Visa Strategy
It’s possible to be a digital nomad in Japan! You just need the right strategy.
Your Business, Your Visa
Navigating Japan as a digital nomad requires more than just a steady income; it's essential to align your visa strategy with your business. Japan values the unique skills and economic contribution that foreign entrepreneurs bring.
With Japan Remotely, we help identify the best visa for your business profile and craft a persuasive case, ensuring you're not just a visitor, but a valued contributor to Japan's business ecosystem.
Pack your business and move to Japan.
Japan Digital Nomad Visa Challenges
At Japan Remotely, we are constantly focused on finding solutions that allow our clients to live and work remotely in Japan. Recently, Japan announced a new short-term Digital Nomad Visa.
That's good news because the usual short-term visa or "visa-waiver" does not permit remote work. Through our research we have found other visa alternatives for working remotely long-term in Japan.
Visa Options
Japan's Digital Nomad Visa will begin in April 2024. It is a short-term visa, limited to 6 months, cannot be renewed, and can only be issued once in a 12 month period. It has an income requirement of 10M JPY (about US$70K) and can be from salaried employment or self-employment. It is a great option for those with enough resources and who do not wish to be a full-time resident of Japan.
As a student, there is some flexibility to legally work in Japan, with a limit of 28 hours per week. However, it's important to note that you must study full-time at an accredited institution, which can be challenging if you have significant work obligations. If the time required for your remote work is not as significant, this path may be an option.
You cannot directly use your foreign remote work as a basis for your Japanese work visa. Depending on your situation, however, there are several alternative methods for gaining a work visa we can explore. One such method would be to establish a partnership with a Japanese company, enabling you to jointly expand your business while validating your work visa in Japan.
Japan’s investor/management visa is a good option for those wanting to start a business in Japan. The application process is more difficult and requires higher investment than student or work visas, but the payoff is the ability to focus solely on your own business operations. In addition to your foreign remote business, your operations must include Japanese domestic activities in order to be approved for this visa.
Although you can’t enter Japan as a permanent resident, there are more options than ever before to attain it quickly. Permanent residency provides the most flexibility by far to run your international business from Japan. See the free guide for more details.
Visas & Culture
Japanese law, like its culture, can be somewhat ambiguous. The "spirit" or intent of the law holds significance in the eyes of immigration authorities. Student visas are intended for studying in Japan, work visas for employment with Japanese companies, and investor/management visas for managing businesses in Japan. Japan Remotely is here to assist you in devising an entry strategy while considering these guidelines.
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