Japan | Visa issuance fees to rise in fiscal year 2026

The Japanese government announced it will substantially raise visa issuance fees for foreign residents by 500%-900% in fiscal year 2026.

Key Points:

• The fee hike is a response to the rise in foreign residents in the country, hitting a record high of nearly four million people in June 2025.
• The cost of changing visa status or reissuing a visa is expected to rise from ¥6,000 (about US$38) to ¥40,000 (about US$257), and the cost of a permanent residency visa will likely rise from ¥10,000 (about US$64) to ¥100,000 (about US$643).
• The government is expected to submit a bill in next year’s ordinary parliamentary session to revise the immigration control law, which sets a ¥10,000 cap on immigration fees.
• Targeted implementation for the fee increases is sometime in FY2026 (April 2026-March 2027).

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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