Japan Immigration Fee Comparison 2026: Payment Timing and Refusal Costs
Updated September 6, 2026
Japan’s Higher Immigration Fees Compared: Payment on Approval and Refusal Costs
PR at JPY 200,000 and duration-based renewal fees are confirmed. Compare when payment is due, what is lost on refusal, and which family or employer costs must be included.
1. Japan’s final fees and transitional rules
The final fees below apply to applications received on or after October 1, 2026. Applications received by September 30 retain the old fees even if permission is granted later: change and extension JPY 6,000 at the counter or JPY 5,500 online; permanent residence JPY 10,000.
Change and extension fees depend on the period actually granted, not the requested period. Government fees are separate from our professional fees and are generally paid when permission is granted.
| Period granted | Counter (JPY) | Online government fee (JPY) | Processing (JPY) | Online total (JPY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | 10,000 | 10,000 | 330 | 10,330 |
| More than 3 and up to 6 months | 18,000 | 15,000 | 330 | 15,330 |
| More than 6 months and less than 1 year | 25,000 | 21,000 | 330 | 21,330 |
| 1 year | 33,000 | 27,000 | 330 | 27,330 |
| More than 1 year and less than 3 years | 48,000 | 42,000 | 330 | 42,330 |
| 3 years or more and less than 5 years | 64,000 | 56,000 | 550 | 56,550 |
| 5 years or more | 75,000 | 65,000 | 550 | 65,550 |
Permanent residence permission costs JPY 200,000.Ordinary residence-card validity renewal for an existing permanent resident is a separate procedure and remains free.
Online Processing Fees and Payment — Checked September 6, 2026
The online amounts below show the government fee, the separate processing fee and the total. For online applications received from October 1, payment is by convenience store or bank payment. Revenue stamps, credit cards and QR code payments cannot be used. The official payment email comes from no-reply@service-dgft.com.
Online applications received by September 30 retain the old fees and revenue-stamp payment method even if permission is granted later. Counter applications continue to use revenue stamps. If you submit evidence for a fee reduction, apply at the counter: online filing does not support reductions.
Online government fees for re-entry permits and Certificates of Authorized Employment remain unchanged, but a JPY 220 processing fee applies to applications received from October 1. Totals are JPY 3,720 for single re-entry, JPY 6,720 for multiple re-entry and JPY 1,820 for an employment certificate.
These are separate from our professional fees and Stripe payment arrangements. Detailed payment operating instructions and supporting-document guidance for reductions remain subject to further official publication.
Official fee revision / Official online payment guidance / Fee reductions
Full explanation of final fees, transitional rules and reductions / Professional and government fee schedule
2. Distinguish application, permission and refundable charges
These representative rules were checked against official sources on September 6, 2026. The procedures have different scopes, so this is not a country-wide price ranking. Work visas, domestic renewals and PR must be compared separately, with amounts shown in local currency.
| Country / procedure | Timing and example amount | Refusal or withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Japan change / extension / PR | Generally on approval. New one-year fee JPY 33,000 counter / JPY 27,330 online total; PR JPY 200,000 | No permission fee arises on refusal, but already-incurred professional, translation and certificate costs are separate. |
| U.S. nonimmigrant visa | Application processing fee USD 185 or USD 205 for covered petition-based categories | State Department processing fees are non-refundable. These are not totals including USCIS and additional issuance charges. |
| UK standard work visa | At application: outside UK GBP 819 up to 3 years / GBP 1,618 over 3 years, plus usual IHS GBP 1,035 yearly | Application fees are generally not refunded on refusal; IHS is refundable. Upfront total and final loss are different. |
| Canada economic PR | CAD 990 processing; CAD 600 RPRF before becoming a permanent resident, also payable upfront | Separate processing costs after work starts from RPRF, refundable on refusal or withdrawal. Standard work permit CAD 155, with conditional additions. |
| Australia 482 / 189 | Base application charge AUD 4,015 / 6,135; additions and any applicable second instalment are separate | Application charges are usually not refunded on refusal or withdrawal; limited statutory refund grounds apply. |
| Germany residence / settlement | General residence issuance EUR 100, extension EUR 93 / 96, general settlement EUR 113. Section 49 provides processing charges. | Charges are not limited to successful decisions. Exceptions include withdrawal before substantive processing; avoid a blanket no-refund rule. |
3. Is Japan expensive or cheap after the increase?
The new JPY 200,000 PR fee is 20 times the old JPY 10,000. A one-year renewal at the counter is JPY 33,000, or 5.5 times the old fee. The online total of JPY 27,330 is approximately 4.97 times the old JPY 5,500. The old blanket description of Japan as very cheap is no longer appropriate.
However, some foreign routes bundle healthcare charges, employer costs and processing fees that remain payable after refusal. Comparing Japan’s permission fee alone with a full foreign package does not establish a fair ranking. More money to prepare on approval is different from more government fees lost on refusal.
4. Families and employers should budget for approval
Four new PR permissions cost JPY 800,000. Four one-year change or extension permissions cost JPY 132,000 at the counter or JPY 109,320 online. Do not assume a reduction will be granted. Share the possible fee bands, maximum amount, cost-sharing responsibility and payment timing before filing.
Repeated one-year renewals and a single longer permission also produce different totals. The period is determined through examination and cannot be guaranteed. See the five-year and family total-cost comparison.
5. Review eligibility as well as price
Check the applicant, employer or receiving institution, supporting evidence and current examination practice. Avoiding a non-refundable permission charge does not remove preparation costs or deadline risks. Receipt-date transitional rules should not replace an eligibility and evidence review.
Review eligibility and cost planning together
Check the applicant, employer or receiving institution, consistency of evidence and current examination practice before selecting a filing date. Allow for family and employer costs as well as the individual fee.
Immigration inquiry and quotation / Professional and government fee schedule / Family and long-term total-cost comparison
Official sources and refund rules
- Japan MOFA — visa fees from July 1, 2026
- U.S. Department of State — Fees for Visa Services
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker costs
- Canada IRCC — current fees and RPRF refunds
- Australia Home Affairs — current visa pricing table
- Germany AufenthV §44 — settlement / §45 — residence permits
- European Commission — Schengen visa
