Japan's digital nomad visa: eligibility and documents

Start with the official digital nomad checklist and the Japanese embassy or consulate that will handle your application. You'll need to show that you qualify, explain what you plan to do in Japan and provide the documents the office asks for. Earning enough is only one part of the application.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs checklist is the main reference for the application documents. The Immigration Services Agency's digital nomad page explains the activities and links to further guidance. Use the current lists on those pages rather than a country count or currency conversion copied into a blog.

Check the income evidence

MOFA requires evidence of annual income of at least JPY 10 million. It gives examples including a tax payment certificate, income certificate, employment contract or a contract with a business partner that states the period and amount.

Gather documents that describe your circumstances clearly. If you're employed, check that your name, employer, pay and contract period are consistent across them. If you work through several client contracts, explain how the documents relate to one another. A short explanation helps the reviewer follow the income you're counting.

If your income is in another currency, or your income changes from year to year, ask the consulate which documents it needs to confirm your annual income. Follow any additional checklist from your application office.

Keep the visa's income requirement separate from a housing company's proof-of-funds request. They are different applications. A rental company's acceptance isn't evidence that the visa requirements have been met.

Put the income calculation beside the evidence

For a hypothetical freelancer, three annual client contracts might show ¥6 million, ¥3 million and ¥1.5 million: ¥10.5 million in total, or ¥500,000 above the published threshold. But if the ¥1.5 million is an unsigned proposal, the signed contracts show only ¥9 million, which is ¥1 million below it. If you count income that isn't confirmed, you might pay for an apartment before you can show you meet the visa's income requirement.

MOFA names business contracts showing their period and amount among its evidence examples. Put those details beside your calculation and ask the consulate how it assesses your documents, especially when contract periods differ or payments are uncertain. The calculation shows how the income amounts compare. The consulate still needs to decide whether your evidence meets the application requirements. While the evidence is unresolved, compare what you would lose on a non-refundable apartment booking with a changeable option.

Use the nationality list for this status

Open the eligible-country or region list linked from MOFA and check the passport you intend to use. Don't infer eligibility just because your country has a tax agreement with Japan or appears on a general short-stay visa exemption list.

If you hold more than one nationality, use consistent passport details throughout your enquiry and application. If family members will accompany you, check their position separately rather than assuming your eligibility covers everyone.

Read the insurance certificate, not just the product name

MOFA requires evidence of insurance against death, injury or illness during the stay, with at least JPY 10 million in compensation for medical treatment for injury or illness. Its examples of evidence include a coverage certificate and policy summary, or documents showing relevant supplementary credit-card coverage.

Ask the insurer for documents showing who is insured, the dates and countries covered, and how much it will pay. If the certificate is brief, obtain the policy summary as well. Check that the policy covers your full stay, and read the list of illnesses, treatments or situations it does not cover.

The visa checklist and the practical choice of insurance are related but different. You may want to consider assistance, evacuation and other benefits when choosing a policy, but don't treat an extra feature recommended by a blog as a universal visa requirement. Take ambiguous wording to the insurer and the consulate. Our insurance guide can help organise those questions.

Describe the work you will actually do

Compare ISA's rules with the work you plan to do: who you work for, what you do and who your customers are.

If a Japanese client, a Japanese company in your employer's group, local paid work or another unusual arrangement is involved, ask immigration or the consulate how the rule applies before relying on it. The location of a bank account or the currency on an invoice doesn't by itself explain the activity.

Write the planned-activities document in concrete terms. “Remote work” is a useful label, but a short description of your employer or business and the work you intend to perform is more informative. The permitted-activities guide looks more closely at this boundary.

Apply separately for accompanying family where needed

MOFA has separate document lists for the digital nomad and for a spouse or child travelling with them. The family list asks for proof of the relationship, insurance documents and a copy of the digital nomad's passport, among other items.

If you are unsure which family application fits your circumstances, ask the embassy or consulate before submitting it. An unmarried partner should check which route is available rather than assume they can apply as a spouse. Compare each traveller's requirements before making a joint non-refundable booking. See also the spouse and children guide.

Keep the calendar realistic

MOFA states a six-month period of stay with no extension. ISA also says a residence card will not be issued under this status. Those details affect housing applications that ask for a card and plans that depend on staying longer.

Ask your consulate about its current application process and timing. If you use a Certificate of Eligibility, this is a document issued by a regional immigration bureau to help with the visa and arrival checks. MOFA says you still need separate visa approval; having the certificate does not guarantee it. Choose changeable travel and accommodation terms while your application is unresolved, and keep the documents and written replies in one folder so you can answer any follow-up request promptly.