On 28 August 2026, the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) published the confirmed fee revision for change of status of residence, extension of period of stay, and permanent residence permission. This finalises the content of the earlier draft cabinet order stage report from 3 July 2026, and takes effect on 1 October 2026.
- Legal basis: this revision was approved by Cabinet decision on 25 August 2026 and promulgated in the Official Gazette (官報) on 28 August as Cabinet Order No. 268 (the effective date of 1 October is set by Cabinet Order No. 267, and the related Ministry of Justice Ordinance No. 47 was promulgated on the same date). The provisions in the Official Gazette match the fee table in this article.
- Fees for change of status of residence and extension of period of stay: these move from the current flat rate of ¥6,000 (in person) / ¥5,500 (online) to seven tiers based on the length of stay granted.
| Period granted | In person | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | ¥10,000 | ¥10,000 |
| Over 3 months, up to 6 months | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 |
| Over 6 months, less than 1 year | ¥25,000 | ¥21,000 |
| 1 year | ¥33,000 | ¥27,000 |
| Over 1 year, less than 3 years | ¥48,000 | ¥42,000 |
| 3 years or more, less than 5 years | ¥64,000 | ¥56,000 |
| 5 years or more | ¥75,000 | ¥65,000 |
- Fee for permanent residence permission: rises from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000. There is no online option for this application; payment is in person only.
- Reason for the tiered structure: the ISA explains that online is cheaper than in-person payment in order to improve convenience for applicants, ease congestion at counters, and further encourage online applications. Longer-term permits are also comparatively cheaper; among the reasons the ISA gives for this is that long-term residents generally have a good residence record.
- The reference point is the date the application is received: 「令和８年９月３０日までに行われた申請に対する許可については、当該申請に係る許可が令和８年１０月１日以降となっても、改定前の手数料の額を納付することとなりますので御留意ください」（出入国在留管理庁）("Please note that for an application received by 30 September 2026, the pre-revision fee applies, even if the resulting permission is granted on or after 1 October 2026," the ISA states.) If the application is received by 30 September, the old fee applies even where the decision comes after October.
- Reduction and exemption schemes also exist: under Article 67, paragraph 3 of the Immigration Act, fees may be reduced, but only for people in financial hardship for whom humanitarian consideration is needed, to a maximum of ¥10,000 for change/renewal and a maximum of ¥20,000 for permanent residence permission. However, 「永住許可を受ける者で減額の対象となるのは、日本人、永住者又は特別永住者の配偶者又は子等に限ります」（同庁）("Among those receiving permanent residence permission, only spouses or children, etc., of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents are eligible for the reduction," the ISA states.) 「在留申請オンラインシステムでの申請は、減額措置に対応しておりません」（同庁）("Applications made through the Residence Application Online System are not eligible for the reduction measure," the ISA states.) The required documents are described only as "to be announced in due course" and have not yet been published. A separate exemption scheme also exists for diplomatic and official purposes, among others.
This revision redesigns the fee structure from a flat rate to a tiered one, and every tier represents an increase on the current fee. The amount payable depends on the timing of the application. The change to the payment method for online applications is covered in a separate article.
Separately, a review of the review and revocation criteria for permanent residence permission itself is also under way, with a draft revised guideline published (public comment closes 4 September). While the fee revision has already been confirmed, the review of the examination criteria remains at the draft stage as things stand.
As this revision also has implications for forecasting recruitment costs, please see our recruitment support services for advice on hiring foreign talent and residence procedures.
Source: Immigration Services Agency, "On the Revision of Residence-Permit Fee Amounts Effective 1 October 2026" / Immigration Services Agency, "Q&A" / Immigration Services Agency, "On Reduction or Exemption Measures for Residence-Permit Fees" / Official Gazette, 28 August 2026, Special Issue No. 192