How do freelancers prove the 10 million yen income for Japan's Digital Nomad visa?

Last checked: 2026-11-06

Freelancers must show profit of at least 10 million yen a year after necessary expenses, not just contracts worth that amount. Several stable income sources can be added together. At the October 30, 2026 rate, 10 million yen is about 63,500 US dollars, but no official source names the rate to use. Confirm with your embassy or consulate.

The official rule for income

Basic rule: your most recent annual income must be 10 million yen or more, in principle.
Sole proprietors: the test uses profit after deducting necessary overhead expenses, not the contract amount.
Several sources: incomes that are considered stable, such as contracts with several startups, can be combined.
Employees: a pay rise this fiscal year, or a new job at 10 million yen a year, can also meet the test.

The English Q&A sentence on sole proprietors is garbled. We read it together with the Japanese version.

10 million yen in other currencies

This is our own arithmetic, using Federal Reserve H.10 rates for October 30, 2026. We found no official statement on which rate an office uses. Figures are rounded.

Currency	Rate used	10 million yen is about
US dollar	157.47 yen per dollar	63,504
Euro	1.1163 dollars per euro	56,888
British pound	1.3398 dollars per pound	47,398
Australian dollar	0.7038 US dollars each	90,230
Canadian dollar	1.3957 per US dollar	88,633

The rate matters. At 140 yen per dollar, the test is about 71,429 dollars. At 175 yen, it is about 57,143 dollars. If you are close to the line, ask which rate and date your office uses. Monthly, 10 million yen is about 833,334 yen.

Worked examples

These people are invented, and the sorting is our own reading of the Q&A. Only the embassy or consulate decides.

Case	Figures	Our reading
Designer, one client	12,000,000 yen billed, 2,500,000 yen expenses, 9,500,000 yen profit	Falls short. The contract value does not count.
Developer, three clients	Profits of 5,000,000, 4,000,000 and 2,000,000 yen	11,000,000 yen, if the office accepts all three as stable
Consultant, new this year	No full tax year yet, 1,000,000 yen profit a month	Unclear. The Q&A gives examples for new employees, not new freelancers.
Owner of a foreign company	Salary of 6,000,000 yen, plus company profits	Unclear. The Q&A names managers of foreign companies as a type of activity, but does not explain how owner income counts.
One big one-off project	10,500,000 yen profit last year, little before that	Meets "most recent" on the face of it. Stability may be questioned if sources are combined.

Documents to prepare

The Immigration Services Agency list for a Certificate of Eligibility asks for two things on this point. The first is a tax or income certificate from the country where you worked. The second is proof of your current work, such as a contract.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a tax payment certificate, income certificate, employment contract, or a business contract showing period and amount. The Chicago consulate checklist lists an employment contract, a client contract showing prices, or a bank letter stating yearly earnings. Other offices may differ, so use this as a starting list only.

Your latest tax return or income certificate
A profit and loss summary that matches it
Current client contracts showing period and amount
A record showing how long each client has paid you
A Japanese or other translation, if your office asks. Foreign-language papers need a Japanese translation on the Certificate of Eligibility route.

Items 2 and 4 are our suggestion, because the test looks at profit and stability. They are not on an official list.

What you cannot count

Income from Japan: the permitted activity is serving people abroad. Work with a person or organization in Japan is not allowed, so do not build your case on it.
Services that need you in Japan: activities that cannot be provided without entering Japan are excluded.

Savings: sources differ

The Immigration Services Agency says annual income. The Chicago checklist says you must "earn/hold" more than 10 million yen, but its list of proof shows contracts and a bank letter on yearly earnings, not savings. Do not assume savings count. Compare the Long Stay visa, which does test savings.

See the full documents list and how income may affect tax during your stay.

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