📌 Updated August 28, 2026
"Official Link"▶︎ Confirm the official announcement from the Immigration Services Agency
The Immigration Services Agency has officially announced the final fee amounts for applications for changes to or renewals of status of residence, applications for permanent residence, and other related matters, which will take effect on October 1, 2026.
Accordingly, we would like to inform you that the fee amounts listed in this article have been officially finalized.
*The revised fees will apply to applications received on or after October 1, 2026.
Hello.
I’m Yukiko Horiuchi from the Horiuchi Administrative Scrivener Office.
In Japan, when changing or renewing your status of residence or applying for permanent residency, you must pay the prescribed fee to the Immigration Services Agency at the time the application is approved.
A major review of these residence permit fees is currently underway, and the Immigration Services Agency has published a draft cabinet order that includes specific revised amounts.
Under this proposed revision, the fees for permits to change status of residence and permits to extend the period of stay are scheduled to shift from the current flat-rate system to a system in which the amount varies depending on the period of stay granted.
Another significant change involves the fee for permanent residency. Currently set at 10,000 yen, the proposal announced this time calls for raising it to 200,000 yen.
If the proposed revisions are enacted as is, the financial burden associated with these procedures will increase significantly for those planning to change or renew their status of residence or apply for permanent residence in the future.
In this article, based on currently available government documents, we will provide a clear overview of how residence permit fees are scheduled to change, including the differences from the current fees and the anticipated effective dates.
1. Comparison of Current Fees and Proposed Changes
First, let’s briefly compare the current fees with the proposed revisions that were just announced.
| Procedure | Currently | Proposed Revision |
|---|---|---|
| Permission to Change Status of Residence | At the ticket counter: 6,000 yen Online: 5,500 yen | Depending on the permitted period of stay 10,000 yen to 75,000 yen |
| Permit to Extend Period of Stay | At the ticket counter: 6,000 yen Online: 5,500 yen | Depending on the permitted period of stay 10,000 yen to 75,000 yen |
| permanent residence permit | 10,000 yen | 200,000 yen 20 times the current amount |
Currently, for applications to change status of residence and to extend the period of stay, the fee is 6,000 yen for in-person applications and 5,500 yen for online applications, regardless of the length of the permitted period of stay.
In contrast, the current revision proposal states that, The longer the permitted period of stay, the higher the fee....is the case.
2. The fee for changes or renewals varies depending on the “Permitted Period of Stay.”
The specific proposed revisions are as follows.
| Permitted Period of Stay | Currently | Proposed Revision over the counter (e.g. counter application) | Proposed Revision Online Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | Service Counter 6,000 yen online 5,500 yen | 10,000 yen | 10,000 yen |
| More than 3 months 6 months or less | 18,000 yen | 15,000 yen | |
| More than 6 months Less than 1 year | 25,000 yen | 21,000 yen | |
| 1 year | 33,000 yen | 27,000 yen | |
| More than 1 year Less than 3 years | 48,000 yen | 42,000 yen | |
| 3 years or more Less than 5 years | 64,000 yen | 56,000 yen | |
| 5 years or more | 75,000 yen | 65,000 yen |
For example, currently, whether you are granted a “1-year” or a “5-year” extension of your period of stay, the application fee is the same—6,000 yen—if you apply in person.
However, if the proposed revisions are enacted as is, when applying in person, 33,000 yen if a one-year period of stay is granted; 75,000 yen if a period of five years or more is grantedThe first two are the following.
In addition, for online applications, the fees are set lower than those for in-person applications in many categories.
3. The fee for a permanent residence permit has increased from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen.
One of the most significant changes in this proposed revision is Permanent Resident Card Application FeeIt is.
| Procedure | Currently | Proposed Revision | difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| permanent residence permit | 10,000 yen | 200,000 yen | +190,000 yen |
Since it is currently 10,000 yen, if the proposed revision is enacted as is, An increase of 190,000 yenand thus, the current20 timesThat is the amount.
You may also come across reports in some media outlets stating that “the fee for a permanent residence permit will be 300,000 yen.”
On this point, "The legal maximum amount" and "the fees actually expected to be paid"We need to consider these separately.
Under the 2026 amendment to the Immigration Control Act, regarding the application fee for permanent residence permits: The legal maximum amount is 300,000 yenwas raised to .
However, it has not yet been decided that the actual fee will be 300,000 yen. The specific amount is to be determined by cabinet order, and According to the currently published draft cabinet order, the amount is 200,000 yenIt is considered to be a
4. Why are they raising fees so significantly?
Regarding this significant increase, the Ministry of Justice and the Immigration Services Agency have also explained the reasons behind it.
With the number of foreign residents in Japan reaching a record high, and costs for the proper management of foreign nationals’ entry, exit, and residence expected to rise further in the future, it is necessary to secure the required funding, and It is necessary to require foreign residents to bear their fair share of the burden....is stated.
For this reason, the fees in this case are set not only to cover the actual costs of reviewing applications, but also to account for the expenses associated with managing the entry, exit, and residency of foreign nationals.
According to explanations provided by the government during Diet deliberations and other occasions, the actual costs associated with processing applications for changes or renewals of residence status are approximately 10,000 yen, while those for processing applications for permanent residence are approximately 20,000 yen.
Furthermore, taking into account benefits such as the ability to reside in Japan for a certain period of time upon receiving permission, "Benefit-Based Elements"Taking these factors into account, an approach has been adopted to set specific fees.
5. When is the change scheduled to take effect?
Scheduled effective date of the currently published draft cabinet order
"October 1, 2026"
The amended Immigration Control Act, which serves as the basis for this fee revision, is, Enacted by the Diet on May 29, 2026, and promulgated on June 5 of the same year...is being done.
However, rather than specifying the exact amount of the fee in the law itself, the system is designed so that the specific amount is set by cabinet order.
In response to this, the Immigration Services Agency July 3, 2026The government published a draft cabinet order specifying the specific fees and other charges, and solicited public comments via e-Gov.
The public comment period is From July 3, 2026, through midnight on August 3So, registration is now closed.
Furthermore, in the draft released by the government during the public comment period, October 1, 2026, is the scheduled effective date...is stated.
Status as of August 24, 2026
- Amendments to the Immigration Control Act: Enacted and Promulgated
- Cabinet Order Setting Specific Fees: Draft Published
- Public Comments: Submission Period Closed
- Scheduled effective date under the draft cabinet order: October 1, 2026
- Final Amount and Effective Date: We need to continue monitoring the details of the official cabinet order once it is promulgated.
Therefore, at this point, "It has been confirmed that prices will increase starting October 1, 2026." Rather than making that assertion,
"According to the draft cabinet order currently released by the government, the law is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026." It is accurate to understand it that way.
6. If I apply before October, will the current fee apply?
I think this is a major concern for anyone planning to renew their period of stay or apply for permanent residency in the future.
Specifically, regarding permanent residency permits, there is a difference between the current fee of 10,000 yen and the proposed fee of 200,000 yen, A difference of as much as 190,000 yenThere are
However, At what point will the new fee apply to submitted applications?Regarding this matter, it is necessary to confirm the final cabinet order and the transitional measures to be announced by the Immigration Services Agency.
For your information, when the fees for residence procedures were revised on April 1, 2025, For applications received by March 31, 2025, the pre-revision fees will apply even if the permit is issued on or after April 1.It was done.
However, we cannot conclude at this point that similar transitional measures will apply in this case as well.
In the future, when official cabinet orders or guidance from the Immigration Services Agency is released, Which date—the “application date” or the “approval date”—serves as the basis for applying the new rates?We also need to verify this.
7. Finally
In this article, we introduced the proposed revisions to residence permit application fees, which are scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026.
If this proposed revision is enacted as is, it is expected that the financial burden on foreign nationals residing in Japan for the medium to long term will increase—not only for changes and renewals of residence status, but also because, in particular, the fee for permanent residency permits will be significantly raised from the current 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen.
However, please note that the specific fee amounts and effective dates currently announced are based on the draft cabinet order released by the government. Therefore, if you plan to submit an application in the future, please be sure to reconfirm the official details and effective dates to avoid any mistakes.
Once the final details have been confirmed, the Horiuchi Administrative Scrivener Office will provide you with further information.
Thank you for reading to the end.
[Reference Materials and Official Documents]
・Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Regarding the Reiwa 8 Amendments to the Immigration Control Act, etc.”
・e-Gov Public Comment, Case No. 315000136
Call for Comments on the “Draft Cabinet Order to Partially Amend the Enforcement Order of the Act on Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition and the Enforcement Order of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Immigration Control of Persons Who Have Renounced Japanese Nationality Pursuant to the Treaty of Peace with Japan,” et al.
・Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Amounts of Residence Permit Fees (Draft)”
・Press Conference by the Minister of Justice Following the Cabinet Meeting (July 3, Reiwa 8)
*This article is based on information published as of August 24, 2026, by the Ministry of Justice, the Immigration Services Agency, e-Gov, and other sources. The specific fees are based on the draft cabinet order currently published; however, the amounts, effective dates, and methods of application are subject to change following the official promulgation of the cabinet order or other developments.
Horiuchi Gyoseishoshi Lawyer Office
Horiuchi Gyoseishoshi Lawyer Office (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Attn: Gyoseishoshi Scrivener Yukiko Horiuchi
Affiliation: Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association, Shinjuku Branch
Tokyo Immigration and Residency Management Bureau, Application Agency Gyoseishoshi Scrivener
Member of Foreign Employment Support Organization (FESO)
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