On July 3, 2026, the Immigration Services Agency provided details of a significant increase in residence fees due to come into force on October 1, 2026.
The current flat fee for a residence permit application submitted in person is JPY 6000 (or JPY 5500 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.
The government is currently conducting a public comment procedure regarding the draft amendments which formalize the fee increases and eligibility for reduction or exemption.
Erickson Insights and Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is 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.