Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fee 20-Fold

The government has also introduced additional requirements for permanent residency applicants, including minimum income levels, pension compliance and Japanese-language proficiency.

The steep increase prompted long queues at immigration offices earlier this week, as applicants rushed to submit their applications before the new fees took effect. Tokyo’s main immigration bureau reported waiting times of more than seven hours.

The fee increase is part of a broader series of changes to Japan’s immigration system under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, as the government seeks to manage the country’s rapidly growing foreign population.

In July, Japan also increased visa fees for foreign nationals fivefold—the first such increase in 50 years. Officials said the move was intended to reflect inflation and fluctuations in exchange rates.

Rising foreign population

Immigration remains a politically sensitive issue in Japan, where policies have traditionally been relatively restrictive. At the same time, the country’s ageing population and shrinking workforce have made foreign workers increasingly important in addressing labour shortages.

Japan’s foreign resident population exceeded 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a record increase of 9.5% from the previous year.

The rapid growth has also fuelled concerns among some sections of the population about immigration and social change.

Since taking office in October last year, Takaichi has made immigration management one of her key policy priorities.

In a post on X shortly before the new residency fees took effect, Takaichi acknowledged that some members of the public may feel “a sense of concern or unfairness” as the number of foreign residents increases.

“To address these concerns, [the government] is working to ensure that its policies toward foreign nationals are orderly, and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely,” she wrote.

Higher costs for residency applications

Before the latest changes, non-permanent residents paid 6,000 yen each time they applied to change their residency status or extend their stay.

From 1 October, the fees vary depending on the length of the requested stay, ranging from 10,000 yen for periods of three months or less to 75,000 yen for stays of five years or more.

People facing financial hardship and those recognised as refugees may qualify for reduced fees.

Applicants seeking permanent residency must also demonstrate a stable income at or above Japan’s average. The latest government data, released in July, put average household income at 5.75 million yen in 2024.

For some foreign residents, the changes have created additional financial and administrative hurdles.

Micaiah Stevens, a 37-year-old who has lived and worked in Tokyo for a decade, was unable to gather all the documents required to submit his permanent residency application before the higher fee came into effect.

He still intends to apply, but has questioned the new measures targeting foreign residents.