Japan · long-stay visa routes and official sources
5 routes tracked · last reviewed · every route links to its official government source
Long-term visa difficulty for Japan: Medium (49/100, lower is easier). Most practical route: Language school/student visa / Specified Skilled Worker.
Common questions
What is the most practical long-term visa route to Japan?
Based on our July 2026 review, the most practical route is usually: Language school/student visa / Specified Skilled Worker. Overall difficulty is rated "Medium" (49/100, lower is easier).
Can I move to Japan without a local job offer?
Yes — 2 of the 5 tracked routes do not require a local employer: Student / language school; Specified visa: Designated Activities (Digital Nomad). Each has its own income, funds, or admission requirements.
General visa: Student / Status of Residence: Student
Study in Japan normally starts with school admission and a school-sponsored Certificate of Eligibility (COE), followed by the appropriate consular visa application.
Typical timeline / duration: Period of stay is granted by immigration/status of residence, commonly according to study programme.
Acceptance by Japanese school/university/language institution; school normally obtains Certificate of Eligibility; applicant submits passport, visa application, photo, COE or copy, and any consulate-specific documents.
Proof of ability to pay tuition/living costs or financial supporter evidence may be requested; exact documents vary by consulate/nationality.
Employer-linked work route for approved Specified Skilled Worker fields.
Typical timeline / duration: SSW(i) is normally limited to five years in total; SSW(ii) can be renewed. Work is limited to the approved field and employer.
A job in an eligible Specified Skilled Worker field with a Japanese accepting organisation.
Pass the relevant field skills test and Japanese-language test, generally JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 or higher, subject to field exceptions.
Employment contract, passport, application documents, and the Certificate of Eligibility or other consular evidence required for the status.
The employer must meet the accepting-organisation and support obligations for the relevant SSW category.
For white-collar roles such as IT, operations, translation, and sales.
Typical timeline / duration: 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months, as granted by immigration
Have a contract with a Japanese public or private organisation for professional work requiring science or engineering knowledge, humanities knowledge, or foreign-culture-based skills.
Usually show a relevant university qualification or sufficient relevant experience; translation, interpreting, and similar roles also need evidence that the language and duties match.
The duties, remuneration, and employer must satisfy the status-of-residence criteria, with remuneration generally no less favourable than that paid to a Japanese worker in comparable work.
The Japanese employer or representative normally applies for a Certificate of Eligibility before the applicant applies for the visa and enters Japan.
Eligibility for mainland Chinese applicants: Mainland PRC ordinary-passport holders are not eligible as the principal digital-nomad applicant. Qualifying nationality is a separate requirement; high income or residence in another country does not replace it. Accompanying-family eligibility must be checked separately.
A six-month designated-activities route for eligible passport holders doing international remote work. Mainland PRC ordinary-passport holders do not meet the principal nationality requirement.
Typical timeline / duration: Six months, with no extension; the scheme's stay is limited to six months within one year. It is not a rolling six-month residence entitlement.
Hold a passport/nationality accepted for the principal digital-nomad category. The principal and accompanying-family lists are separate; ordinary visa-free travel alone does not prove the full digital-nomad test.
Carry out qualifying international remote work for an overseas organisation or overseas customers, not ordinary employment for a Japanese business. Explain the planned activities and period of stay.
Prove your own annual income of at least JPY 10 million with tax/income certificates and relevant employment or business contracts; an investment balance alone is not annual income.
Hold insurance for the Japan stay covering death, injury and illness, with injury/illness medical-treatment cover of at least JPY 10 million. Supply coverage and policy details.
Apply with passport, form/photo and the required activity/income/insurance evidence, or the accepted COE-based document option. An accompanying spouse/child needs their own qualifying category, insurance and relationship evidence.
Eligibility for mainland Chinese applicants: Mainland PRC ordinary-passport holders do not qualify for this visa-waiver-nationality route, even with sufficient savings. Other passport categories have their own conditions; do not treat residence abroad or a tourist visa as a nationality exemption.
A funds-based sightseeing/recreation route restricted to eligible visa-waiver passports. It is not a general retirement route for mainland PRC ordinary-passport holders.
Typical timeline / duration: Initially six months; eligible applicants may apply before expiry for an extension up to one year in total. Approval is not automatic.
Be a national/citizen covered by Japan's applicable visa-waiver arrangements and meet the passport-specific conditions. Mainland PRC ordinary passports are not included.
The principal applicant must be at least 18 and have savings exceeding JPY 30 million, owned by the applicant and spouse. MOFA says more than, not merely equal to, JPY 30 million.
Provide current bank balances and deposit/withdrawal records for the previous six months, the stay schedule and private medical travel insurance covering death, injury and illness, unless the specified COE document exemption applies.
Submit passport, visa form/photo and any required COE or supporting evidence. If applying outside your own country, prove lawful residence or work in the application country.
An accompanying spouse must share the residence and travel arrangements; dependent children cannot accompany under this category. Spouses staying separately require combined savings exceeding JPY 60 million.
Visa rules change frequently. Figures and requirements above were reviewed on the dates shown; always confirm against the linked official source before applying.