Verified 3 October 2026
Japan Digital Nomad Visa vs Thailand DTV: fees and rules
Two routes, side by side. Each name below links to its full requirements page.
- Designated Activities (Public Notice No. 53) — Digital Nomad (Japan Digital Nomad Visa)
- Japan's digital nomad route grants "Designated Activities (6 months)" under Public Notice No. 53 and cannot be extended — the Immigration Services Agency Q&A states the stay is "最長６か月間であり、在留期間の更新は認められません", after which you must spend six months outside Japan before applying again. You need personal annual income of at least 10,000,000 yen at the time of application and private medical insurance whose treatment-cost cover for injury and illness is at least 10,000,000 yen, plus cover for death. Only nationals of the 51 countries and regions on the ISA's Notice 53 list (visa-exempt and with a tax treaty with Japan) qualify, and since 1 July 2026 the single-entry visa fee is 15,000 yen rather than the long-quoted 3,000 yen.
- Destination Thailand Visa (Thailand DTV)
- The DTV is a five-year multiple-entry Thai visa allowing 180 days per entry, aimed at remote workers and at people enrolled in approved Thai cultural activities. It has a 500,000 THB financial threshold, while document requirements vary by the embassy handling the application.
| Japan Digital Nomad Visa | DTV | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | japan | thailand |
| Stay per entry | 6 months | 180 days |
| Total validity | 6 months, non-renewable; the designated stay must not exceed 6 months within any one-year period | 5 years |
| Government fee | ¥15,000 — Single-entry visa issuance fee for applications submitted on or after 1 July 2026 (multiple-entry 30,000 yen). Paid at the Japanese embassy or consulate. These fee figures come from law-firm notices (Fragomen, Newland Chase). We did not find them on an official page, so confirm the fee with your Japanese embassy. | $340 — Ho Chi Minh City post fee. Posts publish the fee in local currency, so it differs by embassy (Kuala Lumpur lists MYR 1,600). A flat baht fee quoted by secondary sites is not stated on the embassy pages checked. |
| Income required | ¥10,000,000 — Personal annual income at the time of application. Sole traders are judged on profit after deducting necessary expenses, not on contract value; income from several stable contracts can be added together. | None |
| Savings required | None | ฿500,000 — the form of proof and the statement period are post-specific. Ho Chi Minh City accepts bank statements or a sponsorship letter; Oslo asks for statements showing an ending balance of at least 500,000 THB over the past three months. Check the embassy handling the application |
| Deposit required | None | None |
| Minimum age | None | None |
| Health insurance | Required — ¥10,000,000 | Not required |
| Processing time | Not published | Set by each post. Ho Chi Minh City quotes 5 working days; Kuala Lumpur quotes about one month or more |
| Apply from | Outside Thailand, at the Thai embassy or consulate covering your place of residence |
Choose the Japan Digital Nomad Visa if
- Six months in Japan with no employer sponsorship and no Certificate of Eligibility — you apply directly at the embassy or consulate where you live
- Spouse and dependent children can accompany you under Designated Activities (Notice No. 54), and the ISA publishes a separate eligible-nationality list for them
- You can move around the country freely; the ISA Q&A says no special procedure is needed to live in different cities during the stay
- A re-entry permit or deemed re-entry permission keeps the status alive if you travel out and back before the expiry date
- Where the applicable tax treaty's conditions are met, remuneration for the work you do in Japan can be exempt from Japanese income tax
Choose the DTV if
- Five years of validity from a single application, with unlimited re-entry.
- The route has both workcation and qualifying-activity categories, but each handling post sets the supporting-document details.
- Covers dependants (spouse and children under 20) on the same basis.
Quick answers
- What does each cost, the Japan Digital Nomad Visa or the Thailand DTV?
- The Japan Digital Nomad Visa fee on record is ¥15,000. The Thailand DTV fee on record is $340. Fees are in each country's own currency or the amount the post quotes, so compare them with that in mind.
- How much money does the Japan Digital Nomad Visa need compared with the Thailand DTV?
- Japan Digital Nomad Visa: income ¥10,000,000. Thailand DTV: savings ฿500,000.
- Which of the Japan Digital Nomad Visa and the Thailand DTV requires health insurance?
- Japan Digital Nomad Visa: required, at least ¥10,000,000. Thailand DTV: not required.
- How long can I stay on the Japan Digital Nomad Visa and on the Thailand DTV?
- Japan Digital Nomad Visa: stay per entry 6 months, total validity 6 months, non-renewable. Thailand DTV: stay per entry 180 days, total validity 5 years.
Keep reading
Japan Digital Nomad Visa last checked 3 October 2026; DTV last checked 3 October 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.