Immigration Fee Reform Bill and JESTA in Japan: Key Points for Foreign Residents and Employers
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Key Points for Foreign Residents and Employers
On March 10, 2026, the Japanese government approved a bill that includes the creation of JESTA, Japan’s electronic travel authorization system, and an increase in the statutory ceiling for certain immigration-related fees. The bill passed the House of Representatives on April 28, 2026, but the actual fee amounts and implementation date still need to be confirmed through Cabinet Orders and official announcements after enactment.
Key point: Headlines referring to fees rising “up to 30 times” mainly concern the proposed statutory ceiling for permanent residence permission. It does not mean that every immigration fee has already increased to JPY 100,000 or JPY 300,000 immediately.
Three points to understand first
The bill has passed the House
The bill passed the House of Representatives on April 28, 2026. Further Diet proceedings and final enactment must still be monitored.
The ceiling and the actual fee are different
Even if the statutory ceiling is raised, the actual amount payable will be set separately by Cabinet Order and related rules.
JESTA concerns short-term entry
JESTA mainly concerns visa-exempt short-term visitors. It is different from renewal, change of status, and permanent residence procedures for medium- to long-term residents.
What does “up to 30 times higher” actually mean?
The major issue in the bill is the increase in the statutory ceiling for certain immigration-related fees. Public materials and media reports indicate that the proposed ceiling would be JPY 100,000 for change of status and extension of period of stay, and JPY 300,000 for permanent residence permission.
However, the statutory ceiling is not the same as the actual fee payable at Immigration. The actual fee amount will be determined separately after the bill is enacted.
| Procedure | Current representative fee | Proposed statutory ceiling | Practical point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change of Status of Residence | Counter application: JPY 6,000 Online application: JPY 5,500 |
Up to JPY 100,000 | The actual fee must be confirmed after Cabinet Orders and related rules are issued. |
| Extension of Period of Stay | Counter application: JPY 6,000 Online application: JPY 5,500 |
Up to JPY 100,000 | This may affect cost-sharing rules between foreign employees and employers. |
| Permanent Residence Permission | JPY 10,000 | Up to JPY 300,000 | Because the potential increase is large, timing, eligibility, and risk assessment will become even more important. |
Note: The current fees above are representative amounts applicable to applications accepted on or after April 1, 2025. Always check the latest official information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
What is JESTA? It is different from residence renewal or change of status
JESTA is planned as an online pre-travel authorization system for certain short-term visitors who do not need a visa to enter Japan. It is sometimes described as Japan’s version of the U.S. ESTA system.
The purpose is to check information before arrival, identify risks related to inadmissibility or overstaying at an earlier stage, and make landing procedures smoother for authorized travelers.
Important: JESTA mainly concerns tourism, short-term business trips, and family visits by visa-exempt travelers. It is structurally different from extension of period of stay, change of status, or permanent residence procedures for people already living in Japan.
What foreign residents should keep in mind
If you are planning to apply for an extension, change of status, or permanent residence, it is not safe to rush an application simply because fees may increase in the future. An application should be filed only after eligibility, facts, explanations, and supporting documents have been properly checked.
- Check your current status of residence, expiry date, and next required procedure
- Confirm whether you meet the requirements for renewal, change of status, or permanent residence
- Review possible risk factors such as tax, pension, health insurance, dependents, traffic violations, and job changes
- If you are considering permanent residence, carefully assess the timing of the application
- Do not confuse media-based estimates with finalized government fees
What employers should keep in mind
For companies employing foreign nationals, higher immigration-related fees may become part of the ongoing cost of maintaining foreign employment. This is especially relevant for employers hiring foreign employees under Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Specified Skilled Worker, Intra-company Transferee, Highly Skilled Professional, and other statuses that require periodic renewal.
- Decide whether renewal or change-of-status government fees will be borne by the employee or by the company
- Manage residence card expiry dates and avoid last-minute procedures
- Confirm whether job changes, transfers, and job descriptions are compatible with the employee’s status of residence
- For short-term business visitors from overseas, prepare a future JESTA confirmation flow once the system begins
- Clearly explain internally that the statutory ceiling and the actual payable fee are not the same thing
In practice, each case should be reviewed from four angles
Immigration matters should not be assessed based only on news headlines. The facts of each case must be reviewed carefully. At Tommy’s Legal Service, we usually check the following practical points.
Residence history, expiry date, family situation, tax and social insurance, and previous applications.
Company substance, employment contract, job duties, salary, and business stability.
Application forms, reason statements, certificates, and consistency of supporting materials.
Legal reforms, operational changes, additional document requests, and refusal risks.
Government fees, professional fees, translation costs, certificate costs, and company policy.
Whether to file quickly, prepare more documents first, or wait for a better timing.
Conclusion
The immigration reform bill involving JESTA and higher statutory fee ceilings shows that Japan’s border control and residence management systems are moving into a new phase.
The most important point is to separate what is already confirmed from what is not yet finalized. A higher statutory ceiling does not automatically mean that the actual fee has already increased to that ceiling. The exact fee amounts, implementation date, and scope of any reduction or exemption measures should be checked through future Cabinet Orders, ministerial rules, and official announcements by the Immigration Services Agency.
Foreign residents and employers should avoid reacting only to headlines. Instead, they should review expiry dates, procedure types, supporting documents, and cost-sharing rules in advance.
Consultation for renewal, change of status, and permanent residence
Tommy’s Legal Service supports applications for change of status, extension of period of stay, permanent residence, dependent status, work-related statuses, and employer-side immigration compliance. We help clients assess individual circumstances from a practical immigration-law perspective.
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