Overview
- The Cabinet approved the change on Friday, raising single-entry visa fees from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 and multiple-entry fees from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000 with the new charges taking effect for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026.
- Parliament last month raised statutory ceilings that had not been updated since 1978, increasing maximum limits for residency-status and stay-extension fees to ¥100,000 and for permanent-residency fees to ¥300,000.
- The government has proposed actual new fee ranges to sit inside those ceilings, including residency status and extension charges between ¥10,000 and ¥70,000 and a proposed permanent-residency fee of ¥200,000, with broader implementation targeted by March 31, 2027.
- Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said officials revised the fees to reflect inflation and exchange-rate changes and argued the move brings Japan closer to fees charged in countries such as the United States and Germany, and he added the hikes are not expected to hit inbound tourism immediately.
- Officials plan to use the extra revenue to process a record 4.13 million foreign resident population, expand Japanese-language support and strengthen measures against illegal overstayers, while the higher costs could raise barriers for migrants applying for status changes or permanent residency.