The Small Print in Japan’s Designated Activities Visa

Japan’s ¥10M Nomad Visa Floor Still Sets a High Bar

What the visa actually offers

Japan’s digital nomad status, officially a Designated Activities visa, has been running since April 1, 2024 and it gives remote workers up to six months in the country while they keep working for overseas employers or clients. It’s a short stay, single entry and frankly the rules are tight, so this isn’t a soft landing for casual long-term visitors.

The headline number is the ¥10 million annual income floor, which works out to roughly $65,000,$70,000 depending on exchange rates. Japan also wants private health insurance with at least ¥10 million in coverage for death, injury or illness and the paperwork, turns out, goes beyond a simple bank statement check.

Who gets in and who gets shut out

This visa is open to citizens of 50+ visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., EU states, Australia, South Korea and Singapore, so the eligible pool is broad, but the screening is still strict. Spouses and children can come along without proving extra income, which helps families, though regular tourists can’t apply and work for a Japanese company is off the table.

For freelancers and sole proprietors, Japan looks at post-expense taxable income, not gross sales, so your tax returns matter more than your top-line revenue. Immigration officers can also check tax compliance, income sources, savings, past refusals and any criminal issues, so the bar is, honestly, higher than many nomads expect.

What to line up before applying

You’ll need the visa form, a passport with six months left and blank pages, proof of planned activities, income documents and health insurance proof, with a Certificate of Eligibility helping speed things up when available. Processing can take about 5 business days with a COE, though real-world cases sometimes run closer to 10 days.

There’s no renewal or extension and you can only use the status once every 12 months, so timing matters. If you’re comparing destinations, check our visa updates page, then read the full Japan guide for the practical details.