Japan is expected to launch a digital nomad visa in late March 2024, which will allow individuals to travel to Japan to work remotely and stay anywhere for up to 6 months. This puts Japan on the list of over 50 countries/regions which offer digital nomad visas.
This is part of a trend after COVID-19 where countries have started offering similar visas tailored for digital nomads, many of whom are employed in companies that have arrangements which allow them to work remotely across the globe for a few months. Some countries like India and Indonesia have offered such visas to specific regions (Goa and Bali respectively) in the hopes of boosting tourism by attracting the well-heeled digital nomad.
Visa Details
Applicants must meet the minimum annual salary criteria of ¥10 million (roughly S$90,000) and must have private insurance. Spouses and children will be allowed to live in Japan with the visa holder and must be covered by private insurance as well.
After expiry, the visa cannot be immediately extended, and the visa holder must wait for a period of at least 6 months before submitting another application for the visa.
Documents To Prepare
Before making the application, these documents must be prepared and arranged in order according to this checklist. All documents must be printed or photocopied on A4-sized paper and separated into sets by individual. Staples, pins or paperclips must not be used on documents. Do note that documents will not be returned.
Documents to prepare:
- Valid Passport
- Visa Application Form (can be downloaded and filled in before printing)
- Photocopied of front/back of NRIC
- Printout of QR Code from SGWorkPass Mobile App displaying latest work pass information and scanned no more than 5 days prior to application date.
- Letter from employer(Original)
OR Business Registration Profile from ACRA (for Business Owner – Photocopy)- Letter issued by employer no more than 1 month prior to application. Includes detailed information like position, salary, date joined.
- OR Business Registration Profile from ACRA for business owner.
- Income Tax Notice of Assessment OR Updated Bank Statement/Passbook (photocopy)
- Flight information
Application Procedure
The earliest you can apply for the visa is 3 months before your planned travel date. Assuming there are no issues with the submitted documents, it will take a minimum of 5 days to process the visa application. It may take more time depending on the volume of applications, so it is a good idea to apply for your visa two weeks before the planned date of travel.
Step 1: Book an appointment to go to the Japanese Embassy. On the website, scroll down till you see this page.
It is recommended to Google Translate widget on your browser to help ease navigation through the page from this point as some parts of it will be in Japanese. Otherwise, you may refer to the translated equivalents on this page for reference.
Step 2: Schedule your appointment from the available timeslots.
Step 3: Click on ‘Next’ to proceed.
Step 4: Fill in your details and then click ‘Proceed to content confirmation’.
Step 5: Check the details of your application before you confirm the application. Do note that you must select the correct visa application category for your appointment, otherwise your application will not be accepted. Then click ‘Make a reservation’.
After the visa has been approved, payment of the visa fee must be made upon collection. For Singaporeans, the visa fee is $31 and must be paid by cash.
Finding Accommodations Without A Resident Card (Zairyu Shomei) In Japan
Digital nomad visa holders will not be issued a residence card, unlike holders of other work visas in Japan. This card is necessary for opening a bank account, signing up for a phone plan or renting apartments.
Nevertheless, affordable options exist on websites such as Airbnb where single rooms are available at under $1,000 per month. Digital nomad visa holders do not need to register their address with municipal authorities, which allows them to stay and travel to different places in Japan during their duration of stay.
Read Also: Is It Worth Buying The Japan Rail Pass For Your Next Trip To Japan?
Who Is Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa For
Japan is an appealing tourist destination, and this digital nomad visa is ideal for individuals who wish to experience regular life in Japan for extended periods while working remotely. Without this visa, Singaporeans can still stay in Japan for up to 90 days, but remunerative activities are prohibited.
Japan’s digital nomad visa is quite short, allowing only for a non-extendable 6-month stay, which may not be suitable for people who have schooling children, since this short stay may be disruptive to their education. In comparison, Malaysia’s DE Rantau allows for a 12-month period, which can be renewed for an additional 12 months. Thailand’s Long Term Resident Visa grants a 5-year stay, which can be renewed for 5 more years.
Read Also: Digital Nomads: 5 Asian Cities For Living And Working Remotely
Making Payments In Japan
Without a Resident Card in Japan, one cannot set up a bank account, which may make it tricky to make or receive digital payments in Japan or bring enough cash for the extended duration. Hence, a digital nomad will need to rely on multi-currency wallets like Wise, Revolut or YouTrip.
SME businesses can also make use of the YouBiz corporate card to make transactions in Japan. You can read more in our guide.
DollarsAndSense Exclusive
YouTrip – Use the promo code DNS5 during your YouTrip registration to get $5 welcome credit.
YouBiz – Use the promo code YBDNS30 when you sign up for YouBiz to enjoy automatic credit of S$30 into your YouBiz account upon account approval and first card spend of $5 (virtual/physical).
Revolut – When you sign up with Revolut using this link, you also get $15 topped up in your account.
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