Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Fee for permanent residency jumps 1,900 percent. At a cabinet meeting held on the morning of August 25, the Japanese government approved a measure significantly raising the mandatory fees foreign nationals must pay when renewing or extending their Japanese residency visas, including those seeking permanent residency in the country. Under the current pricing structure, foreign […]
Japan has raised the fees for renewing and extending foreign residency visas, including those seeking permanent residency, by significant percentages ranging from 67 percent to 1,150 percent. The new fee structure, introduced on August 25, varies based on the length of the visa term. For instance, fees for visas lasting three months or less will increase to 10,000 yen, up from the current 6,000 yen, reflecting a 67 percent rise.
Longer-term visas see steeper increases: a three-to-six-month visa would cost 18,000 yen (200 percent increase), while a one-year visa would be 33,000 yen (450 percent increase). The most notable escalations are for permanent residency, where the fee jumps from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen, a 1,900 percent increase. This steep rise comes amid perceptions that foreign residents in Japan, such as convenience store clerks, English teachers, and office workers, are financially well-off, despite many Japanese residents facing tighter budgets due to inflation and stagnant wages.
The government has stated it will consider fee reductions for those facing financial hardships, but specifics on eligibility and reduction amounts remain unclear.
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