Asia
Japan Visa Guide
Digital Nomad Visa (6-month, high income threshold)
Quick answer
Japan offers 8 visa categories covering work, entrepreneur, family, cultural, and digital nomad routes. Work visas include the Artist visa (5 years) [1][2][3] and Business Manager visa (5 years) [4][5]. Family routes include Dependent (up to 5 years) [7] and Dependent Visa (up to 90 days) [8]. Other routes include Cultural Activities (up to 3 years) [6], Designated Activities (up to 2 years) [9], and Digital Nomad Visa (90 days) [10].
At a glance
| Region | Asia |
| Destination type | Sovereign country |
Japan offers the Digital Nomad Visa (6-month, high income threshold) for location-independent workers.
Visa options in Japan (43)
Digital nomad / remote work
Tourist / short-stay
Work
Artist
5 years
Artist Visa
5 years
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
5 years
Entertainer Visa
3 years
Highly Skilled Professional
5 years (renewable)
Highly Skilled Professional Visa
5 years
Instructor Visa
work
Intra-company Transferee Visa
5 years
Journalist
最长5年（可更新）
Journalist Visa
5 years
Legal/Accounting Services Visa
work
Medical Services Visa
1 year
Professor
5 years
Religious Activities
work
Religious Activities Visa
work
Researcher Visa
work
Special Highly Skilled Professional
5 years
Specified Visa
3 years
Trainee
work
Investor / entrepreneur
Family
Dependent
Up to 5 years (individually designated by Minister of Justice)
Dependent Visa
Up to 90 days
Long-term Resident
5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, or a term designated by the Minister of Justice (5 years or less)
Spouse or Child of Japanese National
5 years (also 6 months, 1 year, or 3 years)
Study
Other visa types
Cultural Activities Visa
3 years, 1 year, 6 months or 3 months
Designated Activities
Maximum stay up to 2 years (initial period up to 1 year, renewable to 2 years total)
Diplomat
Up to 90 days
Diplomatic Visa
other
General Visa
1 year, 6 months or 3 months
Long Term Resident Visa
Up to 90 days
Official
up to 90 days
Official Visa
up to 90 days
Permanent Resident Visa
Up to 90 days
Transit Visa
up to 15 days
Am I eligible for anything here?
Japan's visa eligibility depends heavily on:
- Your nationality — some visas apply nationality-based exclusions or bilateral agreements
- Your income and financial situation
- How long you want to stay
- Whether you're bringing dependents
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Japan?
Japan offers various visa categories depending on your purpose. For short stays, the Digital Nomad Visa allows 90 days [10], and the Dependent Visa allows up to 90 days for family members [8]. For longer stays, consider work or cultural visas.
What is the most popular visa for working in Japan?
The Artist visa is a common work route, valid for 5 years [1][2][3]. The Business Manager visa is also available for entrepreneurs, also valid for 5 years [4][5].
Related destinations
Philippines
Comparable Asia destination
Visa guide
Thailand
Comparable Southeast Asia destination
Visa guide
Vietnam
Comparable Southeast Asia destination
Visa guide
Indonesia
Comparable Southeast Asia destination
Visa guide
Germany
Comparable Europe destination
Visa guide
Spain
Comparable Europe destination
Visa guide
Sources
One numbered entry per specific claim — several entries may point to the same underlying document, each with its own locator.
- [1]
Artist — Work route, 5 years
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [2]
Artist — Work route, 5 years
Terminal: no_dedicated_visa · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Cross-referenced - [3]
Artist Visa — Work route, 5 years
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [4]
Business Manager — Entrepreneur route, 5 years
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [5]
Business Manager Visa — Entrepreneur route, 5 years
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [6]
Cultural Activities Visa — Other route, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months or 3 months
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [7]
Dependent — Family route, Up to 5 years (individually designated by Minister of Justice)
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [8]
Dependent Visa — Family route, Up to 90 days
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [9]
Designated Activities — Other route, Maximum stay up to 2 years (initial period up to 1 year, renewable to 2 years total)
Primary source · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [10]
Digital Nomad Visa (Designated Activities) — Digital nomad route, 90 days
MOFA — official VISA index page listing the Digital Nomad category [Verified (deep-linked)] · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linked - [11]
Affordability index and climate tags
VisaBook internal estimate (soft-preference data) · Last verified: Aug 15, 2026Verified — deep-linkedVisaBook internal soft-preference estimate used by Search filters — not an official statistic.
This page reflects Japan's officially published visa categories as of the dates above. It is not legal advice. For detailed, case-specific requirements for any visa listed here, see that visa's own page.