Japan proposes 10x hike in visa fee cap, 30x rise for permanent residency

Government approves Bill to significantly raise the legal caps on immigration fees, potentially increasing the cost of permanent residency applications

Japan proposes to increase the highest fees it charges for visa extensions, immigration status changes and permanent residency applications, seeking to manage immigration administration costs for a rising foreign population, two newspapers reported. 

Japan’s Cabinet on March 10 approved a Bill to amend the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, which governs the country’s immigration procedures. The amendment will raise the statutory cap on several immigration-related fees for the first time in more than four decades, according to The Japan Times.

 

Japan hosts around 55,000 Indian residents, according to publicly available Japanese government data. Many work in information technology and engineering.

   

Proposed fee caps

Under the proposal, the legal ceiling for changing residence status or extending the period of stay could increase to ¥100,000, up from the current ¥10,000( Rs 5,808), Japan Times reported.

 

The cap for permanent residency applications could rise to ¥300,000 from ¥10,000.

 

Actual fees would still be determined later through Cabinet ordinances. According to The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, the government is considering raising charges to about ¥70,000 (Rs 40,660.30) for visa status changes or extensions and around ¥200,000 (Rs 116,172.28)  for permanent residence applications.

 

Currently, applicants typically pay ¥6,000 for visa status changes or extensions and ¥10,000 for permanent residency, according to government figures cited in The Japan Times.

 

First revision to the legal ceiling since 1982

The statutory cap on immigration-related residence fees has remained unchanged since 1982, although authorities have raised the actual fees several times within the existing limit, according to Japan Times.

 

Japan’s foreign resident population reached 4.13 million at the end of 2025, according to figures cited by Japan Times. Foreign workers alone stood at 2.57 million in October 2025, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

 

An official from Japan’s Immigration Services Agency said the government had previously calculated fees mainly based on administrative expenses linked to reviewing residency applications, including personnel costs, The Japan Times reported. The official added that the new framework may also include broader costs such as digitalisation efforts, data sharing linked to the national identification system, and programmes aimed at supporting foreign residents.

 

Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said the proposed revision would ensure that foreign nationals contribute to the costs associated with immigration procedures and residence management, according to the Japan Times. He added that the policy would help promote what he described as “orderly coexistence” between Japanese citizens and foreign residents.

 

Travel authorisation system also planned

The bill also proposes the introduction of the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA), a new pre-arrival screening system for visa-exempt travellers.

 

According to Japan Times, the system is expected to be launched by March 31, 2029 and will require short-term visa-exempt visitors to obtain travel authorisation before arriving in Japan.

 

Authorities also plan to require airlines and shipping companies to submit passenger data in advance and deny boarding to travellers who do not receive authorisation, the report said.

Implications for foreign professionals

With Japan expanding labour mobility ties with countries such as India to address workforce shortages, higher immigration fees could increase the cost of visa renewals, residency changes and permanent residence applications for foreign professionals and their families in the coming years.

   

The government aims to implement the revised fee framework before the end of the next fiscal year on March 31, 2027, according to Japan Times.