· Updated
By the HalfKey team
After Japan's digital nomad visa: planning a longer stay
Start with the date your current permission ends. Ask whether you can apply for another status while in Japan or need to apply from abroad, and allow for the cost of leaving while you wait.
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If you want to stay in Japan beyond your digital nomad permission, start by identifying the status that would fit your next activity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the digital nomad period as six months with no extension. To stay longer, you would need to qualify for a different status.
Before agreeing to a job start, paying school fees or extending your apartment, confirm how you can apply for the status you need. Ask the Immigration Services Agency or a qualified immigration professional to confirm the application route for your circumstances, including whether you must apply from abroad and when you must leave Japan.
Separate the three procedures
“Changing a visa” can mean several things in conversation. MOFA distinguishes a visa from status of residence: a visa is issued abroad, while the permission you receive when entering Japan records your status and what you may do during the stay.
A change of status of residence is an application you make to ISA while in Japan. You ask to stay under a different status, for example one that allows your new job. ISA's general procedure page explains the application and its assessment. Before using that procedure, ask ISA whether you can apply from digital nomad status. You'll still need to qualify for the new status.
A Certificate of Eligibility, or COE, is an immigration document used in many applications to come to Japan for a longer stay. MOFA explains that it helps officials check your visa application and entry into Japan, but it does not guarantee a visa. A COE application is not, by itself, permission to remain in Japan beyond your existing expiry date or begin the proposed work.
For a visa application abroad, use the Japanese embassy or consulate responsible for the area where you live, and follow its instructions. Don't assume you can use a nearby country for a quick application simply because flights are available.
Start with the proposed activity
The official work and long-term stay directory lists the relevant categories. Look for the category that matches the work, study or family arrangement you are planning, then check its requirements.
| Your next plan | What to establish before committing |
|---|---|
| A job with a Japanese employer | Which status covers the actual duties, whether you qualify, who prepares the application and when work may begin |
| Study | Whether the institution and course support the intended status, the intake date and the application schedule |
| Running a business | Which requirements apply to the business and your role, and which documents you need |
| A family-based application | The appropriate category, relationship documents and application route for your circumstances |
| A highly skilled professional application | What work you will do, which employer or organisation will support the application, and which documents show that you qualify |
Requirements differ between these routes and can change. Before investing in a business, check the current financial requirements. If you are considering highly skilled professional status, ask an adviser to explain which parts of your application earn points; do not estimate your score from salary alone. Bring your documents so the adviser can check whether you qualify.
Tell the adviser about a marriage or job offer that may affect which route is available to you.
Applying for a work visa from abroad
For a new job covered by Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, MOFA's working-visa page lists a passport, application form, photograph and Certificate of Eligibility, with additional documents depending on nationality and the embassy or consulate handling the application. It allows a representative in Japan to apply for the COE. The later visa application is still a separate step abroad.
Your digital nomad permission may expire while the employer is still preparing documents. Ask who will receive the COE and how it will reach you after departure. MOFA accepts an electronic COE presented at the visa counter or a printed copy, so discuss that route rather than retaining an apartment solely to receive a paper certificate.
MOFA also says a working-visa application without a COE can require much more evidence and take several months. Confirm which procedure applies to you before planning how long you'll need housing in Japan and abroad.
Make one calendar for immigration and housing
Put your current permission's expiry date at the top, using the actual immigration record rather than counting months from a booking email. Add the apartment's notice deadline, proposed job or school start, document collection dates, application appointment and a departure plan.
For example, suppose your permission ends on 30 September, your apartment requires notice by 31 August and the employer hopes you can start on 1 October. If you still don’t know how you’ll apply in August, you could end up paying October rent while waiting abroad. You need to know whether you can lawfully remain and begin that job, and what happens to the rental payment if you cannot.
Ask the person preparing the application which dates are fixed, which are estimates and what happens if additional documents are requested. Allow extra time in case the application takes longer than expected.
If an application is made while you're in Japan, ask ISA or your representative exactly what evidence you receive and what it means for your permitted stay. Don't assume the rules for one application type apply to a different application.
Keep work within your current permission
Until another permission takes effect, plan your work around the status you currently hold. The digital nomad activity guide explains the overseas-work scope and why a new Japanese assignment needs its own assessment.
Ask a prospective employer to list what you would do before approval: signing documents, attending induction or training, or starting paid work. Have the immigration adviser assess any activity you would do before approval. A company being ready for you to begin doesn't establish that you're permitted to do it.
Don't plan a visitor entry as a way to continue the same remote work while waiting. Before booking travel while your application is being considered, ask your adviser whether you can re-enter Japan and how the trip could affect your application.
Decide what to do with the apartment
Once you know how you will apply, ask the rental company whether you can extend your booking and how much notice it needs. Find out what you must pay to confirm the extension and whether you can get a refund if your immigration timetable changes. Get those terms in writing.
Keeping the apartment means paying rent while you’re away, but you’ll have a familiar home to return to. Checking out saves that rent; you may then face storage, cleaning or new booking fees, and the same apartment may not be available. Ask for quotes for both options, allowing for a later return if the application is delayed.
If you're leaving, use the move-out packet guide to organise keys, refunds and final bills. Keep contact details that will work abroad, particularly if you cancel your Japanese phone number.
What to bring to an immigration appointment
Prepare your passport and current permission documents, proposed contract or school details, qualifications and work history, family documents if relevant, and a calendar of intended travel. Explain what you want to do, not just that you'd like “a longer visa.”
Ask the adviser to confirm the proposed category, where each application is filed, who can submit it, whether departure is required, and what you may do while waiting. Request the document list and next deadline in writing.
Be ready to leave if your current permission expires before you have permission to stay longer.