On August 25, 2026, the Cabinet approved an order amending the Immigration Control Act, following a public consultation period.
The revised Act, due to come into force on October 1, 2026, includes significant increases in residence fees.
The Immigration Services Agency previously provided details of the increase in residence fees, which is due to come into force on October 1, 2026.
The current flat fee for a residence permit application submitted in person is JPY 6,000, or JPY 5,500 for an online application, with permanent residence costing JPY 10,000.
Under the revision, the fee for residence permission would start at JPY 10,000 for up to three months, with seven fee bands for different lengths of stay, plus a significantly higher fee for permanent residence.
The announced revised fees are as follows:
| Length of Permission | In-person fee (JPY) | Online fee (JPY) |
| Up to 3 months | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| 3 – 6 months | 18,000 | 15,000 |
| 6 – 12 months | 25,000 | 21,000 |
| 1 year | 33,000 | 27,000 |
| 1 to 3 years | 48,000 | 42,000 |
| 3 – 5 years | 64,000 | 56,000 |
| 5 years + | 75,000 | 65,000 |
| Permanent residence | 200,000 | Not applicable |
Certain applicants who are in financial difficulties and who have refugee status in Japan will qualify for a reduction in the fees.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news becomes available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.