Considering a move to Japan while working? You can now work remotely in Japan with its Digital Nomad Visa that was launched in 2024. Thanks to this program, remote workers, freelancers, and self-employed individuals can benefit from 6 months of residency by demonstrating an annual income of $67,328. Unfortunately, it cannot be renewed; you have to reapply for it.
Japan: Quality of Life Attributes
- Cost of living: 48.9 (Low)
- Property Price-Income Ratio: 11.3 (Moderate)
- Internet Speed: 108.52 Mbps (High)
- Healthcare: 80.2 (High Quality)
- Climate: 84.1 (Very High)
- Safety: 77.3 (High)
Quick Japanese Digital Nomad Visa Facts for 2025
- Duration of Visa: 6 months
- Extension: Not Available
- Eligible Applicants: Citizens from outside the EU/EEA
- Minimum Annual Income Threshold: $67,328
- Processing Time: Typically processed within 30 to 60 days
What You Will Find in This Article
- What is Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa?
- Benefits of the Japan Digital Nomad Visa
- Eligibility Criteria for Japan Digital Nomad Visa
- What are the Limitations for Japan Digital Nomad Visa?
- Japan Digital Nomad Visa Requirements for 2025
- How to Apply for the Japan Digital Nomad Visa
- Japan Digital Nomad Visa Cost in 2025
- Taxes for Japan Digital Nomad Visa
What is Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa?
Launched in 2024, Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa offers remote workers six-month residency through a sufficient income requirement. To qualify for the program, each applicant must prove that he/she has an annual income of at least 10 million JPY, which is roughly $68,328. Additionally, they can also include their family members without showing extra income, unlike European countries with Digital Nomad Visas.
However, Japanese Digital Nomad Visa does not allow its applicants to renew it. Applicants must reapply for it after spending 6 months outside Japan. Plus, it does not provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship.
Benefits of the Japan Digital Nomad Visa
Here’s why Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa might be perfect for you:
- Japan offers advanced infrastructure and internet connectivity, which is crucial for remote workers.
- Japan is a big player in the tech world. Being there lets you meet other people who do cool things online and can bring new collaborations.
- By staying in Japan for six months, you can gain the opportunity to learn its culture in detail.
- Your spouse and children can enjoy Japan with you.
Eligibility Criteria for Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa
Now that we have covered the benefits and main features of Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa, it is time to unravel whether you are eligible for it or not.
The Main Applicant
Japan has a new visa for digital nomads, but there are some eligibility criteria you need to meet for that.
- Be citizens of the listed countries/regions.
- Have a valid passport for at least six months.
- Provide documentation stating the activities you plan to do during your stay in Japan and the duration of your travel.
- Prove that your annual income is 10 million JPY ($66,400 USD) or more.
- Work remotely as a business owner, employee, or freelancer for a company registered outside Japan.
Additionally, your work should include activities that use ICT to conduct business “under an employment contract of a foreign organization.”
If you meet these main criteria, you can apply for Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa, which is valid for six months. See the eligible countries/regions here.
Family Members
Your legally married spouse and children can also be with you during your stay in Japan as a digital nomad. In this case, your health insurance must also cover your spouse and child.
You also need to submit documents proving your relationship, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
What are the Limitations for Japan Digital Nomad Visa?
Many digital nomads, freelancers, and remote workers were waiting for the Digital Nomad Japan Visa.
However, you should keep in mind that the visa has some restrictions:
- This visa is valid for six months, and there is no extension.
- They do not issue Residence Cards to Digital Nomad Visa holders.
- There are restrictions on certain activities, such as opening a bank account or renting long-term accommodation.
Japan Digital Nomad Visa Requirements for 2025
Minimum Income Requirement
In 2025, you can be eligible for the Japanese Digital Nomad Visa by showing proof of annual income. Currently, the minimum income requirement is 10 million Japanese Yen (JPY), which is equal to around $67,328 per year.
To prove your annual income, you will need to submit documents that clearly show your work contract period and amount.
- Tax payment certificate,
- Income certificate,
- Employment contract,
- Contract with a business partner (if it suits you)
Evidence of Remote Employment
Within the framework of the Japan Digital Nomad Visa, applicants need to show that their income source is not from Japan. Therefore, they must prove their remote employment. For this, they need to submit your remote employment contract.
Health Insurance
One of the requirements of this program includes having health insurance. So, before you make your application, you must be sure that you have a private health insurance, compensating for your medical treatment for injury or illness up to JPY 10 million, which is equal to $67,411.
Required Documents
Obtaining the Japan Nomad Visa requires some key documents. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
- Visa application form with a photo.
- A valid passport.
- Completed application form, stating your planned activities and your visa stay.
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE). It verifies that you are eligible to work remotely in the country.
- A document showing your planned stay in Japan,
- Documents that demonstrate financial stability, such as employment contracts, tax returns, or customer invoices.
- International health insurance. It should also cover your spouse and child.
- Birth and marriage certificates.
If you have a spouse, they also need to provide:
- Visa application form with a passport-sized photograph
- A valid passport
- Certificate of eligibility
- Completed application form, stating your planned activities and your visa stay.
- Health insurance
- Documents proving their relationship with the main applicant
Note: COE is a document you can get from the Immigration Bureau of Japan. It shows that you meet the requirements to enter Japan for work, study, or family reasons. Although not mandatory, it only helps to streamline the process for getting a visa. However, it does not grant you a visa to enter Japan.
How to Apply for the Japan Digital Nomad Visa
Let’s say you’ve reviewed the Digital Nomad Visa Japan requirements and met the criteria.
Now, let’s plan your Japan Digital Nomad Visa application process in 2025 step by step:
Step 1: Contact Your Local Japanese Embassy or Consulate
Contact the Japanese embassy or consulate to make an appointment to submit your application. Also, you can learn the latest application process, specific requirements for your situation, visa application fee, etc.
Since this visa is new, this step is important for you to act according to up-to-date information and a smooth process.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
Collect the documents mentioned above, such as the completed visa application form, a valid passport, income proof, etc. These documents vary depending on your situation.
Step 3: Submit Your Application
When you have prepared all the documents, submit your application to the embassy or consulate.
Step 4: Wait for Visa Processing
The processing time for visas can vary, so be patient. The embassy or consulate will keep you updated on the status of your application and may request any additional information they might need.
Japan Digital Nomad Visa Cost in 2025
During your application process, you are required to cover the Japan Digital Nomad Visa costs. These are highlighted below:
- Visa application fee: ¥3,300 ($22) for single-entry; ¥6,600 ($43) for multiple-entry
- Translations and certifications: Varies ($20–$100) for translator and apostille/notarization
- Courier/postage: $20
However, these fees can change according to your nationality. So, it is best to check the local embassy or consulate you will apply to.
Processing Time: Japan Remote Work Visa
If you comply with the legal requirements, you can get your Japanese Digital Nomad Visa in 1 or 3 months. However, this process can get longer depending on the complexity of your application, or even shorter if you get a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
Taxes for Japan Digital Nomad Visa
First, when you go to Japan on a Digital Nomad Visa, you do not have a Residence Permit.
Additionally, you will not earn any income made in Japan because there is already a requirement to work (or own) a company outside Japan as an application requirement. This also exempts you from the tax that “non-permanent residents” must pay. Therefore, you do not have to pay taxes covering them.
Also, the Japan Nomad Visa is only valid for citizens of countries with visa-free entry and double taxation agreements. Thus, the Japan Digital Nomad Visa does not make you a taxpayer.
Since this visa is new, the regulations and details made by the Japanese authorities may change this situation.
Living in Japan as a Digital Nomad
In Japan, as a digital nomad, you can feel safe and secure with its expat-friendly coworking spaces. While working in a cafe, you can leave your computer, come back in 5 hours later, without worrying about it being stolen or not.
Plus, you can enjoy the beauty in here as there are plenty of places to visit. In Tokyo, you can visit the neighbourhoods such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, Kichijoji, and Shimokitazawa. If you like digital art, you can enjoy the famous teamLab digital art museum. If you like seeing cityscapes, you can go to observatories like Tokyo Skytree and the Metropolitan Government Building. You can also prefer visiting the rural areas of Hokkaido or Kyushu for a glimpse of nature.
Other Working Visas in Japan
Japan has many different visa types. Finding the visa that best suits you will help you have a smooth application process.
Here are the “Working Visas” Japan offers:
- Professor (University professor, assistant, etc.)
- Artists (Composers, songwriters, artists, sculptors, photographers, etc.)
- Religious Activities (Monks, bishops, missionaries, etc.)
- Journalists (Newspaper journalists, editors, news cameramen, announcers, etc.)
- Business Manager (Company presidents, directors, etc.)
- Legal/Accounting Services (Attorneys, judicial scriveners, public accountants, tax accountants, etc., certified in Japan)
- Medical Services (Physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, etc., certified in Japan)
- Researcher (Investigators, etc. at research institutes, etc.)
- Instructor (Teachers, etc., at elementary schools, intermediate schools, and high schools)
- Engineer/Specialist in humanities/International services (Scientific engineers, IT engineers, foreign language teachers, interpreters, copywriters, designers, etc.)
- Intra-company Transferee (People transferred to the Japanese branch, etc.)
- Nursing Care (Certified care worker)
- Entertainers (Musicians, singers, dancers, sportspeople, models, etc.)
- Skilled Labor (Chefs specializing in the food of a foreign country, pilots, sports trainers, etc.)
- Specified Skilled Worker (Work-ready foreign nationals who possess certain expertise and skills in certain industrial fields)
- Technical Intern Training
The documents required for these work visas are as follows:
- Passport
- A visa application form
- A photo
- Certificate of Conformity
An important note: Depending on your nationality, they may request additional documents. For this reason, it would be beneficial to get detailed information from authorities such as consulates/embassies or benefit from a consultancy service.
Frequently Asked Questions on Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa
Do digital nomads pay taxes in Japan?
You might be wondering about digital nomad taxes in Japan. If you have a Japan Digital Nomad Visa, you will not pay income tax in Japan because your income comes from a company outside Japan (it is included in the application requirements), and your stay is less than one year.
Can I live in Japan as a freelancer?
Potentially, but it depends on your visa status. The Japan Digital Nomad Visa is designed for working remotely with foreign companies. It is not ideal for freelancers who will be working directly with Japanese clients.
If you will be working with Japanese clients or are sponsored by a Japanese company, for example, other visa options may be more suitable for living in Japan as a freelancer.
What are the other countries where I can get a Digital Nomad Visa?
Although many countries offer Digital Nomad Visas, not all of them are popular. Accordingly, digital nomads mostly prefer Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Croatia.
