Japan Immigration Fees 2026: JPY 200,000 PR Proposal, Free Card Renewal & JESTA
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JPY 200,000 PR Proposal, Free Card Renewal and JESTA
Japan enacted and promulgated its 2026 immigration law amendment, which raises statutory fee ceilings and creates the legal framework for JESTA. A Cabinet Order proposal published on July 3 sets out proposed payable fees. Foreign residents and employers should distinguish the statutory ceiling, the proposed amount, and the final amount in force.
Important update as of August 2026: The amendment was enacted on May 29 and promulgated on June 5. The Cabinet Order proposal published on July 3 sets a proposed JPY 200,000 counter fee for permanent residence permission and duration-based fees for change of status and extension procedures, with implementation planned for October 1, 2026. These amounts are presented as a proposal released for public comment. Check the final promulgated rules and the latest Immigration Services Agency guidance before filing.
1. Three points to understand first
Separate the ceiling, proposal, and final fee.
A Cabinet Order proposal now provides specific amounts, but applicants should still confirm the final promulgated rules before filing.
JESTA mainly concerns short-term entry.
JESTA is different from extension, change of status, and permanent residence procedures for people already living in Japan.
Residents should not rush weak applications.
For renewal, change of status, or permanent residence, eligibility and document consistency are more important than filing quickly only because fees may rise.
2. Statutory ceilings and the July Cabinet Order proposal
The amended law raises the statutory ceiling to JPY 100,000 for change of status and extension procedures, and to JPY 300,000 for permanent residence permission. A statutory ceiling is the maximum amount that may be set under the law; it is not automatically the fee payable by an applicant.
The Cabinet Order proposal published on July 3 provides specific proposed fees. Change and extension fees would vary according to the period granted and the application method, while permanent residence permission would carry a JPY 200,000 counter fee. October 1, 2026 is the planned implementation date, but the final promulgated rules should be checked before filing.
| Procedure | Current representative fee | Statutory ceiling | July 2026 Cabinet Order proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change of Status / Extension of Period of Stay | Counter: JPY 6,000 Online: JPY 5,500 |
JPY 100,000 | Duration-based. Counter fees range from JPY 10,000 to JPY 75,000; online fees for applicable categories range from JPY 15,000 to JPY 65,000. |
| Permanent Residence Permission | Counter: JPY 10,000 | JPY 300,000 | Counter: JPY 200,000 |
| Residence card validity renewal for an existing permanent resident | No fee | Not covered by the permanent residence permission fee | This is a separate procedure and is not subject to the proposed JPY 200,000 fee. |
Note: Under the July proposal, an application filed before October 1, 2026 would remain subject to the previous fee even if permission is granted on or after that date. Check the final official rules for amounts, implementation, and transitional treatment.
3. What is JESTA?
JESTA is an online pre-travel authorization system for certain short-term visitors who do not need a visa to enter Japan. The 2026 amendment creates its legal framework, while the start date, covered travelers, application method, and fee still require further official details.
The purpose is to allow pre-arrival screening, identify possible inadmissibility or overstay risks at an earlier stage, and make border control more efficient. For travelers, this may mean that online authorization will need to be obtained before boarding or before entry, depending on the final system design.
Important: JESTA mainly concerns visa-exempt short-term visitors, such as tourists, short-term business visitors, and family visitors. It is structurally different from extension of period of stay, change of status, or permanent residence procedures for people already living in Japan.
4. What foreign residents should keep in mind
If you are already living in Japan and planning an extension, change of status, or permanent residence application, do not make the decision based only on the possibility of a future fee increase. A weak or premature application may create more risk than benefit.
- Check your current status of residence, residence card expiry date, and next required procedure.
- Confirm whether your facts actually meet the requirements for renewal, change of status, or permanent residence.
- Review tax, pension, health insurance, dependents, traffic violations, job changes, and immigration notifications.
- If you are considering permanent residence, check both eligibility and timing carefully.
- Do not confuse media-based estimates with finalized government fees.
5. What employers should keep in mind
For companies employing foreign nationals, future immigration-related fee increases may become part of the ongoing cost of foreign employment. This is especially relevant for employees who need periodic renewals or changes of status, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Specified Skilled Worker, Intra-company Transferee, Highly Skilled Professional, Business Manager, and other work-related statuses.
- Decide whether government fees for renewals or changes of status will be borne by the employee or by the company.
- Manage residence card expiry dates and avoid last-minute procedures.
- Check whether job duties, transfers, work location, salary, and employment contract match the employee’s status of residence.
- Prepare an internal process for short-term business visitors if JESTA starts applying to visa-exempt travelers.
- Explain internally that the statutory ceiling and the actual payable fee are not the same thing.
6. Permanent residence applicants should be especially careful
Permanent residence is often the procedure most affected by public attention to fee reform because reports have referred to a possible statutory ceiling of JPY 300,000. However, permanent residence applications should not be rushed only because fees may increase in the future.
Permanent residence screening involves residence history, income, tax, pension, health insurance, conduct, dependents, family relationships, immigration notifications, current period of stay, and document consistency. If the case is not ready, filing quickly may increase the risk of refusal.
Practical caution: A fee increase may make timing more important, but it does not lower the substantive screening requirements. For permanent residence, the applicant should first confirm whether the case is strong enough to file.
For people who already hold permanent resident status:
The proposed JPY 200,000 fee concerns a new application for permanent residence permission. It does not apply when an existing permanent resident renews the validity period of a residence card. The Immigration Services Agency currently states that no fee is charged for the residence card validity renewal procedure.
Permanent resident status has no period-of-stay expiry, but the residence card itself has a validity period and must be renewed before it expires.
7. In practice, each case should be reviewed from six 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, social insurance, and previous applications.
Company substance, employment contract, job duties, salary, and business stability.
Application forms, reason statements, certificates, translations, 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.
8. Conclusion
Japan’s 2026 amendment has been enacted and promulgated, and a Cabinet Order proposal now provides specific proposed immigration fees. The legal framework for JESTA has also been created.
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 proposal specifies fee amounts, a planned implementation date, and reduction or exemption rules, but applicants should check the final Cabinet Order, ministerial rules, and Immigration Services Agency announcements before filing.
Foreign residents and employers should avoid reacting only to headlines. Instead, they should review expiry dates, procedure types, supporting documents, cost-sharing rules, and the strength of the individual case 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.
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜2026 amendment to the Immigration Control Act and related legislation
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Public comment on the Cabinet Order proposal for immigration permission fees
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Application to renew the validity period of a residence card
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜Revision of immigration-related fees from April 1, 2025
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan｜News and updates
This article is based on the enacted amendment and the Cabinet Order proposal publicly available as of August 9, 2026. Proposed fees, implementation, reduction or exemption measures, and JESTA details may change in the final Cabinet Order, ministerial rules, and official announcements. Please check the latest official information before filing.
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