Japan Fourth-Generation Nikkei Visa

1. Residence permit6 months
2. Renew12 months at a time
3. Permanent residencypossible
4. Citizenshippossible

• Permanent residency
• Citizenship
• Dual citizenship not allowed
• Language required for citizenship Daily Japanese, reading and writing

Country

Japan

Program

Japan Fourth-Generation Nikkei Visa

Local name

特定活動（日系四世）

Type

Ancestry

Status

Active

Initial duration

6 months

Max duration

60 months

Renewable

Yes (12 mo)

Designated-activities residence for a fourth-generation descendant of a Japanese citizen, aged 18 to 35 at entry, to learn Japanese culture and daily life and to work while doing that. The stay can total five years. A free supporter is required for the first three years. Family cannot come with the holder.

Tax regime

Remittance

Regime name

Non-permanent resident, then worldwide

Regime duration

5 years

Foreign income taxed

Yes

Capital gains taxed

Yes

Method

embassy

Processing time

30–90 days

Apply from abroad

Yes

Local representative

Required

Generational limit

4 generations

Ancestor must have been citizen

Yes

The annual acceptance cap is 4,000. At entry, someone aged 18 to 30 needs JLPT N4 or an accepted equivalent, or at least JLPT N5 on a test. Someone aged 31 to 35 needs JLPT N3 or an accepted equivalent. Staying past one year needs N4 on a test, unless N4 was already shown another way. Staying past three years needs N3. The first year is usually six months. Later periods are six months or one year. Cultural study must continue, at least weekly. Paid work is allowed only alongside that study, and amusement-business work is refused. The person must be healthy, hold medical insurance, have a clean record in the country of nationality or previous residence, be able to live independently, and have a return ticket or the money to buy one. No fixed savings or income amount is published. The supporter, who can be a relative, host family, employer or a non-profit, files the certificate of eligibility in Japan. Support must be free. Actual costs of that certificate application may be charged to the applicant. After five years on this program, a person who meets the further conditions, including JLPT N2, can change to long-term resident. That later status has its own five-year permanent-residence shortcut. This page does not state a single year count from entry to permanent residence or citizenship. From 1 October 2026 a period of more than three months and up to six months costs JPY 18,000 at the counter for a change or extension. A one-year period costs JPY 33,000. A certificate of eligibility is free. The visa fee at a mission is separate.

• Digital Nomad Visadigital nomad visa

1. Oct 10, 2026

   Added

   six-month counter fee of JPY 18,000 from 1 October 2026, about USD 114 at the Bank of Japan central rate of 158.10. The certificate of eligibility is free (moj.go.jp).