Digital nomad status

Designated Activities (remote work)

Remote work

A six-month status for remote workers earning at least ¥10 million a year. It is not a residence permit: holders do not get a residence card or become residents, cannot renew, and must spend six months outside Japan before applying again.

Who it is for. Remote workers from a country with both a tax treaty and a visa exemption with Japan.

Researched, not independently verifiedmedium confidenceReviewed 20 September 2026

Worth knowing. The ¥10 million threshold is on active income evidenced by tax returns, contracts or bank statements. Roughly 50 countries and regions qualify. The monthly figure used by the rules engine is the annual threshold divided by twelve.

Fact

Income required: JP¥10,000,000
Savings required: Not stated
Investment required: None
Application fee: Not stated
Processing time: 14–60 days
Permission lasts: 6 months
Permanent residence: Not via this route
Citizenship: Not via this route

Remote work allowedLocal employment not allowedFamily can joinInsurance required

Apply through the authority, not through us: www.isa.go.jp

Application checklist

Tick things off as you go. Progress is saved in this browser and nowhere else.

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Documents

Valid passportValid for the intended stay.
Proof of annual income of at least ¥10 millionTax returns, employment contracts or bank statements. Savings are not accepted in place of income.
Private medical insuranceCovering death, injury and illness, with at least ¥10 million of medical cover.
Employment or client contractsShowing the work is for organisations outside Japan.
Proof of accommodation or itinerary(if it applies)Commonly requested even though it is not always listed.

Process

Apply at a Japanese embassy or consulateThe status is applied for abroad rather than in Japan.

Restrictions

No work for Japanese clients or employersThe status covers remote work for organisations outside Japan only.
No residence registrationHolders are not registered residents and do not receive a residence card, which limits access to banking, phone contracts and long-term leases.
Six months maximum, no renewalSix consecutive months outside Japan are required before applying again.

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How the process runs

Lead times are the ones the authorities publish or that applicants consistently report. Added up, they come to roughly 2 months — start with whatever takes longest.

Check your nationality qualifies
≈ 1 days
You need a country with both a tax treaty and a visa exemption with Japan. Many visa-exempt nationalities do not qualify.
Document ¥10 million of annual income
≈ 21 days
Tax returns and contracts are the strongest evidence. Savings will not substitute.
Arrange qualifying private insurance
≈ 14 days
At least ¥10 million of medical cover, including death and injury.
Apply at the embassy or consulate
≈ 21 days
The status is granted on entry and runs for six months from arrival.

Official forms

Always download the current version from the authority. Consulates publish their own variants, and an out-of-date form is a common reason for rejection.

Visa application form

paper

The consular application for the Designated Activities status.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan · Japanese and English

Get the current form (opens in a new tab)

Fees

Fees for this route
Fee	Amount
Single-entry visaPayable to Japanese embassy or consulateCharged in local currency at a rate the mission sets periodically.	JP¥3,000

Why we say this

The wording behind the headline figures on this page.

Digital nomad status holders are not registered residents and do not receive a residence card.

The Designated Activities status for remote work is granted for a period of up to six months. Because the period does not exceed the threshold for resident registration, holders are not issued a residence card and do not enrol in the national health insurance system.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Researched, not independently verifiedmedium confidenceReviewed 20 September 2026

Check this against

Immigration Services Agency — statuses of residence and application procedures (opens in a new tab)Immigration Services Agency of Japan · National immigration authority
Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act — statuses of residence (opens in a new tab)Ministry of Justice · Government department