The Digital Nomad Visa for Japan
Since March 2024, Japan has an official Digital Nomad visa1, a way for high-earning remote workers to live in Japan for up to six months while continuing to work for clients and employers abroad. It is delivered as a "Designated Activities"2 status of residence. Here is everything you need to know to decide whether it fits you.
This is a short-stay visa for people whose income comes from outside Japan. If you want to build a freelance business with Japanese clients, this is not the right visa, see our freelance visa guide instead.
The requirements #
- Income of at least ¥10 million per year. This is the key threshold, and it is high (around US$65,000+). You will need to prove it.
- Nationality of an eligible country. The visa is open to nationals of the countries that have both a tax treaty and a visa-exemption arrangement with Japan, roughly fifty countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and most of the EU.
- Private health insurance covering at least ¥10 million for death, injury and illness during your stay.
- Remote work only. You may work for a foreign employer, or provide services to clients outside Japan.
The catch: no Japanese clients, and no extension #
Two limits matter most:
- You cannot work for clients or employers in Japan. No employment contract, no service contract with a Japanese company or person. All your income must come from abroad.
- The stay is six months, and it is not renewable. Once it ends you must leave, and you cannot immediately re-apply, six months must pass before you can come back on this visa again.
Because the stay is under one year, digital nomads on this visa are not registered as residents and do not receive a normal resident card or join the national health and pension systems, which is why the private insurance requirement exists.
Is it right for you? #
| If you… | Then… |
|---|---|
| Earn ¥10M+ from clients abroad and want a long stay in Japan | The Digital Nomad visa is a great fit |
| Want to invoice Japanese companies | Use a work visa, see Start a freelance activity |
| Plan to settle in Japan long term | Look at work, spouse or business visas in our 2026 visa changes summary |
Taxes while you are here #
A six-month stay generally keeps you a non-resident for Japanese tax purposes, and the visa is designed so that your foreign-sourced income is taxed at home, not in Japan. Your own country's rules still apply, so check them. If you are curious how Japan would tax a local income, our tax calculator gives you a quick estimate.
Official sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Immigration Services Agency
This might help #
1 Digital Nomad : デジタルノマド dejitaru nomado
2 Designated Activities : 特定活動 tokutei katsudō