News Japan tightens permanent residency rules

Residence permit fees were raised by ¥2,000 in April this year, setting them at ¥6,000 for changing residence status and renewing stays and ¥10,000 for those applying for permanent residence. This reflects rising prices and labor costs. The government is considering a plan that would raise fees for changing residence status and renewing stays of one year or longer to somewhere between ¥30,000 and ¥40,000, and that would increase the cost for a permanent residency permit to ¥100,000 or more. As the law currently sets a maximum fee of ¥10,000, an amendment will be required. This would be the first legal revision to increase the fees since 1981. Fees in Western countries are higher than in Japan. In the United States, changing or renewing one's work permit costs $420 to $470 (about ¥65,000 to ¥73,000), and in Britain it costs £827 (about ¥169,000). In Germany, changing or renewing one's residence permit costs €93 to €98 (about ¥16,000 to ¥17,000).

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Moreover, Japan's visa processing fee has remained unchanged since 1978. The government is also implementing other measures to deal with overtourism, including raising the airport departure tax from the next fiscal year. But since Japanese nationals will also have to pay that tax when traveling abroad, the government plans to reduce by 7,000 yen the fee for issuing a passport valid for 10 years to about 9,000 yen.

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JESTA will apply to travellers from countries and regions whose citizens are currently exempt from short-term visas for tourism and similar visits — now numbering 74. The system is scheduled to begin operation during fiscal 2028. Similar schemes are already in place in the United States, Britain and Australia, while Europe plans to introduce one by 2026. Initially, immigration authorities said applicant information would be checked in advance against records such as criminal histories or past deportations that constitute grounds for denial of entry under immigration law. Those denied authorisation would be prevented from boarding flights to Japan. Following further review, officials decided to include some transit passengers passing through Japan to prevent attempts to enter the country under the guise of transit travel. Target countries will be specified by ministerial ordinance. In addition to nations requiring visas for short stays, authorities are considering including visa-exempt countries with relatively high numbers of rejected entrants, such as Thailand and Turkey. To avoid undermining Japan's competitiveness as an international aviation hub, the government is also studying ways to limit who is subject to screening. One proposal would exempt travellers bound for countries such as the United States that already operate similar pre-screening systems, depending on travel routes. Authorities also plan to extend screening to passengers arriving on designated cruise ships who are normally allowed temporary shore access under simplified procedures, to prevent maritime routes from becoming an entry loophole. Obtaining JESTA authorisation will require a fee. Airlines and shipping operators will be obligated to report passenger information, such as names, and will be required to deny boarding to travellers who fail authorisation. Japan recorded a record 39.18 million new arrivals in 2025. About 98% were short-term visitors, and roughly 80% came from visa-exempt countries.

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Japan plans to hike fees for visa renewals, an official from the Immigration Services Agency told the lower house of parliament. The agency plans to raise the charge to renew visas for five-year stays to around 70,000 yen ($440), and to around 10,000 yen for three months or less, according to its deputy commissioner, Soichiro Naito. The fee for a permanent residency permit will be increased to about 200,000 yen from 10,000 yen. For in-person visa renewal, regardless of the length of stay, the fee is now 6,000 yen. The cabinet has submitted a proposed amendment to the Immigration Control Act that would raise the upper limits for such charges. The changes would set the maximum at 300,000 yen for permanent residency permits and 100,000 yen for other visa types. The actual fees will be set within those limits by government directives. Applicants facing economic hardship may be eligible for fee reductions or exemptions.

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The government says the increased revenue will be spent on measures to respond to the growing number of foreign residents, in line with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's call for tougher policies on foreign nationals.

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thomas said:

Respond to the growing number of foreign residents? How?

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Under the current guidelines, the three main requirements for obtaining permanent residency are "good conduct," the possession of assets or skills sufficient to maintain an independent livelihood and a determination that the person's permanent residency is in the "best interests" of Japan. Applicants must, in principle, have resided in Japan for at least 10 years. As of the end of last year, about 947,000 people held permanent residency status, with many from China and the Philippines.

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