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JP · Visas

Japan digital nomad visa

Japan's digital nomad visa lets you work remotely for employers or clients abroad for up to six months if you earn at least JPY 10 million a year. It has existed since March 2024, cannot be extended and also requires medical insurance with JPY 10 million of cover and a nationality on the official list, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and most of the EU.

Tokyo · Kyoto · Fukuoka

A café on a Japanese street with a ginkgo tree, tiled roofs and bicycles
Nomad Hub editorial teamEditorial update: Next review: 18 November 2026

General guidance · not legal or tax advice

General information based on cited official sources, to help you get oriented and prepare questions. It does not replace the competent authority or a professional: confirm requirements and amounts at the source before applying.

Financial amounts in this edition refer to 2026; historical figures in the text are not automatically updated.

Financial reference
JPY 10,000,000 a year
Duration
6 months · no extension
Family
Spouse and children, with their own insurance

Who can apply

The status is called “Designated Activities (for Digital Nomad)”. It covers two activities carried out from Japan through digital means: working as an employee of a company established abroad, or selling services or goods to people outside Japan. It does not allow work for companies or individuals in Japan, whether as an employee or a contractor, and it excludes activities that can only be provided by entering the country.

Nationality is a requirement: you must hold the nationality of a country or region with a tourist visa exemption for Japan and a tax treaty in force. The official list includes, among others, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and most of the EU. Argentina, Colombia and Costa Rica are not eligible as main applicants: their nationals can only come as family members.

Income and medical insurance

You need an annual income of at least JPY 10 million at the time of application, proven with a tax or income certificate from the country where you worked. Your most recent annual income counts, but so does a raise already agreed for this year or a new job paying that salary. If you are a freelancer or sole proprietor, what counts is profit after expenses, not the amount invoiced; several stable contracts can be combined.

You also need private medical insurance covering death, injury and illness for the whole stay, with at least JPY 10 million for medical expenses. Credit card insurance is accepted if it reaches that cover and you can prove it with the policy or a certificate.

How to apply and how long it lasts

There are two steps. First, the Certificate of Eligibility, issued by the regional immigration bureau in Japan, which someone else can file on your behalf. With that certificate you apply for the visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate for your place of residence, and you no longer need to submit the activity plan, proof of income and proof of insurance there. The certificate speeds up the process but does not guarantee the visa.

The stay lasts six months and cannot be renewed. You do not receive a residence card, you can move around the country without any procedure and, with a re-entry permit, leave and come back before it expires. To use this status again, six months must pass after you leave Japan.

Documents for the Certificate of Eligibility

Immigration asks for the Certificate of Eligibility application form with a photo that meets the standards, a reply envelope with the address written on it and registered-mail postage, and an activity plan for the stay (there is a reference template; it is not needed separately if the form already has that detail). If the name on the certificate will differ from your passport, it recommends attaching a copy of the passport.

For the substantive requirements you submit: a tax or income certificate from the country where you worked showing at least JPY 10 million a year, a document proving your current work status (contract or certificate of employment), an explanation of your private medical insurance cover using the official template, and a copy of the enrolment certificate and policy terms. If someone files on your behalf, they must bring a document proving who they are.

Spouse and children

Your spouse and dependent children can join you under their own status (“for spouse or child of Digital Nomad”). Their nationality list is wider because it does not require a tax treaty, and it includes, for example, Argentina and Costa Rica. They need the same JPY 10 million insurance, which can be family cover under your policy, and proof of the relationship, such as a marriage certificate.

Taxes and tax residence

For Japan's National Tax Agency, a resident is someone with a domicile in Japan or who lives in the country continuously for one year or more. With a six-month status, no extension and no residence card, you generally remain a non-resident, and a non-resident is only taxed on Japanese-source income. If you keep a home, family or your belongings in Japan between stays, the analysis changes.

Taxes and tax residence: Japan ↗

Things to keep in mind

These points vary with your situation, your home country or the consulate. They are worth confirming with the official source before you take the next step.

  • Requirements, fee and processing times of the Japanese embassy or consulate for your country of residence.
  • Whether your insurance (or your card's) covers JPY 10 million in medical expenses for the whole stay.
  • If you are a freelancer, how you will prove JPY 10 million of net profit, not turnover.

Health and travel insurance

Travel and health insurance

Medical cover for long stays.

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Sources and scope

Dates record editorial consultation, not professional approval. Consular, nationality and profile conditions are checked separately.