Japan has raised the fee for foreigners seeking permanent residency from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000 ($1,270), as the government introduces stricter requirements for long-term residence.
The new fee took effect on October 1, increasing the cost of a permanent residency application 20-fold. Applicants whose applications were accepted by September 30 will continue to pay the previous ¥10,000 fee even where approval is granted after the new rate takes effect.
The increase prompted a rush at immigration offices in the days before the deadline, with long queues reported as foreign residents sought to submit applications before the higher charge came into force. Applicants at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau faced waiting times of more than seven hours.
The higher fee is part of wider changes to Japan’s immigration system, which also introduce additional considerations for foreigners seeking permanent residence.
Under revised permanent residency guidelines, immigration authorities will consider whether an applicant’s household income has continuously reached a level above the average income for Japanese households of a comparable size. The assessment is generally made at household level, rather than looking only at the applicant’s individual earnings.
Pension records will also be considered when assessing whether applicants can maintain an independent livelihood. The revised guidelines further allow authorities to examine compliance with taxes and other public obligations, as well as an applicant’s understanding of Japanese systems and rules.
Japanese-language ability has also been included among the considerations for permanent residency, alongside the applicant’s integration into Japanese society. The revised framework sets out a B1-level standard under Japan’s language education framework, with details on how the requirement will be applied to different applicants.
The changes come as Japan’s foreign resident population continues to expand. Official figures show that 4,125,395 foreign residents were recorded in the country at the end of 2025, an increase of 356,418 people, or 9.5 per cent, from the previous year. The figure was a record and marked the first time the population exceeded four million.
The increase has coincided with Japan’s growing reliance on foreign workers as the country deals with labour shortages linked to its ageing population. Foreign workers have become increasingly important across several parts of the economy, while the rise in the foreign population has also intensified debate over immigration and integration.
The permanent residency fee increase follows a separate rise in Japan’s visa charges that took effect on July 1. The Foreign Ministry said the new fees are approximately ¥15,000 for a single-entry visa and ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa, depending on the applicant’s circumstances and nationality. Authorities cited changes to the fee system, with the revision coming after decades without a similar increase.
The latest measures give Japanese immigration authorities higher fees and additional criteria to apply as the country manages a growing foreign population.
For foreigners seeking to settle permanently, the changes mean a substantially higher application cost and closer consideration of their income, pension arrangements, public obligations and integration into Japanese society.
