Thanks to COVID-19, the world of business has changed, so much so, that now some companies are full remote. I guess this was starting to be a thing before the pandemic of 2020, but we can't deny that a pretty much world wide mandate to stay home helped speed things along. Now, since some people can do their work remotely from their homes, countries are starting to jump in on this idea. If you can work for your Australian company in your Australian home, why can'd you do it in Italy, or Vietnam. Then, you get paid your lovely Australian dollars but have every opportunity to spend them all over your new host country.
Digital Nomads. It's the kind of thing that makes you think of hip, young people in a van, but really, it's anyone who is working remotely and can move around. And with countries all over the place deciding they want a piece of the action - the world is your oyster.
Last year, I think at the end of February, or start of March, Japan announced that they too, would issue a Digital Nomad Visa. Not quite as long as some countries, just six months, but that's Japan for you. They are one foot in the future and one foot firmly in the past. Can't change things too quickly there. We heard about the visa and were a bit excited, a little dreamy, but also cautious. Who knew if the girls would even like a two week trip to Japan, let alone a six month stint.
Then we went to Japan for two weeks. The girls loved it. Suddenly, doing six months was a very real option. We brainstormed back and forth about how to make it happen, when would be a good time, and what we needed to consider. Much of 2024 was research, double checking the facts and the paperwork. We couldn't apply too early, since once issued, it was only valid for three months, but it also took three to four months to process, so we couldn't apply too late, or we'd miss our desired entry window.
It's been a whirlwind to say the least. The emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows is still chugging along, especially now. Along with the "not too early, not too late" situation, there was the "the visa is so new there isn't a box on the application form for it" problem. And also the "write down your flight details and address on the application form, but don't book your flight before you get your visa" thing. Here is the chicken and there is the egg.
Still, we pushed through and found ourselves officially applying on the 1st of November. It was September when I went to book the application interview, hoping for October, only to find they were fully booked for six weeks and November was the best I could get. The girls had to have the day off school to be there. We were in the consulate for about two hours, but all the forms were checked, double checked, ticked off and submitted.
Then we waited. Three to four months is a long time of waiting and not knowing. Even though they told us "everything looks good", there was still a question mark in our minds - would they accept it? Every day that we got closer to our hopeful departure date was another day I worried that we would need to find accomodation. Or that flights would get too expensive.
In the end, we started booking things in faith. With good cancelation policies. Our December/January was more busy than usual, not because we were going away, or because of the Japan stuff, but also because of family members in hospital (extended family, all is well now), and Steve deciding it was past time for a new job and going through not only the interview process for two potential jobs, but then also trying to find a replacement for himself. Talk about stress.
And we continued to wait for visa news. People we saw would ask if we were excited, but it was so hard to answer, because we were, but not just yet because caution held us back. Three to four months was the processing time. Three months from the 1st of November would take us to the 1st of February, so we were hoping to hear then. Waiting and hoping. Emotional roller coaster in full swing.
On the 31st of January, Friday, at about 4:30pm, Steve got a phone call from the Consulate (well two, but he missed the first one since he was filling up his water bottle) to say that yes, our visas were approved and we could pick them up. Relief, joy, laughter, disbelief and determination for the tasks ahead. We celebrated with Japanese whisky.
For now, and for the most part, we are excited. With the flights and accomodation already booked, the only really big thing to do is find a school for the girls. It is a big thing, but I'll save it for another post. Visas are here and we are really going on this adventure!
