Government reveals long-awaited fee schedule ahead of proposed October implementation.

On 3 July, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan published detailed draft guidelines setting out a new fee structure for visa renewals and permanent residency applications, following revisions to the Immigration Control Act passed in May.

According to the draft proposal, fees for visa renewals and changes to status-of-residence will no longer be charged at the current flat rate of 6,000 yen (US$37.40) for in-person applications. Instead, the amount would depend on the length of residence granted, with shorter periods attracting lower fees and longer periods significantly higher ones.

Under the new guidelines, the proposed fees are as follows:

  • Up to three months: 10,000 yen
  • Three to six months: 18,000 yen
  • Six months to one year: 25,000 yen
  • One year: 33,000 yen
  • One to three years: 48,000 yen
  • Three to five years: 64,000 yen
  • Five years or more: 75,000 yen

Online applications for visas over three months will reportedly be eligible for a discount of 3,000 to 10,000 yen on these prices, although the government is yet to reveal the full online pricing schedule.

While these are all significant price hikes, the biggest increase affects permanent residency applications, with fees rising from the current 10,000 yen ($61.84) to 200,000 yen ($1,236.74). This is double the 100,000 yen amount proposed in earlier reports, and a twenty-fold increase over the current fee. Permanent residency permits will only be accepted through in-person applications, so no discounts will be available.

▼ Time to start saving if you want to become a permanent resident of Japan.

Though the sudden 1,900-percent increase in permanent residency fees may seem steep, Japan’s current PR fee of 10,000 yen has long been exceptionally low by international standards. Comparable application fees sit at around US$1,440 in the U.S., GBP3,226 (US$4308) in the U.K., and AU$5,000 (US$3,469) in Australia. However, the newly proposed permanent residency fee would place Japan among the higher end of Asian countries, making it around 7–8 times higher than South Korea’s and approximately 13–15 times higher than that of Singapore.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the revised charges aim to cover both the administrative costs of processing applications and broader spending on immigration policy. Officials estimate the changes would increase annual government revenue by around 690 billion to 920 billion yen ($4.3–5.7 billion), with the additional funds earmarked for immigration administration and policies relating to foreign residents.

Some of that extra cash will likely go towards the new mandatory Japanese Language and Lifestyle Learning Programme earmarked for permanent residency applicants.

Under the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, the fee structure is subject to statutory upper limits. The law sets a ceiling of up to 100,000 yen for status changes and renewals, and up to 300,000 yen for permanent residency applications.

Fee reductions may apply in cases of significant financial hardship or on the basis of humanitarian grounds, as outlined in the government’s guidelines, with permanent residency applications reduced to as low as 20,000 yen and other procedures to 10,000 yen in these cases.

Upon announcing the new changes, Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said the government anticipates that costs associated with managing immigration and residence procedures will continue to rise, so foreign residents are essentially being asked to bear an appropriate share of those costs.

The proposals are now open for public comment until 2 August, with the government aiming to introduce the new fees from 1 October.

Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sankei, TV Asahi, Jiji, NHK
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)
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