Marriage Subsidy (Marriage New-Life Support Subsidy): Eligibility, Amount & How to Apply [2026, for Foreigners]

The "Marriage New-Life Support Subsidy" is a program in which municipalities subsidize the costs of starting a new life together as newlyweds, such as rent and moving costs. It uses funding from the national government (Children and Families Agency), and is administered by municipalities that choose to implement it. Regardless of nationality, foreign resident households can be eligible if they have residence registration in a participating municipality and meet the requirements.

① What is the Marriage New-Life Support Subsidy

As part of Japan's measures against the declining birthrate, this is a subsidy program designed to ease the financial burden of getting married. It is not available nationwide — only in municipalities that have chosen to implement it. The first step is to check whether your city, town, or ward (current or planned) offers the program. Starting fiscal year 2026, the national program's official name changed to "Marriage/Pregnancy/Co-parenting Consultation & Support Program". Municipal offices may still use the older name "Marriage New-Life Support Subsidy."

② Maximum subsidy amount

For fiscal year 2026 (Reiwa 8), the guideline maximum amounts are as follows (the maximum amount and operation vary by municipality).

These are maximum amounts; the actual subsidy depends on your actual eligible expenses and the municipality's budget. These maximums apply only to households that meet all the requirements in section ③ (including the fiscal-year-2026 course requirement). Households that do not meet every requirement are not eligible. Separately, households that received a subsidy decision in the previous fiscal year but did not reach the cap may be eligible for a different, carry-over category.

③ Household eligibility requirements

• A newlywed household in which both spouses are 39 or under on the date of marriage registration
• Combined household income under ¥5,000,000 (if repaying a loan-type scholarship — one that must be repaid, as opposed to a grant-type scholarship — the annual repayment amount can be deducted from income)
• Starting fiscal year 2026, both spouses must also complete at least one of a set of designated courses within that fiscal year (a life-design support course, a pre-conception care course, a consultation with a medical institution about pregnancy/childbirth, or a co-housework/co-parenting course. The specific format and available courses vary by municipality)
• For fiscal year 2026, households are eligible if their marriage date (the date the marriage notification was filed or accepted) is on or after January 1, 2026 and falls within the window set by the municipality (the eligible period follows the formula: from January 1 of the fiscal year before the grant-decision fiscal year, through the end of the grant-decision fiscal year, and is updated each fiscal year). If both spouses are foreign nationals, the marriage date is the date the marriage notification was filed with and accepted by a Japanese municipal office. If one spouse is a Japanese national and you married abroad first and then filed a report-type notification in Japan, some municipalities instead use the date recorded in the family register as the "marriage date" or "certificate submission date" for subsidy purposes, and practice varies. Be sure to check with your municipal office
• Must have residence registration in a participating municipality
• Neither spouse has previously received a subsidy under this program (the former Marriage New-Life Support Subsidy). Starting fiscal year 2026, a household is only excluded if both spouses previously received it — if only one spouse did, the household may still be eligible. However, if a couple who previously received the subsidy divorced and one of them remarried, the household is not eligible if the remarriage occurred within one year of the divorce

④ Eligible expenses

• Rent, key money, deposit, common service fees, and agent fees for a new home
• If specified in your lease as a condition of the contract, rent guarantee fees, fire insurance premiums, lease renewal fees, and key-exchange/cleaning fees can also be eligible (clarified starting fiscal year 2026; handling varies by municipality)
• Moving costs for the new home
• Purchase costs of a new home
• Renovation costs for a new home

Which expenses are covered, and which payment dates are eligible, vary by municipality. As a national floor, eligible payments must be made on or after April 1 of the grant-decision fiscal year (April 1, 2026 for fiscal year 2026). Also, if your employer pays you a housing allowance, the amount equivalent to that allowance is deducted from the eligible rent-related expenses. Keep receipts and other supporting documents, as you will need them as proof.

⑤ Key points for foreign residents

• You must have residence registration in a participating municipality, and your marriage must have been notified to and accepted by a Japanese municipal office. If both spouses are foreign nationals, we have confirmed that some municipalities require the marriage to have been filed with and accepted by a Japanese municipal office (a marriage under Japanese procedure) — some municipalities do not accept a marriage filed only with your home country's government or an embassy. If one spouse is a Japanese national, some municipalities accept a marriage performed abroad and recorded in the family register, while others require the marriage to be filed with and accepted by a Japanese municipal office; practice varies by municipality. If both spouses are foreign nationals, the marriage is generally proven with the marriage notification acceptance certificate and your residence record (a family register is created only for Japanese nationals). In every case, the required documents are set by the municipality, so be sure to check with your municipal office
• Age, income, and marriage-date requirements are judged using the same standards as for Japanese nationals
• Guidance and application forms are basically in Japanese only. Consider using your municipality's multilingual counter or an interpreter if needed
• If one spouse is a Japanese national and you married abroad first and then filed a report-type notification in Japan, which date counts as your marriage date becomes an issue. The national implementation guideline defines the marriage date as the date the notification was filed or accepted, but some municipalities instead use the date recorded in the family register as the "marriage date" or "certificate submission date" for subsidy purposes. This directly affects age and eligibility-period judgments, so be sure to check with your municipal office

⑥ Application process and points to note

1. Check whether your (current or planned) municipality implements the program (Children and Families Agency website / municipal website)
2. Confirm the eligibility requirements, eligible expenses, application period, and required documents with your municipality
3. Gather your supporting documents for marriage, moving, and payments, then apply

FAQ

Are foreign residents eligible?If you have residence registration in a municipality that implements the program, and meet the marriage, age, and income requirements, you can be eligible. Whether the program is offered, and the specific requirements, vary by municipality.

How much can I receive?For fiscal year 2026, the guideline is up to ¥600,000 if both spouses are 29 or under, or up to ¥300,000 if both spouses are 39 or under. To qualify for these amounts, you must also meet all other requirements, including the fiscal-year-2026 course requirement for both spouses. The maximum amount and operation vary by municipality.

What expenses are covered?Rent, key money, deposit, common service fees, and agent fees for a new home, moving costs, and the purchase or renovation costs of a new home. Eligible expenses vary by municipality.

Where do I apply?At your municipal office. Please check with your municipality whether the program is offered and what documents are required. You can also check which municipalities implement the program on the Children and Families Agency website.

Which households are eligible based on marriage date?For fiscal year 2026, households are eligible if their marriage date (the date the marriage notification was filed or accepted) is on or after January 1, 2026 and falls within the window set by the municipality (the eligible period follows the formula: from January 1 of the fiscal year before the grant-decision fiscal year, through the end of the grant-decision fiscal year, and is updated each fiscal year). If both spouses are foreign nationals, the marriage date is the date the marriage notification was filed with and accepted by a Japanese municipal office. If one spouse is a Japanese national and you married abroad first and then filed a report-type notification in Japan, some municipalities instead use the date recorded in the family register as the "marriage date" or "certificate submission date" for subsidy purposes, and practice varies. This directly affects age and eligibility-period judgments, so be sure to check with your municipal office.