Japan Increases Resident Permit Fees by 1,150%, Effective October 2026
- Japan's government adopted an ordinance to sharply increase residency extension and status-change fees for foreign nationals from October 2026
- Permanent residency application fees will jump 20-fold from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000 under the new fee structure
- Japan's Immigration Services Agency broadened exemption conditions to cover additional humanitarian circumstances following public feedback
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Japan will sharply raise the fees foreign nationals pay to extend or change their residency status from October 2026, with some applications costing more than 12 times the current rate under a government ordinance adopted on Tuesday.
The changes follow a revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act enacted in May and form part of broader reforms to how Japan administers and funds its immigration system.
Source: Getty Images
Currently, all residency extension and status-change applications carry a flat fee of ¥6,000 (about $37.62). Under the new structure, that cost will vary based on how long the approved residency period lasts, reaching as high as ¥75,000 (about $470).
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New Japan Residency Fee Breakdown
Applications for extensions of up to three months will cost ¥10,000, while those covering one year will rise to ¥33,000. Extensions of three to under five years will be charged at ¥64,000, and any period of five years or more will attract the maximum fee of ¥75,000.
The steepest increase falls on foreign nationals applying for permanent residency.
That fee will climb from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000, a 20-fold rise.
The revised law gives the government authority to charge up to ¥100,000 for temporary residency procedures and up to ¥300,000 for permanent residency, though the ordinance sets the specific amounts applicants will actually pay.
Japan Introduces Residency Fee Exemptions
Not every applicant will be required to pay the full amount. Japan's Immigration Services Agency has expanded the conditions under which reduced fees can apply.
Initially, applicants could qualify for lower charges if they faced financial hardship comparable to those receiving public assistance and where humanitarian considerations were relevant.
Under those early guidelines, reduced fees were set at ¥10,000 for temporary procedures and ¥20,000 for permanent residency.
After a public comment period, the agency widened the scope of the humanitarian exemption. Foreign nationals who are the sole caregiver for biological children who hold Japanese nationality or special permanent residency status may now qualify.
Source: Getty Images
The exemption can also apply in cases where denying or refusing residency would be considered inhumane.
Japan's category of special permanent residents covers people who lived in the country before the Second World War but lost Japanese citizenship after it ended, as well as their descendants.
The new fees will take effect in October 2026 and will significantly increase the cost burden for many foreign residents, particularly those seeking long-term or permanent status in Japan.
US announces visa rule changes from September 2026
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an overhaul of its visa rules for international students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists, replacing an arrangement that had allowed many to remain in the country indefinitely under their programme status.
The rule scraps the long-standing "duration of status" system and imposes fixed admission periods on holders of F, J, and I visas. It will come into force 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register, pending congressional review.
F visa holder international students and J visa holders exchange programme participants will be permitted to stay in the United States for a maximum of four years per admission.
Source: Legit.ng
