Can you stay in Japan for six months without a visa?

Last checked: 2026-11-06

Only some nationals can, and it takes two steps: you get 90 days on arrival, then you must apply for an extension before they end. The Foreign Ministry marks seven countries with visa exemptions of up to six months: Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This is a visitor stay for visitor activities. It is not a remote work status, so ask before you plan to work.

What the official sources say

Source	What it says
Foreign Ministry exemption list	Nationals of countries with exemptions of up to six months must apply to immigration for an extension before their permitted stay ends, if they want more than 90 days.
UK embassy FAQ	A British citizen with an ordinary passport does not need a visa for permitted visitor activities of six months or less. In principle, 90 days may be given at the airport. To stay longer, apply at a regional immigration bureau before that ends.
Embassy in Germany	Its page says German nationals can enter without a visa for short stays of up to 90 days. It does not mention six months.

So the sources differ in detail for Germany. We found no statement that an extension is always granted. Ask immigration before you plan around it.

How long can other nationals stay?

Group	Stay given on arrival
Most of the 74 visa-exempt places	90 days
Brunei and Qatar	30 days
Indonesia and Thailand	15 days

Some exemptions need a certain passport or a registration, such as an ePassport. Read the notes on the Foreign Ministry list for your country. If your country is not on it, you need a visa.

Visitor stay and Digital Nomad status compared

Item	Six-month visitor stay	Digital Nomad status
Who	Nationals of the seven countries	Nationals of 51 countries and regions
Length	90 days, then up to six months with an extension	Six months, no extension
Visa before travel	No	Yes
Extension	Apply at immigration before the 90 days end	Not allowed
Purpose	Activities allowed for a Temporary Visitor	Remote work for a foreign employer or for people abroad
Income test	None in these sources	10 million yen a year
Private insurance rule	None in these sources	Required, with 10 million yen or more for treatment
Residence card	Not covered in these sources	Not issued

Can you work remotely on it?

We found no official text that says you can. The Foreign Ministry FAQ describes visa-free stays as ones with no income-earning activities. See remote work on a tourist stay for what the sources say. If remote work is the point of your stay, start with the Digital Nomad requirements.

What we could not confirm

Approval of extensions: we did not find how often they are granted, or what immigration asks for.
Combining stays: we found nothing on a visitor stay right before or after a Digital Nomad stay. The status must not exceed six months within a year, and that limit is stated for the status itself. See after six months.
Tax: long stays can matter for tax. See the 183-day count.

Other long stays are compared in Digital Nomad vs Long Stay. UK citizens can also read our UK page.