Japan has introduced a significant fivefold rise in visa application costs, representing the nation’s first fee adjustment in nearly five decades. Effective July 1, the price for a single-entry visa shifts from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen, while multi-entry visas will increase from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that these changes are intended to account for inflation and shifting exchange rates. He noted that officials do not expect these higher costs to disrupt the ongoing recovery of international tourism. Japan currently faces a weakening yen, which recently touched 40-year lows, and the country recorded a historic high of 42.7 million international visitors last year.
Legislative changes approved by the Upper House in May will also elevate other immigration-related costs. Specifically, the maximum fee for permanent residency applications will rise significantly to 300,000 yen, while fees for extending stays or altering residency status may reach 100,000 yen. Authorities maintain that these adjustments are necessary to bring Japan’s immigration fee structure in line with other G7 nations.