Insurance for Japan’s digital nomad visa

For Japan's digital nomad visa, you'll need private insurance that meets the application requirements for your stay. It's also worth reading the benefits you expect to use: a policy can meet the visa's minimum cover while excluding a prescription or treatment you need.

MOFA's requirements call for insurance against death, injury or illness during the stay, with at least ¥10 million in compensation for medical treatment of injury or illness. That medical threshold is not a blanket ¥10 million minimum for every benefit category.

Match the evidence to the application

Use the instructions from the Japanese embassy or consulate handling your application. MOFA lists the insurance certificate and policy summary among the supporting evidence, and also describes documents for supplementary credit-card cover. If you rely on family cover, obtain evidence of the people included.

Ask the insurer to show the insured names, coverage period, territory, medical limit and relevant death-related cover clearly. If the limit is in another currency, ask the consulate what evidence it needs to assess it. Don't rely on a salesperson's general statement that the policy is “visa friendly”.

The requirement concerns cover during your intended stay. Match the dates to your itinerary and check what happens if departure is delayed or you travel elsewhere before returning. A policy that renews periodically needs particular attention to uninterrupted cover and proof of future coverage.

A certificate listing ¥10 million for accident treatment may leave illness cover unclear. In that case, ask for the policy sections showing illness and death-related cover, so the application includes evidence of each required benefit.

Read the policy before comparing brands

Use the policy wording available to someone of your age and country of residence, for the trip you're planning. A benefit table copied from another traveller may describe a different version of the insurance.

Compare the conditions most likely to affect you: pre-existing conditions, ongoing prescriptions, outpatient appointments, emergency treatment, dental care, mental-health care and pregnancy-related care where relevant. Ask the insurer a specific question about a known need, with the medical detail it requests, and retain the written answer.

A policy may meet an application threshold while excluding the treatment you expect to need. If a benefit is excluded, budget for it or look for appropriate cover before choosing the policy.

Work out how you would pay at a clinic

With reimbursement, you pay the clinic first and claim the covered amount back from your insurer. With direct billing, the insurer arranges payment to the medical facility. Find out which is available in Japan, whether you need approval first and which assistance number to call. Direct billing may be limited to particular facilities.

For a worked example, suppose covered treatment costs ¥30,000 and you must pay the first ¥7,500 of that claim yourself, with no other limitation. Your share is ¥7,500 and the potential reimbursement is ¥22,500. Those are illustrative amounts. If the treatment is excluded, you could have to pay the whole bill yourself. Another policy may require you to pay a different fixed amount or share of each bill.

Keep enough access to funds for the payment arrangement your policy requires. Our clinic guide explains the practical papers and payment questions to prepare.

Confirm cover for everyone travelling

If a spouse or child is applying with you, check the family requirements and obtain evidence for each applicant. A family policy can be useful, but verify individual limits and who is named rather than assuming one certificate covers everyone adequately.

You need private insurance for this visa. Don't assume you can use Japan’s public health insurance instead. If your residence status or circumstances will change, ask the appropriate authority about insurance eligibility and ask the insurer how the change affects the existing policy.

Keep the policy usable during the stay

Save the certificate, policy wording, assistance number and claims instructions offline. Note any deadline for contacting the insurer or submitting receipts. Ask what documents a clinic should provide so you can request them at the time of treatment.

If a premium payment fails or cover is cancelled, contact the insurer promptly to establish the effective dates and options. Ask the immigration authority about your circumstances if required cover is interrupted; don't assume there is a standard grace period.

Keep the version of the policy you bought, not just a link to a sales page that may change later. You can check the other application documents in our digital nomad eligibility guide.