Remote Workers Rejoice! Japan Announces New Digital Nomad Visa

The digital nomad trend is exploding worldwide. For those who work remotely or aspire to, it may be worth reading up on it as an excellent way to travel the world while earning a living. Japan is about to join the ranks of several other countries in offering a specialized visa for digital nomads, which will allow those who work remotely and move around a lot the opportunity to stay in Japan short term. The country is planning to begin offering its 6-month digital nomad visa at a currently undecided date near the end of March. There are some hoops to jump through and some requirements to meet for those eager to take advantage, and we’ll outline those below.

Only those from a list of 49 countries with which Japan has specific tax treaties will be able to use this visa. This list at the time of writing includes the US, UK, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and all of the European Union countries. More detailed information will likely be released once the visa launches later this month, and this current information is subject to change.

Digital nomad visa holders will be in a special category that differs from regular foreign residents of Japan. They will not be eligible to receive a residence card or residence certificate or open a bank account in Japan. They also will be unable to sign up for the Japanese National Health Insurance (Kokumin Hoken) and will instead be required to show proof of holding private health insurance upon application.

Perhaps the most difficult qualification to hit is the income requirement. Applicants must be able to show proof of a 10 million yen annual income, about the equivalent of US $70,000 at current exchange rates. While it might be the most difficult requirement to hit for a lot of hopeful digital nomads, luckily if you do reach that milestone and have health insurance, there isn’t much else holding you back.

However, perhaps the most difficult qualification to hit is the income requirement. Applicants must be able to show proof of a 10 million yen annual income, about the equivalent of US $70,000 at current exchange rates. While it might be a tall hurdle for a lot of hopeful digital nomads, luckily if you do hit that, there isn’t much holding you back.

If you have a spouse and/or dependents, it is anticipated that they too will be able to stay in Japan with you under the digital nomad visa.

The term of the visa is 6 months, and it cannot be renewed consecutively. This means if you want to renew it, you need to leave Japan for at least 6 months before being allowed to apply again.

It’s not exactly clear yet how the application procedure will proceed, but it could be similar to other visas for Japan. There will likely be an application form on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs site to find and fill out and submit with the required documentation to your closest Japanese embassy. You may also be required to submit a passport-style photo for yourself and any dependents meeting certain requirements.

Digital nomad visas are becoming increasingly popular around the globe, with countries hoping that they will be a great way to boost their economies by bringing in more foreign money and bolstering the tourism industry. The hope is digital nomads will buy products and engage in tourist activities on their time off during their stay, injecting more foreign cash into the Japanese economy. Digital nomads are also a new source of income for the real estate industry, and more short-term rental options will likely become available around Japan to house nomads during their stay in the country.

The digital nomad visa is a new opportunity for foreigners to come to Japan for a longer term than the standard tourist visa. As of right now, there is no information about the application process or what website to go to in to apply for this visa. However, more information should drop soon, so make sure to keep an eye on this exciting new opportunity!

UPDATE: We have been made aware that there’s now a website that tracks which countries offer a Digital Nomad Visa. If this type of thing sounds good to you and you want to try it out in some other countries as well, be sure to check this link!

 

Featured photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels

 

If you plan on applying for and taking advantage of this new visa, be sure to book a Travel Consulting Call with us to help make the most of your stay!

 

 

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