Japan Digital Nomad Visa 2026: ¥10 Million Income Rule, and How to Apply

Japan’s digital nomad visa allows eligible remote workers to stay in Japan for up to six months. The stay cannot be extended.

To qualify, you must meet all the main requirements:

• Your personal annual income must be at least JPY 10 million.
• The JPY 10 million requirement refers to annual income, not savings, assets or your bank balance.
• You must work remotely for an employer, business or client located outside Japan.
• Your insurance must cover your entire stay in Japan.
• The insurance must provide at least JPY 10 million in medical treatment coverage for injury or illness.
• Your passport must be issued by one of the 49 eligible countries or regions.

Japan’s official document list accepts tax certificates, income certificates, employment contracts and business contracts that clearly show the contract period and payment amount as income evidence.

Important

Having ¥10 million in savings is not enough. You must prove annual personal income of at least ¥10 million.

Check Whether You Qualify

You must meet all four requirements below:

1. Eligible passport

Your passport must be issued by one of the 49 eligible countries or regions.

2. Required annual income

Your personal annual income must be at least JPY 10 million when you apply. Savings cannot replace this requirement.

3. Overseas remote work

You must work online under a contract with an employer, company or client outside Japan.

4. Required insurance

Your insurance must cover your full stay in Japan. Medical treatment coverage for injury or illness must be at least JPY 10 million.

Quick result

If you do not meet even one of these four requirements, you cannot apply as the main digital nomad applicant.

Which Countries Can Apply?

Only nationals or citizens of the following 49 countries and regions can apply as the main digital nomad applicant:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

Important points:

• If your nationality is not on this list, you cannot apply as the main digital nomad applicant.
• Mainland Chinese passport holders are not eligible.
• Macao passport holders are not eligible as main applicants.
• Citizens of India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Russia, Ukraine and South Africa are also not on the main applicant list.
• Hong Kong and Taiwan are included.
• The eligible nationality list for an accompanying spouse or child is broader and includes some places not listed above, such as Macao. Do not use the family-member list to check whether you qualify as the main applicant.

The ¥10 Million Requirement Is Annual Income, Not Savings

You must prove that your personal annual income is at least JPY 10 million. The requirement applies to the applicant, so you cannot replace it with a family member’s income or financial support.

You can use documents such as:

• A tax payment certificate
• An official income certificate
• An employment contract showing your salary
• Overseas client contracts showing the contract period and payment amount

These documents must show that your annual income reaches the required level.

The following cannot replace proof of annual income:

• JPY 10 million held in a bank account
• Stocks or cryptocurrency worth JPY 10 million
• Property or other assets
• Money offered by parents, a spouse or another sponsor
• Income you expect to earn in the future

Important

A bank statement may support your application, but a ¥10 million bank balance does not replace proof of ¥10 million in annual income.

Which Work Does Not Qualify?

Japan does not approve or reject applicants based only on their job title. What matters is who pays you and whether the work is genuinely remote work for an overseas employer or client.

The visa does not allow work based on employment or service contracts with Japanese organizations or people in Japan.

Working for a Japanese Company

You do not qualify if you:

• Sign an employment contract with a Japanese company
• Work as a full-time, part-time or temporary employee of a Japanese company
• Work online for a Japanese company while staying in Japan

Using a computer does not make the work eligible when the employer is based in Japan.

Taking Contracts From Japanese Clients

You cannot use this visa to:

• Sign a service or freelance contract with a Japanese company
• Provide paid services to a person living in Japan
• Accept projects from local Japanese clients after arriving

Your contracts should remain with employers, businesses or clients outside Japan.

Doing Work That Must Be Performed in Japan

The visa is intended for work that can be completed remotely through the internet. It is not suitable for local work that requires your physical presence in Japan.

Examples include:

• Working inside a Japanese restaurant, bar, hotel or shop
• Providing in-person tours for customers in Japan
• Taking event or on-site photographs for Japanese clients
• Providing beauty, massage or other face-to-face services
• Performing repairs, installation or construction work
• Selling products at a shop, market or event in Japan

These examples do not mean that an entire profession is banned. A photographer, tour operator or beauty professional may still qualify when they work remotely for overseas clients and do not provide local services in Japan.

Documents You Need

Prepare the following documents:

• Valid passport
• Visa application form
• Recent passport photograph
• Certificate of Eligibility, if applying through the COE route
• Description of your planned activities and stay in Japan
• Proof that your personal annual income is at least JPY 10 million
• Employment certificate, employment contract or overseas client contracts showing your income
• Insurance certificate covering your full stay
• Insurance policy summary showing at least JPY 10 million in medical treatment coverage for injury or illness
• Any extra documents requested by the Japanese embassy, consulate or visa centre handling your application

Accepted income evidence may include a tax certificate, income certificate, employment contract or business contract that clearly states the contract period and payment amount. Insurance evidence should show both the coverage period and the amount of medical protection.

Income document warning

Do not submit only a bank statement. The requirement is annual income, not savings.

Applicants who submit a Certificate of Eligibility can normally omit the planned-activities, income and insurance documents at the visa application stage. However, a COE does not guarantee that the visa will be issued.

How Long Can You Stay?

Japan’s digital nomad status allows you to stay for up to six months.

• The six-month stay cannot be extended.
• You will not receive a Japanese residence card.
• You must leave Japan before your permitted stay expires.
• After completing the maximum six-month stay, you must wait another six months before applying for the same digital nomad status again.

This visa is therefore suitable for a temporary stay. It is not a route for living in Japan continuously or renewing your stay every six months.

FAQ

Can a married couple combine their income to reach ¥10 million?

No. The main applicant must personally meet the JPY 10 million annual income requirement. A spouse’s income cannot be added to reach the minimum.

Can freelancers combine income from several overseas clients?

Yes. Income from multiple overseas clients can be combined.

Your contracts and income documents should clearly show:

• The client’s name
• The contract period
• The payment amount
• Your total annual personal income

All clients must be located outside Japan.

Can I apply while already in Japan?

Normally, no. A Japanese visa application must generally be submitted outside Japan through the embassy, consulate or approved visa centre responsible for your place of residence.

Being in Japan as a tourist does not normally allow you to change directly to digital nomad status.

Can my spouse and children accompany me?

Yes. A legal spouse and dependent children can apply under the separate Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad status.

They generally need:

• Valid passports
• Visa application forms and photographs
• Proof of their relationship to the main applicant
• A copy of the main applicant’s passport
• Insurance covering the full stay
• At least JPY 10 million in medical treatment coverage

They cannot work in Japan under this accompanying-family status. The nationality list for spouses and children is broader than the list for main applicants.

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