Japan raises visa fees and permanent residency charges sharply

The Japanese government decided to raise fees for foreign residents. Starting 1 July, a single‑entry visa will cost ¥15,000, up from ¥3,000, and a multiple‑entry visa will rise to ¥30,000, up from ¥6,000. The Immigration Services Agency also unveiled a new fee schedule for visa renewals and status‑of‑residence changes, ranging from ¥10,000 for stays up to three months to ¥75,000 for periods of five years or more, with online discounts for longer stays.

The biggest jump concerns permanent‑residency applications, which will increase from the current ¥10,000 to ¥200,000 – a twenty‑fold rise. The revised fees aim to cover administrative costs and fund a mandatory Japanese language and lifestyle program for permanent‑residency applicants. The proposals, announced by Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi, are open for public comment until 2 August and are slated to take effect on 1 October. The changes are expected to boost annual government revenue by roughly ¥690‑¥920 billion (US$4.3‑5.7 billion).