According to a Nikkei story, Japan will increase the cost of renewing resident status from the current 6,000 yen to the 30,000-yen level starting in fiscal 2026, a five-to six-fold increase.
The government hopes to utilise the extra funds to cover growing administrative expenses brought on by an increase in foreign resident applications.
Adding fee variations according on the duration of the renewal period is part of the proposal. The renewal fee increased from 4,000 to 6,000 yen and the permanent residency application fee increased from 8,000 to 10,000 yen in April, marking the first fee revision in over 40 years. This would be the second increase in two years.
Nikkei was informed by officials that the higher prices are meant to manage growing staff and system costs, better align Japan's fees with those in North America and Europe, and accommodate the country's expanding foreign population.
According to the Immigration Services Agency, there were 3.95 million foreign residents in Japan as of the end of June, a yearly increase of almost 10% since 2022.
The employment of personnel to assess applications and the upgrade of systems to handle residence data have resulted in higher costs, according to immigration authorities.
Other contributing factors include the expenses associated with fighting illegal immigration and modernizing oversight procedures.
If the new rates take effect in 2026, the current annual revenue from residency fees roughly 7 billion yen is expected to increase by many tens of billions.
Cases of unauthorized residency and regulatory infractions have come under increased scrutiny. The redesigned system, according to officials, is intended to guarantee that foreign nationals contribute more to the administrative burden. A top Ministry of Justice official told Nikkei, "It's important to show that foreigners are being asked to cover their own costs."
Additionally, the government is thinking about increasing the cost of applying for a visa for both tourists and temporary visitors. The possible increase might help reduce overtourism and take inflation and increased visa processing expenses into consideration.
