Japan Digital Nomad Visa: Requirements, Eligibility & How to Apply

Japan’s Digital Nomad visa (the “Designated Activities” status of residence for digital nomads, under Designated Activities Public Notice No. 53) allows people who work remotely for foreign companies or clients to stay in Japan for up to six months. Established in 2024, it is open to nationals and citizens of eligible countries and regions with an annual income of at least 10 million yen.

The requirements and required documents are set out on the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) page on Designated Activities (Digital Nomad) and in the Designated Activities Public Notice (Ministry of Justice Public Notice No. 131 of 1990).

For a broader overview of Japan’s residence status system, see our guide to residence status categories. For more on the Designated Activities status, see Designated Activities visa explained.

Overview (Designated Activities Public Notice No. 53)

The Digital Nomad visa is a category set out in Designated Activities Public Notice No. 53. It is for people who stay in Japan for a period not exceeding six months for international remote work.

Permitted Activities

Public Notice No. 53 permits the following two activities.

1. Remote work for a foreign organization: Using information and communication technology in Japan to engage in the business of an overseas office of a foreign corporation or other foreign organization, based on an employment contract with that organization
2. Services or sales to persons abroad: Providing services for a fee, or selling goods and the like, to persons located in a foreign country using information and communication technology (excluding activities that cannot be provided or sold without entering Japan)

Work under an employment contract, service contract, or similar contract with a public or private organization in Japan (including an individual) is not permitted (ISA Q&A on the status of residence for digital nomads (PDF), Q1 and Q2, as of July 2024). Activities outside the status are not permitted in principle.

No Residence Card

A residence card is not issued under this status. People staying in Japan as Digital Nomads are not “mid- to long-term residents” under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Q&A, Q5).

Eligible Countries and Regions

Applicants must be nationals or citizens of a country or region listed in Appended Table 14 of the notice. These are countries and regions with which Japan has a tax convention, etc., and which are also covered by the visa exemption arrangements for Temporary Visitors (Public Notice No. 53(b)).

The eligible countries and regions change when the notice is amended. The official lists are Appended Table 14 of the notice (Appended Table 15 for family members), and the ISA summarizes them in its list of eligible countries and regions (PDF). This list may not reflect amendments to the notice (as of October 2026, Montenegro appears in Appended Table 15 of the notice but not in the list). The list mainly covers countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania, and some countries and regions in East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Nationals of countries and regions not on the list are not eligible for this category. For example, China, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam are not on the list as of October 2026.

The 10 Million Yen Income Requirement

The applicant’s own annual income must be at least 10 million yen at the time of application (Public Notice No. 53(c)). There is no income requirement for the spouse or children.

How Income Is Assessed

The Immigration Services Agency’s Q&A (as of July 2024, Q9) explains the income requirement as follows.

• In principle: The most recent annual income must be at least 10 million yen. The requirement is also regarded as met where annual income from the time of application onward is expected to be at least 10 million yen because of a raise or promotion, or where a newly hired person’s contracted annual salary is 10 million yen
• Sole proprietors: Where the applicant has business or sales contracts, the assessment is based not on the contract amount but on the profit after deducting necessary expenses
• Multiple sources of income: Where the applicant has multiple sources of income, such as contracts with several companies, and that income is regarded as stable, the requirement is met if the combined income can be assessed at 10 million yen or more

How to Apply and Required Documents

Application Routes

• If you are outside Japan: Because under this status there is no one in Japan to act as an agent applying for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) on your behalf, applicants are directed to apply for a visa directly at the Japanese embassy or consulate where they are staying (Q&A, Q11). The documents required for the visa application are listed on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page Specified Visa: Designated Activities (Digital Nomad / Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad)
• If you are in Japan: You can apply for a COE yourself at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau. A gyoseishoshi (a licensed specialist in Japanese government procedures, including visas) or attorney who has notified the Regional Immigration Services Bureau can submit the documents on your behalf only while you are in Japan (“Persons who can submit” on the ISA COE application page). The required documents are as follows

Documents for the Principal Applicant (COE Application)

The documents listed on the Immigration Services Agency’s page are as follows (as of October 2026).

1. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (the “for organization” parts 1 to 3 are not required)
2. One photograph meeting the specified requirements
3. A return envelope with postage for simplified registered mail
4. A document explaining the planned activities during the stay (a reference form is available; not required if the details are given in the application form)
5. A tax payment certificate or income certificate issued in the country where the applicant worked, as proof of the applicant’s own annual income (10 million yen or more)
6. A document certifying the applicant’s current work status (employment contract, certificate of employment, etc.)
7. An explanatory document on the coverage of the private medical insurance (a reference form is available)
8. A copy of the private medical insurance certificate and policy conditions

Documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. Additional documents may be requested in the course of the examination.

Insurance Requirement

Applicants must hold insurance covering death, injury, and illness during their stay in Japan (Public Notice No. 53(d)).

• Coverage for treatment of injury and illness must be 10 million yen or more
• For death, the coverage must include the cost of transporting the body or the payment of insurance money in the event of death (no minimum amount is set)
• The insurance period must correspond to the planned period of stay in Japan
• Where insurance attached to a credit card provides the coverage above, documents certifying that coverage are submitted

The Immigration Services Agency explains that the purpose of this requirement is to enable people staying under this status (who are not mid- to long-term residents and cannot join Japan’s public medical insurance) to deal with unforeseen circumstances (Q&A, Q10).

Restrictions (No Extension, Six-Month Limit)

The period of stay under the Digital Nomad visa is six months and cannot be extended. A person may enter Japan under this status again once six months have passed after leaving Japan (Q&A, Q3).

The Six-Month Rule

Public Notice No. 53(a) requires that, in every 12-month period that begins or ends on any day from January 1 to December 31 of the year of landing in Japan, the period of stay in Japan with the activities under this item designated does not exceed six months.

The ISA outline of the status of residence for digital nomads (PDF) describes this requirement as: the period of stay in Japan under this status “must not exceed 6 months within a year.”

Main Restrictions

Item	Details
Period of stay	Six months
Extension	Not possible
Using the status again	Possible once six months have passed after departure
Residence card	Not issued (not a mid- to long-term resident)
Activities outside the status	Not permitted in principle
Work under a contract with an organization in Japan	Not permitted (employment contracts, service contracts, etc.)

Temporary Departure and Re-entry

A person who leaves Japan temporarily during the stay, intending to re-enter on or before the expiry of the period of stay, may depart with re-entry permission or special re-entry permission, and keeps the status by returning to Japan by the expiry date (Q&A, Q6). No special procedure is needed to live while moving between different cities in Japan (Q4).

Taxes

The Immigration Services Agency’s Q&A (Q7) explains that remuneration a Digital Nomad earns from activities carried out in Japan is, in many cases, exempt from tax in Japan if the requirements of the applicable tax convention are met, for example, that the stay in Japan totals 183 days or less in the taxable year or in any continuous 12-month period. The requirements differ by tax convention, so please consult a tax accountant or other qualified professional for details.

Accompanying Family (Public Notice No. 54)

A spouse or child supported by the Digital Nomad may accompany them under the “Designated Activities” status based on Public Notice No. 54.

Requirements

• Eligible persons: A spouse or child supported by a person residing with the activities under Public Notice No. 53 designated
• Eligible countries and regions: Be a national or citizen of a visa-exempt country or region listed in Appended Table 15 of the notice. The scope differs from the list for the principal applicant (Appended Table 14); both are shown side by side in the ISA list of eligible countries and regions
• Insurance: Meet the same insurance requirement as the principal applicant (treatment coverage of 10 million yen or more)
• Income requirement: None
• Activities: Daily activities as a spouse or child (activities outside the status are not permitted in principle)
• Period of stay: Up to six months (no extension)

Documents for Family Members (COE Application)

1. Application for Certificate of Eligibility
2. One photograph meeting the specified requirements
3. A return envelope
4. A document explaining the planned activities during the stay
5. A document certifying the relationship with the spouse or parent (marriage certificate, etc.)
6. An explanatory document on the coverage of the private medical insurance
7. A copy of the private medical insurance certificate and policy conditions
8. A copy of the passport of the person who resides, or intends to reside, with the activities under Public Notice No. 53 designated

Where coverage is provided by family coverage under the principal applicant’s private insurance, documents showing the scope of that coverage are submitted.

How It Differs from Temporary Visitor Status

The Digital Nomad visa and the “Temporary Visitor” status differ in the length of stay and in the activities permitted.

Item	Digital Nomad (Public Notice No. 53)	Temporary Visitor
Period of stay	Six months (no extension)	90 days, 30 days, or 15 days (list of statuses of residence)
Activities	Remote work for a foreign organization; services or sales to persons abroad	Sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, participating in lectures or meetings, business contact, and similar activities
Income requirement	10 million yen or more	None
Residence card	Not issued	Not issued

If you will be employed by a company or other organization in Japan, a work-related status of residence such as Highly Skilled Professional or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services is the one to consider, rather than the Digital Nomad visa.

How We Can Help

AEGIS International Administrative Firm, as a registered immigration specialist (certified by the Immigration Services Agency to file visa applications on behalf of clients), provides the following support for the Digital Nomad visa.

• Checking the requirements: We review your current situation against the nationality, income, and insurance requirements
• Organizing supporting documents: We sort out which documents to prepare to show your income, work status, and insurance coverage
• Preparing and filing applications: For applicants staying in Japan, we prepare and file the application for a Certificate of Eligibility
• Identifying the right status: We sort out whether your planned activities fall under the Digital Nomad visa or another status of residence
• Support in English: We explain the procedures in English

If you are unsure whether your situation meets the requirements, please feel free to contact us.