Japan to hike visa renewal fees by Rs 6,000, permanent residency cost to rise by 20 times
Japan visa fee hike: The most striking change, however, is for permanent residency. That fee would rise from 10,000 yen to around 200,000 yen (Rs 1.17 lakh approx), a 20-fold increase
- Apr 14, 2026,
- Updated Apr 14, 2026 1:41 PM IST
Japan visa fee hike: Japan is set to significantly raise the cost of legally staying in the country. The Immigration Services Agency has informed the nation's parliament that it plans to hike visa renewal fees across the board, with the sharpest increase reserved for those seeking permanent residency, according to a Nikkei Asia report.
Deputy Commissioner of Japan Soichiro Naito told the lower house that the agency intends to raise the renewal fee for five-year visas to around 70,000 yen ($440) (Rs 41,000 approx), and fees for stays of three months or less to around 10,000 yen (Rs 6,000 approx). Currently, renewing a visa in person, regardless of the length of stay, costs a flat 6,000 yen (Rs 3,500 approx).
The most striking change, however, is for permanent residency. That fee would rise from 10,000 yen to around 200,000 yen (Rs 1.17 lakh approx), a 20-fold increase.
How far could fees go?
The cabinet has submitted a proposed amendment to the Immigration Control Act that would raise the ceiling on what can be charged. Under the proposal, the maximum chargeable amount would be set at 300,000 yen for permanent residency permits and 100,000 yen for other visa types. Actual fees would be fixed within those limits by government directive.
The proposal does include some relief; applicants facing economic hardship may be eligible for reductions or exemptions, though the specifics have not yet been detailed.
The move signals a broader tightening of Japan's immigration fee structure, even as the country continues to open its doors to foreign workers to address a deepening labour shortage.
Japan visa fee hike: Japan is set to significantly raise the cost of legally staying in the country. The Immigration Services Agency has informed the nation's parliament that it plans to hike visa renewal fees across the board, with the sharpest increase reserved for those seeking permanent residency, according to a Nikkei Asia report.
Deputy Commissioner of Japan Soichiro Naito told the lower house that the agency intends to raise the renewal fee for five-year visas to around 70,000 yen ($440) (Rs 41,000 approx), and fees for stays of three months or less to around 10,000 yen (Rs 6,000 approx). Currently, renewing a visa in person, regardless of the length of stay, costs a flat 6,000 yen (Rs 3,500 approx).
The most striking change, however, is for permanent residency. That fee would rise from 10,000 yen to around 200,000 yen (Rs 1.17 lakh approx), a 20-fold increase.
How far could fees go?
The cabinet has submitted a proposed amendment to the Immigration Control Act that would raise the ceiling on what can be charged. Under the proposal, the maximum chargeable amount would be set at 300,000 yen for permanent residency permits and 100,000 yen for other visa types. Actual fees would be fixed within those limits by government directive.
The proposal does include some relief; applicants facing economic hardship may be eligible for reductions or exemptions, though the specifics have not yet been detailed.
The move signals a broader tightening of Japan's immigration fee structure, even as the country continues to open its doors to foreign workers to address a deepening labour shortage.