Eligible Countries for the Japan Digital Nomad Visa
Eligible Countries for the Japan Digital Nomad Visa The full official list — and why the applicant list and family list are different
Nationality is one of the three core conditions for Japan's Digital Nomad Visa — and it's the one people check last, which causes the most wasted effort. Here is the current official list, straight from the Immigration Services Agency, plus the one detail almost every other guide on this gets wrong.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) — official country/region list PDF, cross-checked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa page. Last verified: July 2026.
The Rule
What Actually Determines Eligibility?
You qualify on nationality grounds if your country or region is both:
- Visa-exempt for short-term stays in Japan, and
- Covered by a tax treaty with Japan
The Immigration Services Agency publishes the resulting list directly — you don't need to work out the visa-exemption and tax-treaty overlap yourself. The lists below are reproduced from that official list.
For the Applicant
Digital Nomad Visa Holder (Designated Activity No. 53)
If you are the one applying for the visa yourself, your nationality must be on this list:
Eligible countries/regions — Designated Activity No. 53
- Iceland
- Ireland
- United States
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Israel
- Italy
- Indonesia
- Uruguay
- Estonia
- Australia
- Austria
- Qatar
- Canada
- Greece
- Croatia
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Spain
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Serbia
- Thailand
- Czech Republic
- Chile
- Denmark
- Germany
- Turkey
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Hungary
- Finland
- Brazil
- France
- Bulgaria
- Brunei
- Peru
- Belgium
- Poland
- Portugal
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- South Korea
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
For Family
Accompanying Spouse or Child (Designated Activity No. 54)
If you're bringing a spouse or child, their nationality is checked against a separate — and longer — list. Note it includes several countries not on the applicant list above (e.g. Argentina, Andorra, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Panama, and others), and does not include a few that are on the applicant list (e.g. the UAE does not appear on this family list).
Eligible countries/regions — Designated Activity No. 54
- Iceland
- Ireland
- United States
- United Arab Emirates
- Argentina
- Andorra
- United Kingdom
- Israel
- Italy
- Indonesia
- Uruguay
- Estonia
- El Salvador
- Australia
- Austria
- Netherlands
- Qatar
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Croatia
- Costa Rica
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Spain
- Suriname
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Serbia
- Thailand
- Czech Republic
- Tunisia
- Chile
- Denmark
- Germany
- Dominican Republic
- Turkey
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Panama
- Bahamas
- Paraguay
- Barbados
- Hungary
- Finland
- Brazil
- France
- Bulgaria
- Brunei
- Peru
- Belgium
- Poland
- Portugal
- Honduras
- Macau
- Malta
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Liechtenstein
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Lesotho
- South Korea
- North Macedonia
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
📄 Official source (verify against the live list — it is updated periodically): Immigration Services Agency — Eligible Countries/Regions PDF · Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Visa Page
If You're Not Listed
What If My Country Isn't on the List?
There is no exception process or waiver for the nationality requirement — if your country isn't on the applicable list, this specific visa isn't available to you, regardless of your income or remote work situation. That said, a few other routes are worth knowing about:
→ See All Japan Visa Types →
Next Steps
Nationality Is Just One of Three Conditions
Being on the list doesn't mean you're automatically eligible — you also need to meet the income and insurance requirements. Continue to the other eligibility checks:
Frequently Asked
FAQ
My country is on the applicant list but not the family list. Can my spouse still come with me?
No — your spouse or child's nationality is checked independently against the Designated Activity No. 54 list. If their nationality isn't on that list, they cannot accompany you under this visa framework, even if your own nationality qualifies you for the visa itself.
Do these lists change over time?
Yes. The Immigration Services Agency updates the list periodically as Japan's visa-exemption arrangements and tax treaties change. Always check the official PDF linked above for the current version before relying on it for an application.
I have dual nationality — one listed country, one not. Which applies?
You can generally apply using the passport of whichever nationality is on the eligible list, as long as you use that passport consistently throughout the application. Consult a licensed administrative scrivener if your situation is more complex.
Is Japan on this list for other countries' digital nomad visas?
This page covers only Japan's own Digital Nomad Visa and its nationality requirements. It doesn't cover other countries' programs.
Not Sure Where You Stand?
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