# Japan Immigration Fee Changes 2026: What Foreign Residents Need to Know Before October 1

If you live in Japan on a residence status — work visa, student visa, spouse visa, or you're planning to apply for permanent residency — an important change is coming. The Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) has published a draft ordinance that would raise residence-permission fees dramatically from October 1, 2026 (令和8年10月1日), and it is collecting public opinions on the proposal right now.

Here's a plain-language breakdown of what's changing, who it affects, and what you can do about it.

The background: fees frozen since 1981

Japan's visa-related fees have barely moved since 1981 (昭和56年), when the legal ceiling was set at ¥10,000. Back then, Japan had roughly 790,000 foreign residents. Today it has about 4.13 million — more than five times as many — and the government says the immigration system needs far more funding to keep up.

Under the government's "Comprehensive Response Plan for Foreign Acceptance and Orderly Coexistence" (January 2024), the Ministry of Justice was directed to revise fees, and this draft ordinance is the result.

What is changing?

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan has published information about a draft amendment related to residence permit fees. These are the fees paid when permission is granted for certain residence procedures, such as:

• Change of status of residence

• Extension of period of stay

• Permanent residence permission

Until now, these fees have been relatively low. However, Japan is planning to revise the fee system from October 1, 2026.

The government explains that the number of foreign residents in Japan has increased significantly over the years, and that stronger immigration and residence management systems are needed. The increased revenue is expected to support areas such as digital transformation of immigration procedures, faster and better support services, refugee support, consultation systems, and measures related to proper residence management.

Biggest change: Permanent Residency fee may increase to ¥200,000

The most eye-catching change is for Permanent Residency (永住許可).

Currently, the fee for permanent residence permission is:

Under the proposed revision, the fee will become:

That means the PR fee may increase by 20 times, from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000.

For foreign residents who are already preparing for PR, this is a very important deadline to understand.

Visa extension and change of status fees will also increase

The fee for changing your status of residence or extending your period of stay will also increase. Under the new system, the fee depends on the period of stay granted and whether the application is made at the counter or online.

Proposed new fees for visa extension / change of status

Permanent Residency (永住許可): ¥200,000 — a flat fee, counter application only.

To put that in perspective: a typical 1-year work-visa renewal that costs a few thousand yen today would cost ¥27,000–¥33,000, and a 3-year renewal would run ¥42,000–¥48,000. The permanent residency application — long considered a bargain at under ¥10,000 — would become a ¥200,000 decision.

before October 1, 2026, and receives permission on or after October 1, 2026, the fee to be paid will be the old fee, not the new fee.

In simple words:

Application submitted before October 1, 2026 = old fee applies.

What should foreign residents do now?

If you are planning to apply for permanent residency, visa extension, or change of status, it is important to check your eligibility and prepare early.

For PR applicants, especially, the difference between applying before and after the deadline may be very large.

Before applying, check carefully:

• Are you already eligible for PR?

• Are your tax payments up to date?

• Are your pension and health insurance payments properly recorded?

• Do you have the required income documents?

• Do you have a guarantor, if required?

• Is your residence history stable?

• Are there any gaps or problems in your documents?

Do not wait until the last minute. Immigration offices may become busy before the fee change date, especially if many people rush to apply before October 2026.

Why is online cheaper?

The agency says the online discount exists "to improve applicant convenience and reduce counter congestion." If this ordinance passes, learning to use the online residence application system will save you real money — up to ¥10,000 per application.

Reductions and waivers

The draft includes hardship provisions. Applicants who are both (a) in financial hardship comparable to welfare-assistance recipients under the Public Assistance Act and (b) deserving of humanitarian consideration — explicitly including recognized refugees and victims of human trafficking — can pay reduced fees:

• Status change / renewal: ¥10,000

• Permanent residency: ¥20,000

Diplomats, officials, and equivalent status holders are exempt entirely.

Are there any fee reductions?

The Immigration Services Agency also explains that some applicants may be eligible for a fee reduction in limited cases. However, this does not apply to everyone.

The Q&A explains that fee reduction is mainly for people who are in serious financial difficulty similar to persons requiring public assistance, and who also require humanitarian consideration. Simply having a low income may not be enough.

If a person is eligible for a reduction:

• Change of status / extension may be reduced to ¥10,000

• Permanent residency may be reduced to ¥20,000

Because the conditions are specific, applicants should check the official guidance carefully or consult an immigration professional if they think this may apply to them.

Why is Japan increasing the fees?

The Immigration Services Agency explains several reasons for the fee increase, including:

• Digital transformation (DX) of immigration infrastructure

• Refugee protection programs

• Enforcement against illegal residence

• Integration support for foreign residents, including Japanese-language education

• Strengthening fair immigration and residence management

• Covering the actual cost of application examination

• Improving digital immigration procedures

• Strengthening consultation and information systems

• Helping foreign residents adapt smoothly to Japanese society

• Comparing Japan’s fees with similar systems in other countries

In short, Japan is moving toward a more expensive but more structured immigration fee system.

Key takeaway

The planned fee increase from October 1, 2026 is one of the most important immigration-related changes for foreign residents in Japan.

The biggest impact is on Permanent Residency, where the fee is expected to increase from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000.

However, the official Q&A gives one important protection:

If you apply before October 1, 2026, the old fee will apply even if your result comes after October 1, 2026.

For anyone planning to apply for PR, this means preparation timing matters a lot.

If you are already close to meeting the PR requirements, it may be wise to start checking your documents early and avoid waiting until the deadline.

Bottom line

Source: Immigration Services Agency — Public comment notice on the draft fee-revision ordinance (Japanese). This article summarizes a draft proposal; final amounts and dates may change. Not legal advice — confirm details with the ISA or a certified administrative scrivener (行政書士) before acting.