DESIGNATED ACTIVITIES for Digital Nomad (hereinafter referred to as “Digital-Nomad“) is a special VISA STATUS for those who engage in working remotely for a foreign company/organization internationally in the field of IT and communication technology. This visa status allows you to stay in Japan for a maximum of 6 months, but there are distinctive limitations – Residence Card will not be issued, and you cannot apply for Extension of Period of Stay etc.

IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VISA PROCEDURES IN JAPAN, JUMP TO INTRODUCTORY PAGES BELOW FIRST:

Contents
  1. BASIC REQUIREMENTS
  2. POINTS TO NOTE
  3. HOW to PROCESS
  4. BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
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BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Digital-Nomad visa status is applicable to those who are listed below;

  1. Individuals working for (or contracting with) an organization/company based out of foreign countries as a remote worker in the field of IT and communication technology and wish to work remotely in Japan for a period not exceeding 6 months.
    [Example occupation] IT/software developers, digital designers and online secretaries who work remotely, and sole proprietors who manage foreign companies.
  2. Spouse or child accompanying 1 above.

In case of 1, you must satisfy ALL of the requirements listed below;
* In case of 2, you must accompany 1 and prove the marital (spouse) or blood relationship (child) to 1.

Target/Eligible countries or regions

You must be a national or citizen of country listed here >> https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001416932.pdf

Period of Stay

Not exceeding 6 months

  • Digital-Nomad is NOT subject to the application for Extension of Period of Stay. You CANNOT extend your period of stay under Digital-Nomad visa status.
  • Residence Card will not be issued to Digital-Nomad.
  • It requires 6 months gap in order to apply for Digital-Nomad visa status again; you have chance to apply for Digital-Nomad visa status again when 6 months have passed after you quit the visa status and leave Japan.

Annual Income

Your individual annual income must be JPY 10 million (or equivalent to) or more.

Enrollment of Private Medical Travel Insurance

You must enroll in a private medical travel insurance which covers death, injury, illness during your stay. Coverage of the medical treatment for injury and illness must be 10 million yen or more.

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POINTS TO NOTE

Contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country first

Since this Digital-Nomad visa status doesn’t need to have any contracting company in Japan, you usually don’t have a visa sponsor to apply for the COE. Therefore, the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; MOFA) generally accepts Digital visa application without the COE directly at their office. Check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) >> VISA: Specified visa for Designated Activities as Digital Nomad)

For this process and details, you should contact the Japan Embassy or Consulate-General in your residence area first. The Japan Embassy/Consulate-General belongs to the different ministry (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) from the Immigration Office (the Ministry of Legal Affairs) and has it’s own criteria depending on the country they are established.

We cannot handle the visa application overseas which should be submitted to the Embassy/Consulate-General. You should contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country to get the information for the process.

Here is the list of the Japan Embassy >> the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General

Possibility that you need to come to Japan to apply for COE for Digital Nomad

As you see the above, generally, you should contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country and submit Digital-Nomad visa application directly there.

However, we have heard that some Japan Embassy/Consulate-General don’t accept the visa application without the COE even it is Digital-Nomad visa application. In that case, you need to come to Japan under Temporary Visitor visa or any other visa status in order to submit the COE application for Digital-Nomad even if you hire an immigration lawyer for the process and documentation. It sounds strange but Immigration lawyers cannot submit your application to the Immigration Office on behalf of the applicant while the applicant is outside Japan or doesn’t have a proxy/visa sponsor in Japan.

>> COE APPLICATION
>> VISA SPONSOR

Residence Card will not be issued to Digital-Nomad

For Digital-Nomad visa status, Residence Card will NOT be issued – only the visa stamp/sticker will be put on your passport.

Generally, you cannot open any bank account in Japan without Residence Card. It would also be difficult to rent a room – you should find a real estate agent which are used to rent out a room to foreign nationals.

Not able to extend the period of stay granted

Period of stay for Digital-Nomad visa status is not subject to application for Extension of Period of Stay. You cannot renew the visa or extend the period of stay granted while you are on Digital-Nomad visa status.

In addition, it requires 6 months gap in order to apply for Digital-Nomad visa status again; you have chance to apply for Digital-Nomad visa status again when 6 months have passed after you quit the visa status and leave Japan.

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HOW to PROCESS

In case you are currently living outside Japan and the Japan Embassy in your residence country accepts direct “Digital-Nomad visa application”:
>> contact the Japan Embassy/Consulate-General in your residence country.

In case you are currently living outside Japan yet and the Japan Embassy in your residence country doesn’t accept Digital-Nomad visa application there, or you are staying in Japan as a TEMPORARY VISITOR;
>> COE APPLICATION

In case you have been living in Japan under specific status and holding RESIDENCE CARD already:
>> CHANGE of VISA STATUS

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BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The immigration office considers your eligibility for the visa status by your situation/career and by documents you provide. You must prepare documents which certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. The Immigration Office will request additional documents at any time if they have any questions or would like to confirm the information you provided case by case.

Specific documents are varied depending on the situation of each applicant and the host organization/company, however, the basic documents for this visa status are as follows;

  1. Application form
  2. Photo
  3. Description of Intended Activities in the Immigration Office format >> PDF (provided by Immigration Office)
  4. Documents to prove your annual income; e.g. Tax Certificate or Income Certificate issued in the resident country, employment contract etc.)
  5. Copy of private medical insurance enrollment certificate and the terms and conditions.
  6. [in case of spouse/child of Digital-Nomad] copy of passport of Digital-Nomad and documents to prove the relationship to Digital-Nomad.

NOTE / REMARK

  • All the documents written in foreign languages need to attach the Japanese translation.
  • Additional documents may be requested by the Immigration Office during the screening.
  • Any certificate issued by the Japanese authorities (Tax/Income Certificate, Certificate of Residence, Certificate of Company Register etc.) has to be the one issued within 3 months before the date of application.
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