Japan will increase visa fees for foreign nationals by five times from July 1, marking the first adjustment in nearly five decades as authorities seek to account for inflation and currency fluctuations.
Under the revised rates, a single-entry visa will cost 15,000 yen, up from the current 3,000 yen, while fees for multi-entry visas will rise from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced the changes on Friday, describing them as necessary to reflect rising costs and shifts in exchange rates.
“We do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” he said.
The increase represents the first revision to Japan’s visa fees since 1978.
The move comes as the Japanese yen continues to struggle, having weakened significantly since 2021 and remaining close to its lowest levels in four decades. Combined with strong post-pandemic travel demand, the weaker currency has helped fuel a boom in tourism, with Japan receiving a record 42.7 million international visitors last year.
In May, Japan’s Upper House also approved legislation to increase a range of immigration-related charges affecting foreign residents.
The statutory ceiling for permanent residency application fees will rise to 300,000 yen from the current 10,000 yen. Fees for changing residency status or extending periods of stay will increase to as much as 100,000 yen, compared with the current 10,000 yen.
Japanese authorities say the revisions are intended to bring the country’s visa and residency fees more in line with those charged by other G7 countries.
In the United States, non-immigrant visa application fees typically range from $185 to $315, while a standard six-month visitor visa to the United Kingdom costs £135.
