English 
Français The short version
- Hungary has the lower entry bar: €3,000 per month versus €4,500 for Japan.
- Hungary grants a longer initial stay (12 months vs 6), and it is renewable.
- Tax treatment differs: Hungary — standard resident taxation; Japan — foreign income exempt. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Hungary White Card | Japan DN |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,000 (better) | €4,500 |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) |
| Initial duration | 1 year (better) | 6 months |
| Renewable | Yes (better) | No |
| Maximum total stay | 2 years | 6 months |
| Path to permanent residence | No | No |
| Path to citizenship | No | No |
| Family inclusion | No | Yes (better) |
| Working for local clients | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Standard resident taxation | Foreign income exempt |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Required (explicit), min. €53,999 |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €110 | ≈ €16.20 (better) |
| Where to apply | Embassy / consulate, Online, In country | Embassy / consulate, In country |
| Processing time | 3 weeks | 1 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Hungary White Card →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Japan DN →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government White Card — residency for digital nomads — OIF (National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Procedural fees — OIF (residence permit issuance fee EUR 110) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government ISA - Status of Residence of 'Designated Activities' (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) - income, stay, application procedure (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ISA Digital Nomad page - insurance requirement (private medical travel insurance, JPY 10M medical treatment cover, policy period = entire planned stay) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ISA outline PDF - Status of Residence for Digital Nomad (annual income >= JPY 10 million, 6 months within a year, insurance >= JPY 10M) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ISA Q&A on Digital Nomad Designated Activities (as of July 2024) - income assessment (A9), insurance purpose/coverage (A10), tax convention exemption (A7), no public insurance enrollment (A5/A10) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ISA chart of eligible countries/regions for Digital Nomad (No. 53, 51 countries/regions) and Spouse/Child (No. 54) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MOFA - Specified visa: Designated activities (Digital Nomad, Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad) - 6 months no extension, JPY 10M income proof, JPY 10M insurance proof, COE optional, embassy application (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Embassy Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago - Digital Nomad visa requirements (processing time 5 business days with COE / TBD without; single entry, 3-month validity) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MOFA (EN) - Visa Fees (approx. JPY 3,000 single entry, JPY 6,000 double/multiple, JPY 700 transit; exemptions by nationality/purpose; no fee if refused) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MOFA (JA) - 査証手数料 visa fee page, fresh scrape confirming approx. JPY 3,000 single-entry standard fee still current (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Embassy Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit - VISA FEES effective April 1, 2026 (standard single entry USD 20.00; exemption list) - refutes media claims of JPY 15,000 fee (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Guideline for Japan's Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening (ISA/MOFA/MHLW, 2024-12-26, revised 2025-02-19) - explicitly applies to Designated Activities Notifications No. 53/54; Philippines/Nepal mandatory from 2025-06-23, Vietnam from 2025-09-01, Indonesia/Myanmar/China to be scheduled (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ISA white paper data section - acceptance of digital nomads from 2024-03-31; requirements: visa-exempt + tax-convention nationality, annual income >= JPY 10M, max 6 months (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates - JPY 185.19 per EUR (2026-06-10) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Law firm Fragomen - Japan Digital Nomad Visa now available (states effective 2024-03-29) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10