Guide · Plan the trip
Japan's digital nomad visa: income, insurance and limits
Up to 6 months, no extension, no residence card. You need $64,520 (¥10 million) a year and private insurance, and Japanese clients are excluded.
Japan’s digital nomad status lets you stay up to 6 months while you work remotely for a foreign employer or sell services and goods to people abroad. You need annual income of at least $64,520 (¥10 million) and private medical insurance with at least the same cover. The status has no extension, no residence card and no work for Japanese organisations or individuals.
The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) sets the rules under the category Designated Activities. Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
What are the rules at a glance?
The status allows 6 months with no extension and no residence card, and sets income and insurance minimums at $64,520 (¥10 million) each.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Stay | Up to 6 months, no extension |
| Same status again | Only after 6 months outside Japan |
| Income | At least $64,520 (¥10 million) a year at application |
| Insurance | Private medical cover of at least $64,520 (¥10 million) |
| Work allowed | Remote work for a foreign employer, or services and goods sold to people abroad |
| Work banned | Contracts with Japanese organisations or individuals, and work that needs you in Japan |
| Residence card | Not issued |
| Family | Spouse and children, in a separate category |
| Nationality | Visa-exempt countries that also have a tax treaty with Japan |
Who can apply?
Only nationals of countries that are visa-exempt for Japan and also have a tax treaty with Japan. The agency publishes the eligible countries as a PDF chart that was not read, so no list or count is given here. Check your nationality against it first, because it decides eligibility before income does.
How much income do you need?
At least $64,520 (¥10 million) of annual income at the time of application, based on your most recent year. The agency’s Q&A adds three points:
- Expected income can count, for example a raise or a new hire.
- Sole proprietors are judged on profit after expenses, not turnover.
- Several stable contracts can be combined.
What insurance do you need?
Private medical travel insurance that covers death, injury and illness, with medical cover of at least $64,520 (¥10 million). The policy period must match your stay. Credit-card cover is accepted if it meets these terms and you show proof.
Death cover must include repatriation of remains or a payout, with no amount set. The status gives no access to public health insurance, which is why the private policy is a condition.
What work is allowed, and what is banned?
Allowed: remote work for a foreign employer or organisation, and services or goods sold to people abroad, delivered by information and communication technology while you are in Japan.
Banned: an employment contract or similar arrangement with a Japanese public or private organisation, with the Q&A extending the exclusion to Japanese individuals as clients; activity that needs your presence in Japan to deliver; and other activities outside the status, in principle.
Tourist status is for tourism, with no published allowance for remote work: see Can you work remotely in Japan on a tourist visa?
What documents does the application need?
The agency’s page lists a common set and two documents for the nomad alone. Common set:
- Application form and 1 photo.
- Reply envelope with registered-mail postage.
- Schedule of your activities during the stay.
- Insurance explanation, with a copy of the certificate and its terms.
Nomad only:
- Tax or income certificate from the country where you work.
- Proof of current work: a contract or an employment certificate.
Document rules: certificates issued in Japan must be within 3 months of issue, documents in other languages need a Japanese translation, originals are generally not returned and the agency may ask for more.
Where do you apply, and what does it cost?
Apply directly at the Japanese embassy or consulate where you live, per the agency’s Q&A: first the Certificate of Eligibility, then the visa. No agent in Japan can file the Certificate of Eligibility for you, and the status page does not say where that certificate is filed on the Japan side.
The visa fee for this status is not stated. Japan raised visa fees on 1 Jul 2026, covered in What changed in Japan for travellers in 2026, and whether the nomad status is charged is unclear. Ask your embassy for the fee before you pay for documents.
The agency page also does not say whether you can switch to this status from a tourist stay. The route described in the Q&A is an application from overseas. For questions the pages leave open, the ISA Immigration Information Center is on 0570-013904, or +81-3-5796-7112 from abroad.
How do tax, re-entry and equipment work?
Tax: income from activity in Japan is exempt under most tax treaties if you stay 183 days or fewer, counted in the tax year or in any 12 months. It is not exempt if you stay longer, are paid by a Japanese resident or your country has no treaty with Japan. A secondary reading says Japanese tax residency is assessed separately from this treaty test, so ask a tax adviser about your own case.
Re-entry: you can leave Japan and return before the status expires, using re-entry permission.
Equipment: foreign Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices can be used for 90 days if they meet the standards, and longer use needs a technical conformity mark. A 6-month stay is longer than that window, so check the rule for routers before you pack. Connectivity options are in Wi-Fi, SIMs and eSIMs for remote work.
Can your family come?
Yes, in a separate Designated Activities category for an accompanying spouse or child. It also lasts 6 months with no extension, and daily life as a supported family member is the permitted activity. The agency says no activity beyond the status in principle, and one secondary legal guide adds that part-time work is not permitted.
Family applicants need visa-exempt nationality, with no tax-treaty requirement, plus proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate, a copy of the nomad’s passport and the common set of documents. No income figure is stated for family. A child born in Japan needs a separate application for permission to acquire status, with a form, proof of birth and a passport.
Before you book Treat the six months as a fixed window. There is no extension and no residence card, so plan housing, desks and connectivity for that window only.
Where next?
- Housing without a residence card: Renting in Japan: upfront costs
- Desks and monthly prices: Japan coworking prices
- Mobile data for the stay: Wi-Fi, SIMs and eSIMs for remote work
- Mountain towns within reach of Tokyo: Weekday city, weekend mountain
- The whole section: the Plan hub
Questions
Up to 6 months, with no extension. You can apply for the same status again only after 6 months outside Japan. You can leave and return before the status expires using re-entry permission, and no residence card is issued.
At least $64,520 (¥10 million) of annual income at the time of application, based on your most recent year. Expected income such as a raise can count. Sole proprietors are judged on profit after expenses, not turnover.
No. The status covers remote work for a foreign employer, or services and goods sold to people abroad. Employment contracts with Japanese organisations are excluded, and the agency's Q&A extends the exclusion to Japanese individuals.
Yes. A spouse and children can enter under a separate Designated Activities category that also lasts 6 months with no extension. Family members need visa-exempt nationality, and no income figure is stated for them.
Nationals of countries that are visa-exempt for Japan and also have a tax treaty with Japan. The agency publishes the country chart as a PDF that this page does not reproduce, so check it before you plan.