Which Latin American Countries Don't Need a Visa for Japan? (2026) And Who Can Get the Digital Nomad Visa
I'm Dominican-American and I live in Japan on the Digital Nomad visa. One of the questions I get most is "Do I need a visa for Japan?" The answer depends on your passport, and for some countries, on the type of passport. This guide uses the official lists from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Services Agency.
The official list: Latin American countries that don't need a visa
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan's visa exemption list (updated September 1, 2025, and still current in October 2026), these Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries can enter Japan without a visa for short stays of up to 90 days:
| Country | Visa-free | Passport condition | Digital Nomad visa (main applicant) | Spouse or child of a digital nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| Brazil | Yes, 90 days | ePassport (since September 30, 2023) | Yes | Yes |
| Chile | Yes, 90 days | — | Yes | Yes |
| Costa Rica | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| Dominican Republic | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| El Salvador | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| Guatemala | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| Honduras | Yes, 90 days | — | No | Yes |
| Mexico | Yes, 90 days (up to 6 months with an extension) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Panama | Yes, 90 days | ePassport (since April 1, 2024) | No | Yes |
| Paraguay | Yes, 90 days | ePassport (since June 1, 2025) | No | Yes |
| Peru | Yes, 90 days | ePassport (since July 1, 2025) | Yes | Yes |
| Uruguay | Yes, 90 days | Old-version passport only (see below) | Yes | Yes |
In the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Barbados (with a machine-readable passport) and Suriname are also visa-exempt, and their citizens can join a digital nomad as a spouse or child.
Watch out for the ePassport rule
For Brazil, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, the exemption only applies with an ICAO-compliant ePassport (the one with the chip symbol on the cover). The Ministry says anyone without one has to get a visa before traveling, or they'll be refused entry.
Uruguay: be careful with the new passport
The Ministry says the new Uruguayan passport issued after April 16, 2025, which doesn't show a place of birth, isn't recognized as valid by the Japanese government and can't be used to travel to Japan. The exemption only applies to people holding the old version.
Mexico: up to six months
Mexico has a bilateral arrangement that allows stays of up to six months. You get 90 days on arrival, and if you want to stay longer you have to apply for an extension at a regional immigration office before they run out.
Who does need a visa
If your country isn't in the table, you need a short-term visa before you travel. Japan does not issue visas on arrival. Countries in the region that need a visa include Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba and Nicaragua.
Colombia is a special case: the Ministry advises Colombian nationals to get a visa in advance, otherwise they'll be strictly examined and may be refused entry.
What about Puerto Rico? Puerto Ricans are US citizens and travel on a US passport, so they enter visa-free and can also apply for the Digital Nomad visa as the main applicant.
"Visa-free" doesn't mean you can work
The exemption is for short stays: tourism, business meetings, or visiting family and friends. It doesn't allow paid work in Japan, and remote work isn't explicitly authorized on a visitor entry. To live in Japan and work remotely legally for up to six months, there's the Digital Nomad visa.
The Digital Nomad visa: who can apply
The Digital Nomad visa (officially "Designated Activities") lets you live in Japan for up to six months while working remotely for employers or clients outside Japan. The main requirements are:
- A passport from the Immigration Services Agency's eligible list
- Income of ¥10 million a year or more
- Remote work for employers or clients outside Japan
- Private insurance with at least ¥10 million in medical cover, plus death cover
Can apply as the main applicant
From Latin America, only Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay are on the main list. The list is based on countries that have both a visa exemption and a tax treaty with Japan, which is why not every visa-exempt country qualifies.
Can join as a spouse or child
The list for spouses and children is longer. Citizens of Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay (plus the Bahamas, Barbados and Suriname) can't be the main digital nomad, but they can come as the spouse or child of someone who holds the visa.
Real example: a US citizen applies for the Digital Nomad visa, and their Dominican spouse comes as the accompanying spouse. The spouse files a separate application with their own passport, insurance and marriage certificate.
A tip for dual citizens
Many Latinos have a second citizenship: American, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese, for example. All of those countries are on the main list. If you're a dual citizen, apply with the eligible passport and travel on that same passport, since the visa goes in it. I'm Dominican and American, I applied as an American, and the embassy only asked for my US passport.
Do you qualify?
Take our free eligibility check: five questions, about a minute. You can also see the full list of eligible countries.
This article is for information only and isn't legal advice. Rules change, so always confirm with the Japanese embassy or consulate before you travel. Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay) and Immigration Services Agency of Japan, eligible countries and regions (PDF), checked October 2026.