Japan raises visa issuance fees fivefold from July 1 — the first increase since 1978

Japan's cabinet approved the country's first revision of visa issuance fees since 1978 on June 19, 2026. From July 1, the cost of applying for a Japanese visa at an embassy or consulate outside Japan rises fivefold: a single-entry visa increases from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000, and a multiple-entry visa from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000. At current exchange rates of roughly ¥160 to the US dollar, the single-entry fee moves from about $19 to about $94. The fee structure that the increase replaces has been in place for 48 years.

Background

Japan's foreign resident population reached a record 4.13 million at the end of 2025 — up from around 2.9 million in 2019. The country has expanded labor migration in sectors facing significant shortages: construction, manufacturing, food service, nursing care, and agriculture. It extended its digital nomad visa option in 2024 and has seen rising interest in work and student visas from across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and further afield. Despite that growth, the administrative fee structure for visa processing had not been revised since 1978 — a period when the foreign population was a fraction of its current size and the supporting infrastructure was correspondingly smaller. The government cited the gap between the 1978 fee and the true administrative cost of processing applications as the rationale for the revision. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi described the existing system as one that "no longer reflected the true administrative cost."

What the fee increase covers — and who pays it

The fee applies to people applying for a Japanese visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate outside Japan. This covers two distinct groups. The first is nationals of countries that require a visa for any type of entry to Japan — this includes most African countries, several South and Southeast Asian countries, and others. The second is nationals of any country applying for a long-term Japanese visa: a work visa, student visa, spouse visa, or any other category that authorizes a stay beyond a short-term tourist visit. Long-term visa applicants pay the embassy fee regardless of whether their nationality is visa-exempt for short stays. This means that an American, British, or German national applying for a work visa at a Japanese consulate before relocating will pay the new ¥15,000 single-entry fee. Who is not affected: nationals of visa-exempt countries entering Japan as tourists for stays of 90 days or fewer. Short-stay tourists from visa-exempt countries do not apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy and never paid this fee in the first place — so the increase does not touch them.

Revenue and earmarking

The government projects the visa issuance fee increase will raise approximately ¥116 billion in FY2026. The full package of immigration fee changes announced alongside it — including the future residency renewal and permanent residence fees authorized by the May 29 law — is estimated to generate approximately ¥225 billion annually once all increases are in place. Government briefings indicate that a significant portion of the new revenue, reported as approximately 60 percent, is designated for programs benefiting foreign residents and for immigration administration, including Japanese-language education, community integration services, and overstay enforcement. The government has framed the earmarking as ensuring that residents who pay higher fees to come to Japan see corresponding investment in the services and infrastructure that support them once resident.

The May 29 law — future fees for residency renewals and permanent residence

Alongside the visa fee increase, Japan's Diet passed an amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act on May 29, 2026. That law sets legal ceilings for future increases in three other fee categories that affect people already living in Japan: permanent residence applications, residence status renewals, and residence status changes. The law did not set specific amounts — it created the statutory framework that allows the government to issue cabinet orders specifying the new fees before March 31, 2027. Government statements and reporting from Japan Times and Fragomen suggest the permanent residence application fee could rise from ¥10,000 to approximately ¥200,000, with a legal ceiling of ¥300,000. Residency renewal fees are expected to move from a flat ¥6,000 to a tiered structure of ¥10,000–¥70,000 based on the duration of the permit being renewed. These projected amounts are not confirmed by cabinet order and should be treated as indicative until formal orders are issued.

What this means if you are planning to move to Japan

If you are applying for a work, student, or long-term visa at a Japanese consulate, budget for the new ¥15,000 single-entry fee from July 1. If your application was already submitted before that date and is pending, the fee you already paid applies — the increase applies to applications processed from July 1 onward. If you are already in Japan on a residence permit and approaching a renewal, the current ¥6,000 renewal fee remains in place until a cabinet order specifying the new structure is issued. That order is expected before March 2027 but is not yet published. For permanent residence applicants, the same applies: the current ¥10,000 PR application fee remains the operative fee until a cabinet order changes it. Both the renewal and PR fees could change substantially when those orders are issued, so it is worth tracking the Ministry of Justice and ISA announcements over the next six to nine months if you are in or approaching those processes.