Japan launched its digital nomad visa in 2024. It lets you live in Japan for up to six months while you keep working for clients or an employer outside the country, which makes it a good fit for a long slow travel stay.

The rules are strict, though. This guide covers who qualifies in 2026, how to apply, what it costs after the July 2026 visa fee increase, and what daily life looks like on this status.

1. Who can apply

The official name is “Designated Activities (Digital Nomad)”. According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, you need to meet all of these conditions:

• Eligible nationality – You must be a citizen of a country or region that has both a visa exemption arrangement and a tax treaty with Japan. The official chart lists 51, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of the EU, Singapore and Taiwan.
• Income of at least 10 million yen a year – Measured at the time you apply. Stable income from several contracts can count.
• Private health insurance – Covering death, injury and illness, with at least 10 million yen of medical cover. You cannot join Japan’s public health insurance.

Ten million yen is a high bar, so check the exchange rate for your currency first. If you fall short, see the visa-free option in section 6.

2. What you can and cannot do on this visa

The status covers remote work for a foreign employer and selling services or goods online to people outside Japan. Immigration’s official Q&A is clear about the limits:

• No Japanese employers or clients – You cannot work for a Japanese company or individual under an employment contract or a contractor agreement.
• No work that needs you to be in Japan – Jobs where you have to physically deliver a service in Japan are excluded.
• Free to move around – You do not need to file anything when you move between cities, so you can spend a few months in Tokyo and then move on.

3. The 6-month rule explained

This is the part that surprises most people. The digital nomad status gives you six months from your date of entry, and it cannot be extended. A few other rules follow from that:

• No residence card – You are not treated as a mid to long-term resident, so no card is issued.
• Six months out before you reapply – You must wait six months after leaving Japan before getting the same status again, so it works out to six months a year at most.
• Short trips abroad are fine – Re-entry permission lets you leave and return, but the clock keeps running.

Think of it as one long, legal stay, not a path to living in Japan. The other half of your year could go to a place like Thailand (our Thailand DTV visa guide covers that option) or Taiwan.

4. How to apply

There are two routes, and which one you use depends on whether you have someone in Japan to help.

• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) first – An agent in Japan, usually a licensed immigration specialist, applies for your COE, which you then take to a Japanese embassy or consulate. The COE is valid for three months, so get the visa and enter Japan within that time.
• Directly at the embassy or consulate – If you have no one in Japan to act for you, you apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate that covers where you live.

Document lists differ between consulates, so use your local one. For example, the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago checklist (revised June 2026) asks applicants without a COE for:

• Passport, form and photo – A signed passport with at least two blank visa pages, the application form with a handwritten signature and one recent passport photo.
• Work plan – A description of the work you will do in Japan, the timeframe and a Japanese phone number where you can be reached.
• Proof of income – An employment contract, client contracts showing what you are paid, or a bank letter stating your yearly earnings.
• Proof of insurance – The insurance certificate and contract. Credit card travel insurance can count if you include the card and a document showing what it covers.

The visa is single entry and valid for three months from issue. No processing time is published, so apply well ahead of your trip.

5. Visa fee and other costs

Japan raised its visa fees for applications made on or after 1 July 2026. According to Envoy Global, a single-entry visa went from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen. Fees are charged in local currency, and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco now lists US$101 for a single-entry visa. The Chicago consulate only accepts exact cash for visa fees.

On top of the fee, budget for six months of qualifying health insurance and, if you use the COE route, an agent’s fee. Agent prices vary, so ask for a written quote.

6. Digital nomad visa or visa-free entry?

Citizens of the US, Canada and Australia can enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days as temporary visitors, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UK, Irish, German, Austrian, Swiss, Liechtenstein and Mexican citizens can apply to immigration to extend that stay up to six months. Here is how the two options compare:

For trips under three months, visa-free entry is simpler. The digital nomad status suits longer stays with clear permission to keep working remotely.

7. Living in Japan without a residence card

A lot of everyday paperwork in Japan is built around the residence card. Without one, expect long-term apartment leases, standard phone contracts and opening a local bank account to be difficult. Plan around that from the start:

• Housing – Furnished monthly apartments, serviced apartments or long-stay hotel deals instead of a regular lease.
• Phone and internet – A prepaid SIM, eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi instead of a contract plan.
• Money – Use foreign cards with no foreign transaction fees and keep a backup.
• Taxes – Immigration’s Q&A says your income may be exempt from Japanese tax if you meet your country’s tax treaty conditions, which usually include staying 183 days or less. This does not apply in every case, so check with a tax adviser in your home country.

8. Where to base yourself for six months

Since you can move freely, six months is long enough to try more than one city:

• Tokyo – The most coworking spaces, monthly rentals and English-friendly services, but the highest rents.
• Fukuoka – A smaller, easygoing city with an airport close to the center.
• Osaka and Kyoto – Good food and an easy base for the Kansai region.
• Hokkaido – A strong winter pick if you ski or snowboard.

FAQ

Can you extend the Japan digital nomad visa?

No. The stay is six months from your entry date with no extension. After you leave, you have to wait six months before applying for the same status again.

Can I bring my family on the digital nomad visa?

Your spouse and children can come on a matching status if they are nationals of a visa-exempt country. They need the same level of private health insurance, and their stay follows the same six-month rules.

Do I pay tax in Japan as a digital nomad?

Possibly not, if you meet your country’s tax treaty conditions with Japan, usually including a stay of 183 days or less. Get advice for your own situation.

Final thoughts

Japan’s digital nomad visa works well if you earn a high income from abroad and want one long, legal stay of up to six months. Plan your housing, phone and money around life without a residence card, check your local consulate’s checklist and sort out insurance before you apply.