Experiences using the maximum tourist-visa each year over a couple of years in preparation of permantly moving?

2 comments

1. This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.

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   **Experiences using the maximum tourist-visa each year over a couple of years in preparation of permantly moving?**

   Hi there,

   I spoke with the japanese embassy in my country (germany) about visa/paths to moving to japan etc. and it seems to be possible to stay in japan on a tourist-visa for up to 6 months per year, while continuing to work remotely for my current employer.

   I thought that this might be a good and fairly uncomplicated stepping-stone to better learn the language, get to know some people and make some connections to eventually permanently move to japan.

   Has anyone gone this route? Is it a viable way to “ease in” or is this just a pipe dream?

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2. >it seems to be possible to stay in japan on a tourist-visa for up to 6 months per year, while continuing to work remotely for my current employer.

   It is ***not*** possible.

   Working on a tourist visa (even for a foreign company) is a violation of the terms of the visa.

   It is *also* a violation of Japanese tax laws, which state that any work done why physically in Japan is considered “working in Japan” and thus liable for Japanese taxes… Which you can’t pay without admitting to violating the terms of your visa.

   Someone needs to educate the staff at the embassy in Germany about the law, because you’re not the first person they’ve given this *wildly* incorrect information to.

   >Is it a viable way to “ease in” or is this just a pipe dream?

   See above. It’s not viable because it’s not legal.