Section (Gaimusho Shomei-han)."  Notarized documents executed before any other foreign authority without the Gaimusho seal "shall not be accepted," it added. The embassy also listed details about its consular section’s authentication (ninsho tetsuzuki) procedures at its authentication section. "Authentication is required when a legal document originating in Japan is going to be used in the Philippines," it said. The document to be authenticated, together with the English translation, should go through the following offices: Notary Public (Koshonin Yakuba) or Bureau of Justice (Homu-kyoku) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Gaimu-sho) Certification Section (Shomei-han) Telephone No.: 03-3580-3311 Address: 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919 Eidan Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line or Chiyoda Line – KASUMIGASEKI Station Exit A4 or A8

Applicants may have their documents notarized at: Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau 1-1-15 Kudan-minami, Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 102-8225 [phone] 03-5213-1234 The nearest branch of the Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau to the Embassy is: Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau Minato Branch 2-11-11 Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6854 [phone] 03-3586-2181 The embassy said documents issued by the Ministry of Justice or its related offices such as the Kosekitohon (family registry), Shimpan-sho (court decree), Muhanzai-shomeisho (police certificate), do not need to go through the Notary Public. One can submit these documents immediately to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Gaimu-sho), it added. After completing the first two steps, applicants may make one copy in A4-size paper of the document to be authenticated, and submit it to the Philippine Embassy Visa/Authentication Unit (Window No. 1). "The document/s will be assessed. Documents in Japanese with English translation will be verified first. Translation of the original Japanese document has to be done by a private translation firm. The Embassy only verifies the translation. A receipt will be issued which should be paid at the Cashier on the date of application," the embassy said. Fees include $25 for verification and $25 for authentication, and are payable in US dollars or Japanese yen equivalent. Documents may be picked up or released after five working days, not counting the day of application and holidays. - VVP, GMA News