Japan raises residence permit fees from 1 October 2026; applications received by 30 September keep the old rate

Japan raises residence permit fees from 1 October 2026; applications received by 30 September keep the old rate

28 September 2026: Japan's Immigration Services Agency will charge sharply higher fees for changing a foreign resident's status of residence, extending a period of stay and granting permanent residence from Thursday 1 October 2026, under an amended enforcement order of the Immigration Control Act. The agency states that applications received on or before 30 September 2026 are charged the old fee, even if permission is granted after 1 October. On 28 September The Japan Times reported that Tokyo's immigration bureau was swamped with applicants ahead of the change.

What the new fees are

Until now a change of status or an extension cost a flat ¥6,000 at a counter or ¥5,500 online, whatever the length of stay granted. From 1 October the fee depends on the period of stay granted. The agency's English poster lists, at the counter and online:

• 3 months or less: ¥10,000 at the counter and online.
• Over 3 months, up to 6 months: ¥18,000 at the counter, ¥15,000 online.
• Over 6 months, under 1 year: ¥25,000 and ¥21,000.
• 1 year: ¥33,000 and ¥27,000.
• Over 1 year, under 3 years: ¥48,000 and ¥42,000.
• 3 years or more, under 5 years: ¥64,000 and ¥56,000.
• 5 years or more: ¥75,000 and ¥65,000.

Permanent residence rises from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000. Fragomen's client alert of 26 August gives the same figures.

How payment changes

For applications made through the online residence system from 1 October, fees are paid by convenience-store or bank payment, with a separate transaction charge; revenue stamps are no longer accepted online. Counter applications are still paid with revenue stamps, which the agency asks applicants to buy in advance at a large post office. Reductions or exemptions exist only for people in serious financial hardship.

Who is affected

Any company employing foreign staff in Japan: engineers on specialist visas, intra-company transferees, highly skilled professionals and their families, as well as founders on business-manager status and staffing firms that place foreign workers with clients. A five-year extension filed at a counter costs twelve and a half times the old fee; a family of four renewing together multiplies that. Who pays is set by each employer's policy or contract, not by the rules.

What to do

• List employees and dependants whose status changes or extensions fall due in the coming months, and file any that are ready so they are received by Wednesday 30 September.
• Budget the new fees from 1 October, and decide whether the company or the employee pays; put it in the relocation or assignment policy.
• Prefer online filing where the period granted is over three months; it is cheaper and payment is cashless.
• Ask immigration advisers and staffing suppliers how they will pass the fee through, and check quotes dated before the change.

Sources

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Revision of residence permission fees from 1 October 2026 (Japanese) - 14 September 2026
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Fees for residence procedures will be revised from October 1, 2026 (English poster) - 14 September 2026
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan: Fees and payment for online applications from 1 October 2026 (Japanese) - 14 September 2026
• Fragomen: Japan, New Residence Permit Fee Structure from October 1, 2026 - 26 August 2026
• The Japan Times: Tokyo immigration bureau swamped ahead of residency fee hikes - 28 September 2026