Japan’s digital nomad visa lets a remote worker live in Japan for up to six months while working for employers or clients outside the country. It is a narrow program: you need an annual income of at least ¥10 million, a passport from a short list of countries, and private medical insurance with high coverage.
Officially, it is not called a digital nomad visa at all. It is a status of residence called “Designated Activities (Digital Nomad)”, run by Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (ISA). Japan introduced it in spring 2024, and the core conditions were unchanged when we checked the official pages in October 2026.
This guide covers who qualifies, how the application works, what life looks like without a residence card, and the tax questions that people often raise before they go.
Key takeaways
- The income bar is high: at least ¥10 million a year at the time of application, backed by a tax or income certificate.
- Only nationals of countries that are both visa-exempt for Japan and covered by a Japanese tax treaty can apply. That is roughly 50 countries and regions.
- The stay is capped at six months with no extension. After it ends, you must wait six months before you can apply for the same status again.
- No residence card is issued, which makes some everyday tasks, such as opening a local bank account, harder.
- Spouses and children can come with you, but they need their own insurance and cannot work.
What the Japan digital nomad visa actually is
Most visitors from visa-exempt countries can already enter Japan for short tourist stays. The problem for remote workers is that a tourist stay is not meant for work, and it is far shorter than six months. The digital nomad status fills that gap. It gives a defined legal basis for working remotely from Japan for a foreign employer or for foreign clients.
The ISA describes two kinds of qualifying activity. The first is remote work under an employment contract with a company or organization based outside Japan. The second is providing paid services or selling goods to people located abroad, using information and communication technology. Work that can only be done by being physically in Japan does not count.
The status is also clear about what you cannot do. You cannot work under an employment contract with a Japanese public or private organization. In practice, this means the visa is for people whose income and customers sit outside Japan. It is not a way to enter the Japanese job market.
Who qualifies: the four main conditions
The ISA lists four core requirements for the main applicant. All four must be met.
| Requirement | What the ISA asks for |
|---|---|
| Nationality | A national of a country or region that is on Japan’s visa-exemption list and has a tax treaty with Japan |
| Income | Annual income of at least ¥10 million at the time of application |
| Insurance | Private medical travel insurance covering death, injury and illness, with at least ¥10 million of medical cover |
| Work | Remote work for a foreign employer, or services and sales to people abroad, done with ICT |
Nationality
This is the condition that rules out the most people. You must hold the nationality of a country that is visa-exempt for short stays in Japan and that also has a tax convention with Japan. The ISA publishes the list as a PDF. It includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, plus many European countries. If your passport is not on the list, you cannot use this status, even if you meet every other condition.
Income of ¥10 million
The income test is per person and is measured at the time of application. You prove it with a tax certificate or income certificate from the country where you work. Because the threshold is set in yen, its value in dollars or euros moves with the exchange rate. People whose income sits close to the line often check the conversion again just before they file.
Private medical insurance
You need private medical travel insurance that covers death, injury and illness for the whole stay. The medical cover for injury and illness must be at least ¥10 million. The ISA asks for a copy of the policy, its terms, and a short explanation of the coverage, for which it provides a reference form.
The type of work
Proof of current work is part of the file. Employees usually show an employment contract or a certificate of employment. Freelancers and business owners show the contracts or records that support their activity. The key test is that the work and the customers are outside Japan.
How long you can stay
The period of stay is six months. The ISA states that no extension will be granted. Once you have used the six months, you must wait six months before you can apply for the same status again. In practice, that means about six months in Japan per year under this route.
This makes the Japan digital nomad visa a long working stay, not a relocation. It does not lead to longer-term residence, and the ISA says that, in principle, you cannot switch to activities outside the status you were granted.
Bringing a spouse or children
A spouse or child can come with you under a separate status, “Designated Activities (spouse or child of Digital Nomad)”. Family members must hold the nationality of a visa-exempt country. The tax-treaty condition is not listed for them. Each family member needs the same level of private medical insurance as the main applicant. A family policy under the main applicant’s insurance is acceptable if the cover is documented.
Family members can live with you as dependents, but the status does not give them permission to work. Their stay is also capped at six months, with no extension.
How to apply
There are two common routes. The ISA page describes a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE), which is filed with immigration in Japan, often through a representative. Several law firms and advisers also report that applicants can file directly at a Japanese embassy or consulate without a CoE. The right route depends on where you live and on the practice of your local mission, so check with that embassy or consulate first.
For a CoE, the ISA lists these documents for the main applicant:
- The application form and one photo that meets the specifications.
- A return envelope with registered-mail postage.
- An activity schedule for your stay in Japan.
- A tax or income certificate that shows annual income of at least ¥10 million.
- Proof of current work, such as an employment contract or certificate of employment.
- An explanation of your private medical insurance coverage.
- A copy of your insurance enrollment certificate and policy terms that cover the planned stay.
Documents in other languages need a Japanese translation. Certificates issued in Japan must be less than three months old. Immigration can ask for more documents during the review. Fees and processing times depend on the office or mission where you file, so confirm them there.
Daily life without a residence card
The ISA states that no residence card is issued for this status. That is a real practical difference from longer work visas. In Japan, a residence card is often the document that landlords, banks and mobile phone providers ask for.
Many digital nomads in Japan handle this with furnished short-term rentals, foreign bank cards and travel eSIMs, rather than local contracts. If a local bank account matters to you, it can help to read how banks look at short-stay foreigners before you go. Our guide to bank accounts for digital nomads explains the questions banks often ask and why accounts sometimes get closed.
Tax points to understand before you go
The visa does not settle your tax position, in Japan or at home. Japan’s National Tax Agency explains that a person is a non-resident for Japanese income tax unless they have a domicile in Japan or have lived there continuously for one year or more. A six-month stay under this status generally falls short of the one-year mark.
Non-residents are still taxed in Japan on Japan-source income. The National Tax Agency’s page on non-residents lists salaries and other pay for work performed in Japan among the types of Japan-source income. Tax treaties often include a short-stay rule for employees that can change this result. Whether such a rule applies depends on the specific treaty, who pays you and where the cost is borne. People in this position often ask an adviser to look at their own facts.
Your home country matters too. Many countries keep taxing residents on their worldwide income while they travel, and a few tax their citizens wherever they live. The basics are in our guide to tax residency for digital nomads. If you work for a foreign company, your employer may also want to look at permanent establishment risk before it approves a long stay abroad.
How Japan compares with other Asian options
Japan’s program is short and expensive to qualify for compared with its neighbors. The table shows the headline income rules and stay lengths, as of October 2026.
| Program | Minimum income | Initial stay | Can you extend? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan, Designated Activities (Digital Nomad) | ¥10 million a year | 6 months | No, then a 6-month wait |
| Malaysia, DE Rantau Nomad Pass | US$24,000 (tech) or US$60,000 (non-tech) | 3 to 12 months | Yes, once, for up to 12 months |
| Indonesia, E33G Remote Worker visa | US$60,000 a year | 1 year | Extension available online |
You can read more in our guides to the Malaysia DE Rantau Nomad Pass and the Indonesia E33G remote worker visa. For a wider view, see our list of digital nomad visas in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work for Japanese clients on the digital nomad visa?
No. The status is for remote work for employers or clients outside Japan. The ISA states that working under an employment contract with a Japanese organization is not permitted, and activities that can only be performed by being in Japan do not qualify.
Can I extend the Japan digital nomad visa after six months?
No. The ISA states that no extension will be granted. After the six-month stay, you must wait six months before you apply for the same status again.
Does the ¥10 million income requirement include my spouse’s income?
The ISA states the requirement as the applicant’s annual income, proven with the applicant’s own tax or income certificate. If you are unsure how a joint or company income will be assessed, ask the embassy or immigration office before you file.
Which countries are eligible for Japan’s digital nomad visa?
Nationals of countries and regions that are both visa-exempt for Japan and covered by a Japanese tax treaty. The ISA publishes the current list. It includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and many European countries.
Will I get a residence card?
No. The ISA states that a residence card is not issued for this status. Plan for housing, banking and phone service on that basis.
Sources checked in October 2026: the Immigration Services Agency page on the Digital Nomad status and the National Tax Agency guidance linked above.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.