Japan to raise visa fees after 48 years, match US and Europe rates

Japan plans to raise visa and tourist fees from 2026, citing low rates compared with the US and Europe, even as inbound tourism hits record highs

Japan may soon become a more expensive destination for travellers, as its government looks at increasing visa fees for foreign visitors.

 

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Friday that the country is reviewing visa charges, which have remained largely unchanged since the late 1970s.

 

“The details of the review are undecided, but we are considering various factors, including a possible impact on inbound tourism,” Japanese news agency Kyodo News quoted Iwaya. “We’ll examine the fees set in other countries. I believe Japan’s fees are quite low at present.”

 

Current fees among the lowest in developed nations

 

 

The charge for a single-entry visa to Japan has remained around ¥3,000 (about Rs 1,700) since 1978, while a multiple-entry visa costs about ¥6,000 (about Rs 3,500). Both are far lower than visa fees in the United States and most European nations.

 

Japan’s fees are also below the average among countries in the Group of Seven (G7) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

 

Record tourist arrivals in 2025

 

Tourism is surging in Japan. The number of foreign visitors rose 17.7 per cent between January and September this year to 31.65 million, according to a government report. It is the fastest pace ever recorded for the country to cross the 30-million mark within a year.

 

Visitors in the first nine months of 2025: 31.65 million

Growth from 2024: 17.7 per cent

2024 full-year record: 36.87 million 

 

Officials now expect the annual figure to exceed the 40 million range, supported by a weak yen and a rebound in Chinese tourist arrivals.

 

Overtourism concerns and other possible changes

 

Asked about the potential effect of higher visa fees on overtourism, Iwaya said the government would monitor the outcome carefully.

 

“But I personally don’t think the potential raise will have a direct impact on overtourism,” he said.

 

Japan is also weighing a rise in the “departure tax”, an international tourist fee currently set at ¥1,000 and collected from both Japanese citizens and foreign nationals.

 

In addition, officials are reviewing whether to scrap consumption tax exemptions for foreign visitors and adjust certain residency-related fees, including:

 

¥10,000 (about Rs 5,811) for permanent residence permission

¥6,000 (about Rs 3,500) for in-person extensions

 

Some of these charges were raised in April for the first time since 1981.