Where do you apply for Japan's Digital Nomad visa?

Last checked: 2026-11-06

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate that covers the place where you live, before you travel to Japan. Several offices refuse people who are only visiting their area. If you live outside your home country, or have no fixed home, ask the office before you collect your papers.

What the official sources say

Source	What it says
Immigration Services Agency Q&A, A11	If you are outside Japan, apply for a visa directly at the embassy or consulate of the country where you are staying. The reason given is that no one in Japan can act as your agent for a Certificate of Eligibility.
Foreign Ministry visa FAQ, general	Apply in your own country or region, or your country or region of residence. You cannot apply at a travel destination. If there are unavoidable circumstances, ask that office first.
Foreign Ministry visa FAQ, general	An application may not be accepted if it is made outside your country of birth or country of residence.

The two FAQ answers are general visa rules. They do not name this visa.

What single offices say about residents and visitors

Office	Its rule
Embassy in London	Applications from non-residents, such as visitor visa holders, cannot be accepted. Foreign nationals with long-term status in the UK, such as employees, students or permanent residents, can apply.
Toronto	Only residents of Ontario, except the Ottawa area, with a valid long-term status in Canada. Visitors must apply in their own country.
Chicago	No applications from people on B-1 or B-2 visas or the US visa waiver program, or from residents outside its ten states. Your hometown does not count if you live elsewhere now.
Denver	You must be physically residing in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming. Visitors on B-1, B-2 or the visa waiver program are refused.
San Francisco	You must live in its area. Non-US citizens give proof of US immigration status. This one is on the checklist for this visa.
Embassy in Berlin	Apply at the office responsible for your place of residence. Applications from outside its area are rejected.

Most of these are general visa rules, so ask if your office applies them to this visa. The consulate database has more office notes.

Which case are you?

This sorting is ours, from the sources above. Only the embassy or consulate decides.

Your situation	What the sources support
You live in your home country	Use the office that covers your address. Have proof of your address ready.
You live abroad with long-term status	The London and Toronto rules point to the office where you live. You still need a nationality on the official chart.
You are visiting a third country as a tourist	London, Toronto, Chicago and Denver would turn you away. The Foreign Ministry says to ask first if there are unavoidable circumstances.
You are a nomad with no fixed home	Unclear. We found no rule for this case. Ask the office for the country of your nationality or your last residence.
You are already in Japan as a visitor	Not confirmed. The Q&A only covers applicants outside Japan. Sydney says, as a general rule, you cannot switch visa types after you enter. The UK embassy says a change is not always permitted. Do not assume it is possible.

Do you need a Certificate of Eligibility?

The Foreign Ministry page lists this certificate among the documents. If you present one, you can leave out the activity plan, income proof and insurance proof at the visa stage. San Francisco, Chicago and Houston describe an application without a certificate.

The Immigration Services Agency lists documents for the certificate. But its Q&A says no one in Japan can act as your agent, and it sends applicants abroad to the embassy or consulate. We could not confirm how a person abroad would obtain one. Ask your office which route it expects.

Route matters for time. The Foreign Ministry says a long-term stay application without a certificate can take from a couple of weeks to several months. See the timeline.

Before you contact an office

Find the office that covers your current address.
Open its visa page and look for this visa, or a link to the Foreign Ministry page.
Ask if it accepts someone with your residence status.
Ask if you need an appointment, and how to pay.
Download its checklist, then read the documents and fees page.

Citizens of three countries have their own pages: United States, United Kingdom and Canada.