Japan Raises Residency Fees For Foreign Nationals By Up To 20-Fold

Japan has sharply raised fees for foreign nationals applying for certain residence permissions, with the cost of permanent residency increasing twenty-fold from Thursday under revised immigration regulations.

The Immigration Services Agency said the revised fees apply to applications submitted from October 1. Applications received by September 30 will continue to be charged at the previous rates even if approval is granted after the new rules take effect.

The biggest increase is for permanent residency, for which the fee has risen from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000. Certain applicants who qualify for a reduction can pay ¥20,000 instead.

Residence Status Fees

Fees for changing or renewing residence status have also increased, but the amount now depends on the period of stay granted.

For applications made online, fees for changes of status or extensions range from ¥10,000 for stays of three months or less to ¥65,000 for stays of more than five years. A payment-processing charge is added to online applications.

The previous online fee for both changes of status and residence-period extensions was ¥5,500, while applications made at immigration offices previously cost ¥6,000.

The revised system therefore means the increase varies according to the type and duration of the permission, rather than representing a uniform twenty-fold rise for all residence procedures.

Why Japan Raised Fees

Japan's Immigration Services Agency said the higher fees are intended to help cover the cost of immigration management and related measures.

The agency said the new fee ceilings were set after considering the actual costs of processing applications, the cost of managing the entry and residence of foreign nationals, comparable fees in other countries and expected future price increases.

The government also said additional revenue would help finance measures including digitalisation of immigration procedures, faster and more appropriate protection and support for refugees, stronger enforcement against illegal stays and programmes intended to help foreign residents learn Japanese and understand Japanese rules and systems.

Who Can Get A Reduction?

The revised system includes reductions and exemptions in specific circumstances.

Foreign nationals facing severe financial hardship and requiring humanitarian consideration may qualify for reduced fees. In such cases, the fee for a change of status or extension can be reduced to ¥10,000, while a permanent-residency application can be reduced to ¥20,000.

Certain diplomatic and official categories, as well as some specifically designated activities, can also qualify for exemptions.

Japan's Immigration Services Agency said the changes followed amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act passed by the Diet in May and promulgated in June. The amendments raised the legal ceiling for residence-related fees and introduced other immigration measures, including the planned electronic travel authorisation system, JESTA.

The new fee structure therefore represents a significant increase in the cost of maintaining or changing residence status in Japan, with permanent residency facing the steepest rise.