If you hold a long-term residence permit in Japan, your renewal cost just jumped—and it's happening soon.
Japan has approved sharp increases to foreign resident visa renewal fees, with some categories seeing hikes of up to 967 percent. The increases take effect soon. If you hold a long-term residence permit (teijū-ken), a spouse visa, a work visa, or another status of residence, you need to know your new fee before your next renewal.
The scale of the increase varies by visa type. Some categories face more modest bumps; others are being hit hard. Long-term residents and family-visa holders should check the Immigration Services Agency website or contact their local immigration office to confirm the exact new fee for their status. Renewals typically happen every three to five years depending on your visa type, so if your renewal is coming up in the next few months, you may still pay the old rate—but verify this with immigration directly, as the effective date matters.
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Some visa renewal fees in Japan are jumping nearly tenfold—check your status before your next renewal.
Plan ahead. If you're on a work visa or long-term residence permit and your renewal is within the next year, budget for the new fee now. Some expats are accelerating renewals before the increase kicks in if they're eligible; others are reassessing whether staying in Japan still makes financial sense. The fee alone won't break most people, but it's a signal that Japan is tightening the cost of residency, and other fees may follow.
Source: original report ↗
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