Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa

Summary: Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa Initiative

Introduction of the Digital Nomad Visa:

• Japan plans to introduce a new residency system for digital nomads, allowing remote workers to stay up to six months.
• Eligible individuals include IT professionals, consultants, and business executives with an annual income of at least 10 million yen.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Must be a national of a visa-exempt country and part of a tax treaty with Japan.
2. Must have private medical insurance covering at least 10 million yen for injuries or illnesses.
3. Annual income of at least 10 million yen.

Key Features:

• Digital nomads can bring family members with private medical insurance.
• Visa holders are exempt from health insurance premiums and residential/income taxes in Japan.
• No residence card or National Health Insurance enrollment for holders.
• Duration limited to six months in a calendar year.

Criteria (Who has eligibility for this visa)

Those who stay in Japan for a period not exceeding six months and engage in international remote work, etc.

Activities to engage in work in foreign offices of a juridical person or other foreign organisation established in accordance with foreign laws and regulations in Japan using information and communication technologies, or activities to provide services for a fee or sell goods, etc. to a person in a foreign country using information and communication technologies, based on an employment contract with said organisation in Japan. Activities to provide services for a fee or sell goods, etc. to a person in a foreign country using information and communications technology (excluding those that cannot be provided or sold, etc. without entering Japan).

Examples include IT/software developers, digital designers and online secretaries who work remotely, and sole traders who manage foreign companies.

Benefit

The Digital Nomad visa has a duration of six months and is exempt from health insurance premiums and residential and income tax in Japan.

Nessesary Documents

Digital Nomad Visa:  Application for Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

1. application form for Certificate of Eligibility

2. copy of passport

3. photograph (a photograph of the specified standard must be prepared) 3*4 cm

4. material explaining your planned activities during your stay (reference form)

5. documents proving that the applicant’s annual income is JPY 10 million or more

Tax payment certificate, income certificate, employment contract, contract with a business partner (a certificate issued in the country where you have worked as proof of annual income, such as one that clearly states the contract period and the contract amount).

If you are unable to submit a tax payment certificate, etc., you should explain in writing why it is not possible to submit a tax payment certificate, etc., and submit an employment contract with a legal entity established in accordance with foreign laws and regulations, a contract with a business partner (which clearly states the contract amount), and documents from a bank or other savings account in your name showing a record of payments relating to annual income (copy of a bankbook or other document).

A copy of the screen of the web passbook (showing the transaction history) is also acceptable. However, the documents must be printed in a form that cannot be processed (e.g. Excel files are not acceptable).

[IMPORTAN POINT]

You want to apply for this visa and you are probably a freelancer who earns income from remote work. This section assumes that this is the case.

The key to proving the annual income requirement is to provide two documents;

The first is a certificate of tax payment for the last year issued in the country where the applicant has worked. This confirms that the applicant’s income including tax is at least the equivalent of JPY 10 million.

The other is the future prospects. This should confirm, for example, that the applicant will continue to work remotely under contract with the same company in his/her home country. From the content of the contract, it can be confirmed how much remuneration per hour will be earned, and assuming 2080 hours of annual working hours in Japan, the unit price x 2080 hours can be calculated to be more than the equivalent of 10 million yen.

The proof can also be strengthened by attaching previous payment records and other records of performance.

Another alternative to being a freelancer who works remotely is also possible. For example, if you are doing e-commerce internationally on the Internets, the digital nomad visa also applies.

What does not fall under this category is that you are not allowed to engage in activities on social networking sites (YouTube, Instagram, X, or Tiktok) as an influencer in Japan.

6. a copy of the certificate of subscription and terms and conditions of private medical insurance

Documents certifying that you have insurance against death, injury or illness during your stay in Japan (with a minimum coverage of 10 million yen for treatment of injury or illness).

The amount of compensation for medical treatment for injury and illness must be at least 10 million yen.

If the insurance attached to the credit card can cover such compensation, please submit a copy of the credit card and documents proving such compensation.

Travel insurance is mandatory and the following documents will be required, as with the Long Stay Tourist Visa.

SafetyWing‘s Digital Nomad Insurance is a good insurance policy for so-called nomadic people who travel the world.

The good thing about this insurance is that it costs as little as about 4,500 yen for four weeks for those up to 39 years old, or about 7,100 yen for those up to 49 years old, and is valid in most countries. Of course, it is also compliant with the Japanese digital nomad visa application. Available for purchase in 180 countries and can be purchased while already traveling in Japan.

The key point is to prove that you have future income from a foreign country other than Japan for remote work. These should be translated into Japanese.

How to Apply for “Digital Nomad Visa”? (Very Important)

There are TWO ways for foreigners (who are not in Japan) to apply for a digital nomad visa.

One is for you to apply for the visa in person at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country of residence. This is the most common way.

You can apply directly to the Japanese Embassy in the country where you currently reside. However, although we can review your documents, you must make the application at the Japanese embassy yourself.  If you are applying at the local Japanese embassy or other Japanese consulates, our firm can still provide support, such as preparing a Legal Opinion Letter by Gyoseishoshi immigration lawyer.

Alternatively, you can also consider the following methods;

Enter Japan on a visa waiver scheme, e.g. for tourism purposes, meet with our lawyers to confirm your ID and we will apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the Immigration Bureau on your behalf.

Based on current operations, we can infer that once the COE has been granted, you will be able to directly change your visa status to a digital nomad visa.

Please note that it is not possible to change from a ‘Temporary Visitor’ visa status (Visa Waiver Scheme) directly to a Digital Nomad visa. You must apply for a COE before you can obtain a digital nomad visa.

If you plan to stay in Japan for more than 90 days, it may be a good idea to come to Japan without a visa first, apply for a COE and then change to a digital nomad visa. However, you cannot leave Japan during the application period. Once you leave Japan, your digital nomad visa application must be made at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country by yourself.

The COE for the Digital Nomad visa can only be submitted by our Immigration Lawyer while you are physically in Japan.

Also, as of 1 November 2024, the COE for the Digital Nomad visa is not yet eligible to apply online and must go to the Immigration Office to apply. Therefore, if you are currently in Japan on a tourist visa, you are advised to contact us and visit us as soon as possible.

The procedures to be followed after obtaining the COE are described below.

Do I need Certificate of Eligibility (COE)?

Certificate of Eligibility (COE): if you would like to apply outside Japan, this digital nomad visa can be accepted without a Certificate of Eligibility. (I guess and I hope so. Unfortunately, the latest information is often not shared on the ground at Japanese embassies abroad. In such cases, it may be necessary to lodge a complaint with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at its HQs.)

However, if you are in Japan currently, as stated above, you probably cannot be issued a visa directly from visa waiver status. We presume that you will always have to apply for a COE first, it will be granted, and then change your visa.

I obtained a COE while I was in Japan. What do I need to do after that?

Congratulations! If you were fortunate enough to have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued while visiting Japan on a tourist visa, you’ve already cleared a significant hurdle.

Under normal circumstances, you would need to return to your home country or country of residence, visit a Japanese embassy or consulate, apply for the Digital Nomad visa, and then re-enter Japan with your Digital Nomad Visa. This process can be quite inconvenient, especially if your home country is far from Japan, adding not only travel expenses but also the cost of your time.

However, there is a way to bypass this hassle. It is possible to convert your tourist visa to a Digital Nomad Visa without leaving Japan. That said, the process has specific conditions you must meet.

For instance:

• You must have stayed in Japan continuously since applying for and submitting your COE.
• If you have left Japan and returned after applying for a COE, you will need to be careful. Specifically, you will not be able to complete this procedure unless you have continuously stayed in Japan from the day before the issue date of your COE to the present.
• You need to keep track of the expiration date of your current tourist visa. Remember, obtaining a COE does not automatically extend your tourist visa. You’ll still need to complete the necessary procedures at the Immigration Bureau to ensure compliance.

If you’re unsure about any of these steps, feel free to reach out to us. We may be able to provide guidance or assistance.

Additionally, if you arrived in Japan on a tourist visa and only later learned about the Digital Nomad Visa, it might still be possible to apply for and secure it without leaving Japan. Of course, you’ll need to have all the required documents ready—either stored on your PC or sent to you via email.

Navigating these processes can be tricky, but with the right support, you can successfully transition to the visa that best suits your needs.