2026 Reform: Higher Immigration Fees | What the ¥100,000 and ¥300,000 Caps Mean
2026 Reform: Higher Immigration Fees | What the ¥100,000 and ¥300,000 Caps Mean
On May 29, 2026 (Reiwa 8), an amendment to the Immigration Control Act raising residence-related fees was enacted, and it was promulgated on June 5 of the same year. The ceiling becomes ¥100,000 for change of status of residence and extension of period of stay, and ¥300,000 for permanent residence. However, what was raised is the statutory ceiling, not the amount you will actually pay. This article separates what has been decided from what has not.
Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “On the 2026 (Reiwa 8) Amendment to the Immigration Control Act”; the same agency’s “Outline of the Amending Act (Creation of JESTA and Raising of the Ceiling on Fees for Change of Status of Residence, etc.)”; e-Gov Law Search, “Order for Enforcement of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.”
Outline of the Amending Act
The amendment covers two subjects: the creation of JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization) and the raising of the ceiling on residence permission fees.
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Enacted | May 29, 2026 (Reiwa 8) / 221st Extraordinary Session of the Diet |
| Promulgated | June 5, 2026 (Reiwa 8) |
| Act number | Act No. 32 of 2026 (Reiwa 8) |
| Main content | Creation of JESTA (electronic travel authorization system); raising of the ceiling on fees for change of status of residence, etc. |
As background, the agency’s outline document cites that the number of foreign residents reached a record high of approximately 4.13 million as of the end of 2025 (Reiwa 7), and that measures toward an orderly society of harmonious coexistence must be implemented reliably while being further strengthened and expanded.
What Was Raised Is the Ceiling
This is the point most easily misunderstood. Before the amendment, Article 67, paragraph 1 of the Immigration Control Act uniformly provided that the fee for change of status of residence, extension of period of stay, permanent residence and re-entry permission was “an amount specified separately by Cabinet Order, not exceeding ¥10,000.” After the amendment, a ceiling is set for each category of permission.
| Procedure | Former ceiling | New ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| Change of status of residence | ¥10,000 | ¥100,000 |
| Extension of period of stay | ¥10,000 | ¥100,000 |
| Permanent residence | ¥10,000 | ¥300,000 |
| Re-entry permit (including extension of validity) | ¥10,000 | ¥10,000 (unchanged) |
“A ceiling of ¥100,000” does not mean “an extension fee of ¥100,000.” The agency’s outline states that the specific fee amounts continue to be delegated to Cabinet Order and will be set according to the period of stay, so that amounts can be adjusted flexibly in response to cost increases caused by price movements. The actual amounts are expected to be tiered by period of stay and had not been published as of the time of writing.
The amendment also writes into the Act the factors to be considered when setting the amounts (Article 67, paragraph 2). In addition to actual costs, these include the cost of administrative work to ensure proper residence of foreign nationals, the cost of support work enabling lawfully residing foreign nationals to stay stably and smoothly, and other costs of fair control over the entry, departure and residence of foreign nationals, as well as the level of comparable fees in other countries. This serves as a brake so that the amounts do not become open-ended.
Current Fees (Before the Amendment)
Current fees are set in Article 25, paragraph 1 of the Order for Enforcement of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. The revision of April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7) introduced separate amounts for online (electronic) applications.
| Procedure | Counter | Online (electronic application) |
|---|---|---|
| Change of status of residence | ¥6,000 | ¥5,500 |
| Extension of period of stay | ¥6,000 | ¥5,500 |
| Permanent residence | ¥10,000 | Not set |
| Re-entry permit (single) | ¥4,000 | ¥3,500 |
| Multiple re-entry permit | ¥7,000 | ¥6,500 |
| Issuance of certificate of authorized employment | ¥2,000 | ¥1,600 |
| Issuance of residence card | ¥1,900 | Not set |
Online applications are set ¥500 cheaper. Eligibility and procedures for online filing are explained in Online Application for the Engineer Visa.
When Does It Change?
Article 1, item 2 of the Supplementary Provisions states that the amendment to Article 67 of the Immigration Control Act takes effect on a date to be fixed by Cabinet Order, within the period up to March 31 of Reiwa 9 — that is, some date on or before March 31, 2027.
| Part of the amendment | Effective date |
|---|---|
| Provisions on residence permission fees | A date fixed by Cabinet Order, no later than March 31, 2027 (Reiwa 9) |
| Provisions creating JESTA (electronic travel authorization) | A date fixed by Cabinet Order, no later than March 31, 2029 (Reiwa 11) |
The effective date has not been decided. If you see information asserting a specific month for the increase, please check what the Immigration Services Agency of Japan has actually published. The Cabinet Orders fixing the amounts and the effective date are expected to be promulgated later.
The Date of Application Is What Counts
Article 5 of the Supplementary Provisions provides that, for change of status of residence, extension of period of stay, permanent residence and re-entry permission granted on applications filed before the effective date, payment of the fee remains governed by the former rules. In other words, the reference point is the date of application, not the date of permission. If your application is accepted before the effective date, the pre-amendment fee applies even if permission is granted afterwards.
The same approach was taken for the April 1, 2025 fee revision: applications accepted by March 31, 2025 were charged the former amounts even when permission came in April or later. The structure is identical this time.
Who Is Affected
- Those planning an extension or change: depending on when your current period of stay expires, the new amounts may apply from your next renewal. For practical points on renewals, see Checklist to Avoid Denial When Renewing the Engineer Visa.
- Those considering permanent residence: only permanent residence carries a ¥300,000 ceiling, three times that for change and extension. Please review the requirements in the Guide to Permanent Residence Applications when deciding on timing. It may also be a factor when weighing permanent residence against naturalization.
- Those filing together with family: if you pay for several household members under Dependent status, the impact multiplies by the number of people.
- Companies bearing the cost: it is not unusual for accepting organizations to cover renewal fees. The larger the workforce, the greater the impact. For the wider picture of hiring costs, see Costs and Remuneration for Specified Skilled Workers.
Reductions and Exemptions Will Be Available
Alongside the higher ceiling, Article 67, paragraph 3 of the amended Act introduces a reduction and exemption provision. The fee may be reduced or waived for persons specified by Cabinet Order for whom this is appropriate due to economic hardship or other special circumstances.
For permanent residence, only spouses or children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents may fall within this scheme. Exactly which persons qualify is to be set by Cabinet Order.
How to Prepare in Practice
- Check your expiry date. Applications for extension of period of stay are accepted from roughly three months before the period of stay expires for those holding a period of stay of six months or more. The scope for filing early is limited, so start by confirming your own expiry date.
- Consider applying online. Under the current system this is ¥500 cheaper than the counter. Whether a difference by filing method will be kept in the new amounts depends on the Cabinet Order, but there is no downside to getting used to online filing.
- Build it into your cost estimates. When budgeting for residence procedures in coming fiscal years, allow a range, since the actual amounts are undecided.
- Confirm your internal cost-sharing rules. We recommend clarifying how your employment contracts and work rules allocate renewal costs before the actual amounts are published.
- Rely on official announcements. Both the amounts and the effective date will be set by Cabinet Order. Please act only after checking what the Immigration Services Agency of Japan publishes.
Summary
Three things are settled by this amendment: the statutory ceilings are now ¥100,000 for change of status of residence, ¥100,000 for extension of period of stay and ¥300,000 for permanent residence; the provisions take effect on a date fixed by Cabinet Order no later than March 31, 2027 (Reiwa 9); and applications filed before that date remain subject to the former fees. The amounts you will actually pay are yet to be set by Cabinet Order. There is no need to rush a decision at this stage, but it is worth confirming your renewal timing and your cost-sharing rules early.
How We Can Help
For advice on the cost and timing of residence procedures, please rely on the Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office.
- 98% approval rate
- Languages: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, English
- Free initial consultation
- Serving Chiba and Tokyo, with nationwide support (online consultations available)
Frequently asked questions
Will the extension of period of stay fee become ¥100,000?
No. What became ¥100,000 is the statutory ceiling under the Immigration Control Act. The amount you will actually pay continues to be set by Cabinet Order, and it had not been announced as of the time of writing. The current fee for extension of period of stay is ¥6,000 at the counter and ¥5,500 for online applications.
When will the new fees apply?
The provisions on fees take effect on a date to be fixed by Cabinet Order, no later than March 31, 2027 (Reiwa 9). As of the time of writing the date had not been fixed. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan will announce it once decided.
If I apply before the effective date, do the current fees still apply?
Under Article 5 of the Supplementary Provisions of the amending act, fees for change of status of residence, extension of period of stay, permanent residence and re-entry permits granted on applications filed before the effective date remain governed by the former rules. In other words, the date of application is what counts.
Is there any reduction or exemption?
Yes. Article 67, paragraph 3 of the amended Immigration Control Act allows the fee to be reduced or waived for persons specified by Cabinet Order for whom reduction or exemption is appropriate due to economic hardship or other special circumstances. For permanent residence, only spouses or children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents may qualify. The specific categories are to be set by Cabinet Order.
Our company pays visa costs for employees. What should we check?
Because the ceiling was raised tenfold to thirtyfold, we recommend confirming internally who bears the cost if the actual amounts rise. If your employment contract or work rules state that the company covers renewal costs, the expense could be considerably larger than assumed.
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