Japan Visa Renewal Fees to Increase to ¥30,000–¥40,000 & Permanent Residency to ¥100,000+｜Key Impacts for Companies and Foreign Residents

1. Overview of Japan’s Residency Fee Revisions (2025 Changes & Policies Toward 2027)

This section summarizes the current information regarding the fee increases for Japan’s visa renewal and permanent residency applications.

Fee Revisions Effective April 1, 2025

• Visa renewal fee: ¥4,000 → ¥6,000
• Permanent residency application fee: ¥8,000 → ¥10,000

These revised fees have already come into effect for all applications submitted on or after April 1, 2025.

Major Fee Hike Planned for Fiscal Year 2027

According to reports on November 20, 2025, the Japanese government is preparing to significantly increase immigration-related fees by FY2027. The exact amounts will be finalized through upcoming amendments to the Immigration Control Act and the government’s economic policy measures, but the projections currently indicate the following:

• Visa renewal fee: around ¥30,000–¥40,000
• Permanent residency application fee: around ¥100,000

Compared with the current ¥6,000 (renewal) and ¥10,000 (permanent residency), this represents a five- to sevenfold increase in visa renewal fees.

Although the final amounts and enforcement date may change depending on future legal reforms, it is clear that both employers and foreign residents must prepare for a significantly higher financial impact associated with Japan’s visa renewal and permanent residency procedures.

※The fees listed above are estimates based on media reports. Please refer to official government announcements for the latest confirmed information.

2. Impact on Employers

(1) Increased Costs & HR Budget Impact

For companies employing foreign nationals, the sharp increase in Japan’s visa renewal fees will directly raise annual HR expenses.

For example, if the visa renewal fee increases from ¥6,000 to ¥40,000 and the company chooses to cover the cost:

• Number of foreign employees: 50
• Renewal fee per employee: ¥40,000
• Additional annual cost: approximately ¥1.7 million (including differences from previous fee levels)

At this level, it is no longer realistic to require employees to pay the fee themselves; therefore, fee coverage by employers will likely become the standard.

As a result, visa renewal fees must be incorporated into welfare costs or overall HR budgeting—including salary structure, hiring costs, and long-term workforce planning.

(2) Importance of Securing a 5-Year Residence Period & Category Classification

The most effective way to reduce the cost burden of renewal fee increases is to reduce the number of renewal cycles. This means securing the 5-year residence period whenever possible.

The key factor is the company’s “Category” classification under Japan’s immigration system. In general:

• Category 1 & 2: Listed companies or large companies with equivalent financial standing
• Category 3 & 4: Small and medium-sized companies, sole proprietors

Companies classified as Category 1 or 2 are more likely to receive the 5-year residence period.

Certification Systems That Allow SMEs to Become Category 1

Even small and medium-sized enterprises may qualify as Category 1 if they obtain certain government certifications:

• “Eruboshi” certification (promotion of women’s participation)
• “Kurumin” certification (childcare support excellence)
• Youth Yell (Youth Employment Promotion) certification

These certifications demonstrate strong HR practices and work-style reforms and offer the following benefits:

• Easier approval of a 5-year residence period, reducing renewal frequency
• Overall reduction in long-term visa renewal fees

In summary, strong HR compliance and work-style reforms directly contribute to reducing visa renewal-related costs.

(3) Skilled Foreign Professionals Will Pay More Attention to “Quality of Procedures”

As the renewal fee increases, visa renewal and status change procedures become far more critical for foreign employees—mistakes become costly.

• To what extent the company supports the immigration process (fee coverage, guidance, consultation)
• Whether HR has a reliable internal system for application handling
• Whether the company works with immigration specialists such as administrative scriveners

The reliability of immigration procedures becomes a part of corporate welfare and a key factor in employee retention.

In an increasingly competitive hiring environment, companies capable of providing full immigration support—including renewal fee planning—will be more attractive to foreign professionals.

3. Impact on Foreign Residents and Their Families

(1) Financial Burden on Household Budgets and Life Planning

Next, we look at the impact from the viewpoint of foreign residents and their families.

If we assume that the visa renewal fee increases from ¥6,000 to ¥40,000, the burden will be extremely heavy for those living in Japan with dependent family members.

For example, consider the following case:

• Family composition: principal visa holder + spouse + 2 children (total of 4 people)
• Visa renewal fee per person: ¥40,000
• Total renewal fee required per application: approximately ¥160,000

Compared with the previous fee level, this means that an amount equivalent to “one family trip or more” will be incurred every few years.

Taking into account income levels, education costs, and housing expenses, some families may find that “it will be difficult to continue long-term residence in Japan without a strong purpose and careful financial planning.”

What makes this even more serious is that if the application is denied, the same visa renewal fee must be paid again for each re-application.

• Incomplete or incorrect documents
• Non-payment of pension, health insurance premiums, or resident tax
• Failure to report changes such as job change, change of address, or divorce

If an application is denied due to any of the above reasons, it may simply result in “double the cost” because another visa renewal fee increase (for example ¥30,000–¥40,000 per person) will again be charged upon re-application.
Going forward, the attitude of “let’s just submit it and see what happens” will be extremely risky from a household budget perspective when visa renewal and permanent residency fees are this high.

(2) Growing Importance of Proper Residency Management

The higher the visa renewal and permanent residency fees become, the more important each individual application will be. Foreign residents and their families will be expected to practice the following forms of “proper residency management.”

• Timely and correct payment of pension, health insurance premiums, and resident tax
• Reporting changes in personal status—such as job change, change of address, or divorce—within 14 days
• Accuracy of all information in application forms and statements of reason
• Preparing and applying for renewal well before the expiration date of the current residence period

In addition, moving as early as possible to secure a “5-year residence period”, and ultimately to obtain permanent residency, is a realistic way to reduce the long-term burden of repeated visa renewal fee increases.

In contrast, behaviors such as the following will increasingly lead to stricter responses, application denial, or even revocation of status of residence:

• Leaving unpaid taxes or social insurance premiums unaddressed
• Neglecting legally required notifications
• Continuing work that does not match the activities permitted under the current status of residence

With higher visa renewal and permanent residency fees, these issues will no longer be minor problems—they may directly result in the loss of the right to stay in Japan.

4. How Will the Increased Revenue Be Used? Relationship to Japan’s Overall Immigration Policy

The additional revenue generated by the increase in visa renewal and permanent residency fees is not intended merely to “boost government income.” It is expected to be used as a financial resource for Japan’s overall immigration and foreign resident policy. Specifically, the increased revenue is likely to be allocated to the following areas:

• Improving the environment for the rapidly growing foreign resident population
  This includes enhancing multilingual consultation services, providing support for daily life and education, and promoting policies that encourage coexistence with local communities.
• Covering the costs of deporting undocumented or overstaying foreign nationals
  This will help strengthen enforcement systems that clearly distinguish between lawful residents and those who violate immigration rules.

In this sense, the increase in Japan’s visa renewal and permanent residency fees also serves as a means of “securing financial resources to protect foreign nationals who are residing lawfully.”
For foreign residents who pay taxes properly and are enrolled in social insurance programs, the following positive measures may be introduced in the future:

• More stable and predictable residence periods
• Clearer and more transparent criteria for permanent residency examinations
• Expansion of support programs related to daily life and child-raising

There is thus a strong possibility that new, more favorable systems and schemes will be implemented for those who comply with the rules. Rather than viewing the increase in visa renewal and permanent residency fees only as a negative, it is important to recognize it as part of Japan’s shift toward a more transparent and structured immigration and residency management system.

5. Practical Measures You Can Take Now

By fiscal year 2027, Japan’s visa renewal fee is expected to rise to 30,000–40,000 yen, and the permanent residency application fee to 100,000 yen or more.

Since the increase in immigration-related costs cannot be avoided, it is more important than ever for both employers and foreign residents to “reduce the number of renewal cycles,” “avoid application denial,” and “secure long-term residence early.”

Below are practical preparations that companies and foreign residents should begin addressing now.

(1) Key Points for Employers

For companies employing foreign nationals, the sharp increase in Japan’s visa renewal fees directly impacts overall HR expenses, recruitment costs, and employee benefits. As renewal fees rise to 30,000–40,000 yen, each additional renewal increases total labor costs, making the establishment of internal procedures essential.

• Simulate HR budgets with higher renewal fees in mind
  Organize the number of foreign employees, residence expiry dates, and renewal frequency, then calculate annual costs assuming visa renewal fees of 30,000–40,000 yen.
• Adopt HR strategies to move toward Category 1 and 2
  Consider obtaining government certifications such as Eruboshi, Kurumin, or Youth Yell to create an environment where 5-year residence permits are more likely to be approved.
• Strengthen your internal residence-status application workflow
  Standardize checklists, renewal schedules, and verification of pension, tax, and reporting status within the HR department.
• Enhance collaboration with immigration professionals
  As visa renewal fees become more expensive, a single denial has a much greater financial impact. For high-risk or complicated cases, pre-review or代理 application by a certified immigration specialist (such as ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer’s Office) is a realistic risk mitigation strategy.

(2) Key Points for Foreign Residents and Their Families

The rise in visa renewal fees will also significantly impact the household budgets of foreign residents. Because a single denial can result in an additional 30,000–40,000 yen per person, “maintaining a status that ensures renewal approval” becomes the most critical factor.

• Review payment status for pension, health insurance, and taxes
  Confirm early that there are no outstanding or overdue payments and resolve any issues promptly.
• Strictly follow reporting obligations for job change, relocation, marriage, or divorce
  Failure to report within 14 days can negatively affect renewal approval and permanent residency screening.
• Ensure your work activities match your permitted residence status
  Working outside the scope of your permitted activities increases the risk of denial or even revocation.
• Consider early permanent residency or long-term residence applications
  Obtaining a 5-year residence period and applying for permanent residency reduce the total number of renewals, lowering long-term costs associated with fee increases.

6. Summary of the 2027 Planned Fee Increase for Residency Procedures

The increase in Japan’s visa renewal and permanent residency application fees will place unavoidable financial pressure on both employers and foreign residents. However, it also represents an important turning point toward greater transparency and accuracy in Japan’s residency management system.

For employers, this means the need to redefine immigration procedures as part of HR budgeting, recruitment strategy, and employee benefits.

For foreign residents and families, it becomes essential to maintain proper tax and insurance payments, submit required notifications, and aim for stable long-term residence, including permanent residency.

Rather than viewing the fee increase merely as a “cost,” it should be seen as a strategic opportunity, both for companies to strengthen their foreign talent management and for individuals to establish a more stable life foundation in Japan.

Sources & References

• Immigration Services Agency of Japan — “Fee Revision for Residency Procedures (Effective April 1, 2025)”
• Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov 20, 2025) — “Government Plans Large-Scale Increase in Residency Procedure Fees by FY2027”
• Ministry of Justice — Materials related to the 2026 proposed amendments to the Immigration Control Act
• Cabinet Office — Policy documents related to immigration fee considerations in the 2026 Comprehensive Economic Measures

※This page was prepared by ACROSEED Immigration Lawyer’s Office based on publicly available government information and media reports.
※Final fee amounts and implementation schedules may change due to future legal revisions. Please check the latest official announcements.

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