Having a baby in Japan as a foreigner: the paperwork timeline

From the pregnancy notice and the mother-and-child handbook to the birth registration, the baby's residence status, passport and child allowance. Every deadline in order, so nothing is missed in the sleepless weeks.

Last updated 4 October 2026

When you're pregnant

1Confirm the pregnancy at an obstetrics clinic (産婦人科, sanfujinka). They'll tell you when to register.
2Notify the ward office (妊娠届, ninshin todoke). You receive the mother-and-child health handbook (母子健康手帳, boshi kenkō techō), often available in English and other languages, and vouchers for free or discounted check-ups. Ask for the foreign-language version.
3Choose where to give birth early. Popular hospitals and birth clinics fill up months ahead, sometimes in the first trimester.
4Ask about the childbirth lump-sum payment (出産育児一時金): ¥500,000 per baby from your health insurance, usually paid straight to the hospital so you only pay any difference.

A normal birth isn't covered by health insurance in the usual way: costs vary a lot by hospital and area, and the lump sum is what helps. Complications and caesareans are covered. Ask each hospital for its typical total.

After the birth: the deadlines

Within	What
14 days	Birth registration (出生届, shusshō todoke) at the ward office. The hospital gives you the form with the birth certificate on it. Ask for a certificate of acceptance (受理証明書); embassies often need it.
15 days	Child allowance (児童手当, jidō teate): apply at the ward office. Payments start the month after you apply, so applying late loses months.
Soon after	Health insurance for the baby (through your employer or National Health Insurance) and the children's medical subsidy (子ども医療費助成), which makes most doctor visits free or nearly free.
30 days	The baby's residence status (在留資格取得許可申請) at the immigration office, if the baby is not Japanese and will stay longer than 60 days.
As your embassy says	Report the birth to your own country and get a passport. Rules differ by country; some need it done within a set time.

If one parent is Japanese, the baby is usually Japanese and goes on the family register (戸籍, koseki); no residence status is needed. Dual nationality rules then apply: ask the ward office and your embassy.

Child allowance and other support

Child allowance is now paid up to the end of high school age, with no income limit, usually ¥10,000–15,000 a month per child, more from the third child.
Children's medical subsidy from your city: free or cheap doctor visits for children, with the age limit set by each city.
Health check-ups for the baby at set ages, organised by the city. The handbook lists them.
Daycare (保育園, hoikuen): applications go through the city, and popular areas have waiting lists. Ask about the timeline as soon as you know you'll need it.

Useful words

Japanese	Meaning
妊娠届 (ninshin todoke)	Pregnancy notification
母子健康手帳 (boshi kenkō techō)	Mother-and-child health handbook
出生届 (shusshō todoke)	Birth registration
受理証明書 (juri shōmeisho)	Certificate that the registration was accepted
児童手当 (jidō teate)	Child allowance
乳幼児健診 (nyūyōji kenshin)	Baby check-up
保育園 (hoikuen)	Daycare

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Sources

Facts checked against these official sources. Rules change and differ by city: if something here looks out of date, tell us at support@progaijin.com.

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