The visa · Japan
Japan
Japan has an express remote-work status, Designated Activities No. 53, but it lasts six months, cannot be extended, issues no residence card and needs proof of at least ¥10 million a year. Longer stays run through the working-holiday scheme, the two-year Startup Visa or the Business Manager status, which was tightened sharply in October 2025. The thing to know before applying is that visa fees rose fivefold on 1 July 2026 and in-country residence fees rise again on 1 October 2026.
- Nomad visa · September 2026YesRoutes5Bases3
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The routes
Researched 9 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice
Nomad visa
Digital Nomad visa (Designated Activities No. 53)
特定活動（告示第53号・デジタルノマド）/ Designated Activities (Notice No. 53, Digital Nomad); spouse or child under Notice No. 54
High-earning employees and freelancers of visa-exempt, tax-treaty countries who want one working spell of up to six months without moving their tax base.
- Income floor
- Annual income of at least ¥10,000,000 at the time of application, per the Immigration Services Agency; practitioners report freelancers are assessed on post-expense income and that savings alone do not count.
- Duration
- Six months. No extension is granted. After using the full six months the applicant must wait six months before applying for the same status again.
- Cost
- Visa fee at a mission abroad: ¥15,000 single entry or ¥30,000 multiple entry for applications lodged from 1 July 2026 (¥3,000 and ¥6,000 before that date).
- Processing
- No statutory or published time. Applicant accounts describe repeated embassy visits; allow several weeks to a few months.
- Eligibility
- National of a country that is both under Japan's visa-exemption (Temporary Visitor) arrangement and party to a tax convention with Japan; private medical insurance covering death, injury and illness with at least ¥10,000,000 of medical cover; work must be done by IT for a foreign employer or foreign clients and must not require physical presence in Japan.
- Work rights
- Remote work for foreign employers or foreign clients only. Work for Japanese organisations, and any activity that requires being physically in Japan, is excluded.
- Dependants
- Spouse and children can accompany under Designated Activities No. 54 for daily-life activities only, each with their own qualifying private insurance; the Immigration Services Agency publishes a nationality chart for dependants.
- Leads to
- No. Holders are not mid- to long-term residents, receive no residence card and cannot renew.
- Apply
- Certificate of Eligibility application at a Regional Immigration Services Bureau in Japan, or directly at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad; the visa itself is issued by the mission.
Documents Application form and photograph · Proof of annual income of ¥10,000,000 or more (tax returns, bank statements or employment contract) · Employment contract or client contracts proving overseas remote work · Insurance certificate showing at least ¥10,000,000 medical cover · Schedule of planned activities in Japan · Passport · Certificate of Eligibility, if obtained via a Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Working holiday
Working Holiday visa
ワーキング・ホリデー（特定活動）/ Working Holiday (Designated Activities)
Nationals aged 18 to 30 of one of Japan's partner countries who want a year in Japan with the right to take casual local work to fund it.
- Income floor
- Proof of sufficient funds for the initial period; the figure is set per partner country by the consulate and is not published as a single national floor.
- Duration
- One year, one-time only.
- Cost
- Visa fee at the mission: ¥15,000 single entry for applications from 1 July 2026, unless the partner agreement waives it.
- Processing
- Set by each consulate; not published centrally. Some nationalities face annual quotas that fill early in the year.
- Eligibility
- Partner-country nationality (32 countries and regions as of 1 April 2026, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Chile, South Korea and Taiwan); age 18 to 30, the treaty limit of 25 for Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland having been extended to 30 by the authorities; holiday must be the primary purpose; no previous Japanese working holiday.
- Work rights
- Incidental local employment is permitted to supplement travel funds; remote work for an overseas employer is not addressed in the scheme's published rules.
- Dependants
- Not admitted on this visa.
- Leads to
- No direct path; time in Japan counts as residence but the visa cannot be renewed and must be changed to another status to stay on.
- Apply
- Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant's home country.
Documents Passport of a partner country · Application form and photograph · Proof of funds · Itinerary or statement of reasons · Return ticket or funds to buy one, where the consulate requires it
Other route
Startup Visa (Designated Activities for foreign entrepreneurs)
外国人起業活動促進事業（特定活動）/ Designated Activities for start-up preparation
Founders who want time in Japan to set up a company before they can meet the Business Manager thresholds.
- Income floor
- None published nationally; the approving municipality or prefecture assesses the business plan and funds.
- Duration
- Initial six months, extendable to a maximum of two years since the 2025 reform, then a change to Business Manager status.
- Cost
- Certificate of Eligibility is free; visa ¥15,000 single entry from 1 July 2026; in-country extension ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 by period granted from 1 October 2026 (¥6,000 before).
- Processing
- Certificate of Eligibility valid three months once issued; overall timing depends on the local programme's screening.
- Eligibility
- Acceptance by a municipality or prefecture running an approved start-up programme; a credible plan to launch a business in Japan; since 2025 the scheme is nationwide rather than limited to special zones.
- Work rights
- Preparatory business activities in Japan only; not a general work permit.
- Dependants
- Spouse and children can apply for dependant status once the founder holds the status; local programmes set the detail.
- Leads to
- Designed as a bridge to Business Manager status, which counts toward permanent residence.
- Apply
- Local government programme first, then the Regional Immigration Services Bureau for the Certificate of Eligibility and a Japanese mission for the visa.
Documents Business plan accepted by the host local government · Confirmation letter from the local programme · Certificate of Eligibility application · Passport and photograph · Proof of funds for the preparation period
Investor
Business Manager visa
経営・管理 / Business Manager (status of residence)
Self-employed people and founders prepared to capitalise and staff a real Japanese company; since October 2025 it is no longer a cheap route for solo freelancers.
- Income floor
- Capital of at least ¥30,000,000 (raised from ¥5,000,000 on 16 October 2025), plus a physical office and at least one full-time employee who is a Japanese national, permanent resident, or spouse or child of a permanent or long-term resident.
- Duration
- Granted in fixed periods of stay and renewable while the business meets the criteria; existing holders renewing between 16 October 2025 and 16 October 2028 are assessed with transitional flexibility.
- Cost
- Certificate of Eligibility free; visa ¥15,000 single entry from 1 July 2026; extension or change of status ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 on paper, ¥10,000 to ¥65,000 online, from 1 October 2026.
- Processing
- Not published as a statutory period; practitioners report several months for a Certificate of Eligibility.
- Eligibility
- Master's degree or higher in business or a related field, or at least three years of management experience; the applicant or one full-time employee must have Japanese at CEFR B2 or above (JLPT N2, BJT 400 points or more, 20 years' residence, a Japanese university degree or Japanese schooling to high school); a business plan validated by a certified SME consultant, CPA or tax accountant; real premises, not a virtual office.
- Work rights
- Managing the applicant's own business in Japan, including serving local clients; a separate status is needed for salaried employment elsewhere.
- Dependants
- Spouse and children under the Dependant status of residence.
- Leads to
- Yes, it is a mid- to long-term residence status that counts toward the general permanent-residence route; the permanent-residence filing fee rises to ¥200,000 on 1 October 2026 from ¥10,000.
- Apply
- Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Certificate of Eligibility), then a Japanese embassy or consulate; in-country change of status is possible.
Documents Certificate of Eligibility application form and photograph · Company registration and articles · Proof of ¥30,000,000 capital · Business plan with professional validation · Office lease · Evidence of the full-time hire · Proof of the Japanese-language requirement · Applicant's degree or management-experience evidence
Temporary stay
Temporary Visitor stay with six-month extension
短期滞在 / Temporary Visitor (status of residence)
Nationals of the seven countries whose visa waiver allows a stay of up to six months, who want a long stay without a work status.
- Income floor
- None published; the Regional Immigration Bureau assesses means at extension.
- Duration
- 90 days on arrival, extendable once to a total of six months for nationals of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom; the extension must be requested before the first 90 days end.
- Cost
- No visa fee for visa-exempt entry; the extension is an in-country application, charged at the ¥10,000 band for permissions of up to three months from 1 October 2026 (¥6,000 before).
- Processing
- Extension decided by the Regional Immigration Bureau; no published time.
- Eligibility
- Passport of one of the seven listed countries; activities limited to tourism, visiting, business meetings and similar; no paid activity in Japan.
- Work rights
- No paid activity in Japan. Remote work for an overseas employer is not expressly permitted; it is reported as tolerated for short spells but is not a published right.
- Dependants
- Each family member holds their own Temporary Visitor stay.
- Leads to
- No.
- Apply
- Entry at the border; extension at the Regional Immigration Bureau covering the place of stay.
Documents Passport · Extension application form · Evidence of funds and onward travel · Statement of reasons for the extension
Without a visa, by passport
The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated
- EU / EEA / Switzerland90 days visa-free for the EU member states in Japan's 74-country waiver list; Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland can extend in-country to six monthsTemporary Visitor status allows no paid activity in Japan. Remote work for an overseas employer is reported as tolerated in practice but is not published as permitted.
- United Kingdom90 days, extendable to six months at a Regional Immigration Bureau before the 90 days endSame grey area: no paid activity in Japan is allowed; short overseas remote work is reported as tolerated, not authorised.
- United States90 days visa-freeNot extendable. Remote work on this stay is grey; the nomad status exists precisely for stays with income.
- Canada90 days visa-freeGrey; no published tolerance of remote work on Temporary Visitor status.
- Australia90 days visa-freeGrey; Australians are eligible for both the nomad status and the working-holiday scheme instead.
- Brazil90 days visa-free with an ICAO-compliant e-passport, required since 30 September 2023Brazil has a tax convention with Japan, so Brazilians also qualify for the nomad status; remote work on the waiver itself is grey.
- Mexico90 days, extendable to six months in-countryGrey on the waiver; the nomad status is the published route for paid remote work.
- IndiaVisa required; single-entry e-visa for tourism up to 90 days, availability depending on place of residenceIndian nationals cannot use the nomad status because it needs a visa-exempt passport; remote work on a tourist visa is not permitted as published.
- Singapore, South Korea, TaiwanVisa-exempt; length set per passport on the MOFA waiver pageAll three are listed by practitioners as nomad-status eligible; remote work on the waiver is grey.
Tax
When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer
- Residency trigger
- A person is resident if they have a domicile (jusho) in Japan or have kept a temporary abode (kyosho) for one year or more. Residents without Japanese nationality who have lived in Japan for five years or less in the past ten are non-permanent residents; others are permanent residents for tax. Anyone else is a non-resident, taxed on Japan-source income only. There is no domestic 183-day test.
- Special regime
- None for newcomers or nomads. The only relief is the non-permanent resident scope: foreign-source income is taxed only to the extent it is paid in Japan or remitted to Japan, per the National Tax Agency; permanent residents are taxed on worldwide income.
- Social security
- Registered residents with a residence card of three months or more must join National Health Insurance, and residents aged 20 to 59 are enrolled in the National Pension. Nomad-status holders get no residence card, so they stay on private insurance. Japan had social security agreements with 24 countries as of 1 December 2025, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Brazil, India and China; a certificate of coverage from the home scheme keeps a detached worker under home cover for up to five years. The UK, South Korea, China and Italy agreements have no totalisation of pension periods.
- Treaties
- A tax convention with Japan is a precondition for the nomad status, and eligibility follows the convention list. The six-month cap keeps a nomad below the one-year residence presumption, so most short stayers remain non-resident and taxable in Japan only on Japan-source income; the effect for an employee or contractor depends on the specific treaty's employment and business-profits articles.
Practicalities
- Residence card and address
- Only mid- to long-term statuses (working holiday, Startup, Business Manager) get a residence card at the airport; the holder must register an address at the ward or city office within 14 days. Nomad-status holders receive no card and cannot register.
- Health insurance
- Residence-card holders staying more than three months must join National Health Insurance at the ward office within 14 days of registering; it covers 70 per cent of costs, with premiums based on the previous year's income. Nomads must carry private cover of at least ¥10,000,000 for medical treatment.
- Tax number
- A My Number (individual number) is issued after resident registration and is needed for National Health Insurance and payroll; without registration there is no My Number.
- Bank account, phone and housing
- Practitioners and reporting say the lack of a residence card makes a bank account, a lease and a local phone contract difficult or impossible for nomad-status holders; residence-card holders open accounts with the card and registered address.
- Overstay penalties
- Imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to ¥3,000,000; deportation brings a re-entry ban of at least five years. Those who surrender voluntarily can use the Departure Order system, which avoids detention and carries a shorter ban.
- Government fees from 2026
- Visas at missions abroad cost ¥15,000 single entry and ¥30,000 multiple entry from 1 July 2026. From 1 October 2026 in-country extensions and changes of status cost ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 on paper depending on the period granted, and a permanent-residence application costs ¥200,000.
Japan: a six-month nomad status with a high bar, and pricier paperwork from 2026
Who the nomad status is really for
Designated Activities No. 53 is a short, expensive-to-qualify-for status rather than a residence route. The Immigration Services Agency requires an annual income of ¥10,000,000 at the time of application, a passport from a country that is both visa-exempt and a tax-treaty partner, and private insurance with at least ¥10,000,000 of medical cover. It lasts six months, cannot be extended, and a full six-month absence is required before a repeat.
Because holders are not mid- to long-term residents they get no residence card. Practitioners note that this blocks address registration, National Health Insurance, a bank account and most leases, so the status suits people who keep their financial life abroad and rent furnished housing for a single season. Issuance has been modest: 257 in the first year and 646 in 2025, spouses included.
What applicants report
Accounts collected by reporters describe a paperwork-heavy consular process, with one writer counting four embassy visits, and no published processing time. Consulates differ on whether they want a Certificate of Eligibility first or will accept a direct visa application, and on how freelancers must evidence continuous income rather than savings.
Refusals reported by immigration lawyers turn on income continuity, whether the client contracts are genuinely foreign, and insurance that falls short of the ¥10,000,000 medical figure. Tokyo is the base most accounts describe, with the weak yen cited as the draw.
Longer routes and their cost
Under-31s from the 32 working-holiday partner countries get a year with a residence card and the right to take local work, which is a far easier entry than the nomad status. Founders can use the Startup Visa, nationwide since 2025 with up to two years to prepare a company, before switching to Business Manager status.
Business Manager stopped being a solo-freelancer route on 16 October 2025. The ¥30,000,000 capital floor, a mandatory full-time local hire, a B2 Japanese requirement and a professionally validated plan put it out of reach for most one-person consultancies. Existing holders have until 16 October 2028 to comply.
Money and daily admin
Residence-card holders register an address within 14 days, join National Health Insurance at the same office, and receive a My Number, which is then the key to banking and payroll. Non-permanent residents are taxed on Japan-source income plus any foreign income paid in or remitted to Japan, and Japan's 24 social security agreements let detached employees stay under home cover for up to five years with a certificate of coverage.
The 2026 fee changes matter for planning. A visa at a mission now costs ¥15,000 single entry, and from 1 October 2026 a five-year extension on paper costs ¥75,000 while a permanent-residence application costs ¥200,000. Filing before that date locks in the old ¥6,000 and ¥10,000 fees.
What is changing
JESTA, the pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals of 74 countries and regions, is scheduled for the end of fiscal 2028, which will add a screening step to the 90-day stays many nomads rely on. No change to the six-month cap or the ¥10,000,000 floor of the nomad status has been announced as of September 2026.
Researched from moj.go.jp · moj.go.jp · mofa.go.jp · mofa.go.jp · mofa.go.jp · nta.go.jp · nenkin.go.jp · rsm.global · kpmg.com · taxsummaries.pwc.com · the authority