The Japanese government plans to significantly increase fees for foreign residence permits starting next fiscal year to align with levels in Western countries. Fees for changing or renewing status will rise to 30,000-40,000 yen, and permanent residency to over 100,000 yen, with revenue funding multiculturalism initiatives. The foreign resident population has reached a record 3.96 million.
The Japanese government is moving forward with plans to raise fees for residence procedures for foreign nationals starting next fiscal year, amid a growing foreign population. According to government and ruling party sources, fees for changing residence status or renewing stays of one year or longer will increase from the current 6,000 yen to between 30,000 and 40,000 yen, while permanent residency permits will rise from 10,000 yen to 100,000 yen or more. A bill to amend the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law, which currently caps fees at 10,000 yen, is expected to be submitted to the regular Diet session next year.
The hikes aim to align Japan's fees with those in Western countries, where costs are higher: $420 to $470 (about 65,000-73,000 yen) in the United States for work permit changes or renewals, £827 (about 169,000 yen) in Britain, and €93 to €98 (about 16,000-17,000 yen) in Germany. Revenue will support policies for foreigners, including improving living conditions for the rapidly growing resident population, accelerating immigration screening, enhancing Japanese language education, and strengthening measures against the roughly 70,000 illegal residents.
Fees were last increased by 2,000 yen in April this year due to inflation and rising labor costs, setting change or renewal at 6,000 yen and permanent residency applications at 10,000 yen. The Immigration Services Agency reports that Japan's foreign resident population hit a record high of about 3.96 million as of the end of June. Separately, the Foreign Ministry plans to raise entry visa fees—currently 3,000 yen for single-entry and 6,000 yen for multiple-entry—to comparable Western levels, marking the first increase since 1978.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed the fee hikes during a ministerial meeting on foreigner policies earlier this month. The government intends to include a statement in its forthcoming economic package: “In fiscal 2026, we will review and raise fees related to foreign residents and visa fees, taking into account the levels in major countries.” This would be the first legal revision to increase such fees since 1981.