Japan hikes residency extension fees by up to 12-fold, permanent residency 20-fold
By Aboki Forex —
Japan will sharply raise the fees foreign nationals pay to extend or change their residency status from October 2026. The government adopted an ordinance on Tuesday, with some applications costing more than 12 times the current rate.
New fee structure
Currently, all residency extension and status-change applications carry a flat fee of ¥6,000, about $37.62. Under the new structure, the cost will vary depending on the length of approved residency, reaching as high as ¥75,000, about $470.
Extensions of up to three months will cost ¥10,000. Those covering one year will rise to ¥33,000. Extensions of three to under five years will be charged ¥64,000. Any period of five years or more will attract the maximum fee of ¥75,000.
Permanent residency cost jumps
The steepest increase falls on foreign nationals applying for permanent residency. That fee will climb from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000, a 20-fold rise.
The revised law gives the government authority to charge up to ¥100,000 for temporary residency procedures and up to ¥300,000 for permanent residency. The ordinance sets the specific amounts applicants will actually pay.
Exemptions widened
Not every applicant will pay the full amount. Japan's Immigration Services Agency has expanded the conditions for reduced fees.
Initially, applicants could qualify for lower charges if they faced financial hardship comparable to those receiving public assistance and where humanitarian considerations were relevant. Under those early guidelines, reduced fees were set at ¥10,000 for temporary procedures and ¥20,000 for permanent residency.
After a public comment period, the agency widened the scope of the humanitarian exemption. Foreign nationals who are the sole caregiver for biological children holding Japanese nationality or special permanent residency status may now qualify. The exemption can also apply where denying or refusing residency would be considered inhumane.
Japan's special permanent resident category covers people who lived in the country before the Second World War but lost Japanese citizenship after it ended, as well as their descendants.
What it means
The new fees take effect in October 2026 and will significantly increase the cost burden for foreign residents in Japan. For Nigerians living or planning to stay in Japan, the higher charges mean a bigger financial commitment, especially for those seeking long-term or permanent status.