Japan revises the fees for residence procedures — applied to applications received on or after April 1, 2025, with fees for procedures done online newly set
Source material is a Japanese government announcement (in Japanese); this page is a summary.
The fee is determined by the date on which the application is received. The post-revision fee applies to applications received on or after April 1, 2025, while for applications received by March 31, 2025 the pre-revision fee applies even if the permission or issuance for that application falls on or after April 1. For the procedures that have an online row in the fee list table (permission to change status of residence, permission to extend the period of stay, re-entry permission for single use and for multiple use, and issuance of a certificate of authorized employment), the online amount is written lower than the counter amount in the same table, but that online amount is written higher than the pre-revision amount in the same table. For permission for permanent residence (永住許可) and for issuance and re-issuance of the specified registrant card, only counter amounts are written in this table and there is no online row. The Japanese version titles this table 「手数料改定の例」 (examples of the fee revision), and the English version titles it 「List of Revised Fees」.
Key facts
| Effective date | April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | 出入国管理及び難民認定法施行令の一部を改正する政令 |
| Basis of application | The post-revision fees apply to applications received on or after April 1, 2025 |
| Transitional handling | Applications received by March 31, 2025 are paid at the pre-revision fee even if the permission or issuance falls on or after April 1 |
| Permission to change status of residence (在留資格変更許可) | After the revision: 6,000 yen at the counter / 5,500 yen online (4,000 yen before the revision) |
| Permission to extend the period of stay (在留期間更新許可) | After the revision: 6,000 yen at the counter / 5,500 yen online (4,000 yen before the revision) |
| Permission for permanent residence (永住許可) | After the revision: 10,000 yen at the counter (8,000 yen before the revision) — no online row in this table |
| Re-entry permission (再入国許可) | Single use (1 time): 4,000 yen at the counter / 3,500 yen online (3,000 yen before the revision) · Multiple use: 7,000 yen at the counter / 6,500 yen online (6,000 yen before the revision) |
| Certificates and cards | Issuance of a certificate of authorized employment: 2,000 yen at the counter / 1,600 yen online (1,200 yen before the revision) · Issuance of a specified registrant card: 4,000 yen at the counter (2,200 yen before the revision) · Re-issuance: 2,000 yen at the counter (1,100 yen before the revision) — for issuance and re-issuance of the specified registrant card there is no online row in this table |
Last checked:
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) states that, as the 「出入国管理及び難民認定法施行令の一部を改正する政令」 takes effect on April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7), the fee amounts for matters such as permission to change status of residence are revised, and the fee amounts for cases where the procedure is carried out online are also newly set. The post-revision fees apply to applications received on or after April 1, 2025. For applications received by March 31, 2025, the pre-revision fee is paid even if the permission or issuance for that application falls on or after April 1. In the 「手数料改定の例」 table of the fee list (料金表) posted by the Agency, permission to change status of residence (在留資格変更許可) is listed at 6,000 yen at the counter and 5,500 yen online (4,000 yen before the revision), permission to extend the period of stay (在留期間更新許可) at 6,000 yen at the counter and 5,500 yen online (4,000 yen before the revision), and permission for permanent residence (永住許可) at 10,000 yen at the counter (8,000 yen before the revision). For re-entry permission (再入国許可), the single-use permission is 4,000 yen at the counter and 3,500 yen online (3,000 yen before the revision) and the multiple-use permission is 7,000 yen at the counter and 6,500 yen online (6,000 yen before the revision), and issuance of a certificate of authorized employment (就労資格証明書) is 2,000 yen at the counter and 1,600 yen online (1,200 yen before the revision). For the specified registrant card (特定登録者カード), issuance is 4,000 yen at the counter (2,200 yen before the revision) and re-issuance is 2,000 yen at the counter (1,100 yen before the revision); together with permission for permanent residence, these have only a counter row in this table and no online row. The guidance page posts the fee list in two versions, a Japanese-language PDF and an English-language PDF. The Japanese version titles this table 「手数料改定の例」 (examples of the fee revision), and the English version titles it 「List of Revised Fees」.
Background — why this change
The basis is the 「出入国管理及び難民認定法施行令の一部を改正する政令」 (Cabinet Order partially amending the Enforcement Order of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act), which takes effect on April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7). On its guidance page 「在留手続等に関する手数料の改定」 (revision of the fees for residence procedures and the like), the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) states that, with this entry into force, the fee amounts for matters such as permission to change status of residence are revised and that the fee amounts for cases where the procedure is carried out online are also newly set. The same page also links to the guidance on 「在留申請のオンライン手続」 (online procedures for residence applications) and on 「特定登録者カード」 (specified registrant card), and posts the fee list (料金表) for download in two versions, a Japanese-language PDF (2.0MB) and an English-language PDF (581KB). The title of the table carried in the fee list is 「手数料改定の例」 in the Japanese version and 「List of Revised Fees」 in the English version. In this table, the labels 「窓口」 (counter) and 「オンライン」 (online) are not inside the post-revision fee column but in a sub-column within the span covered by the 「手続」 (procedure) header cell, to the right of the cell holding the name of the procedure. The pre-revision fee cell is merged across the counter and online rows and written as a single amount, and what is split into two amounts is the post-revision fee.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
Summaries reflect national-level programs. Municipal (city/ward/town) programs may differ — confirm with the official desk before applying.
FAQ
I applied in March 2025 and the permission comes after April — which fee do I pay?
According to the guidance of the Immigration Services Agency, for applications received by March 31, 2025 the pre-revision fee is paid even if the permission or issuance for that application falls on or after April 1. The post-revision fees apply to applications received on or after April 1, 2025. In other words, the criterion is the date of receipt, not the date of permission or issuance.
Is it cheaper online than at the counter?
In the fee list table, for the procedures that have an online row the online amount is written lower than the counter amount in the same table (for example, permission to extend the period of stay: 6,000 yen at the counter and 5,500 yen online). That online amount is written higher than the pre-revision amount in the same table (4,000 yen for permission to extend the period of stay). Meanwhile, permission for permanent residence and issuance and re-issuance of the specified registrant card have no online row at all in this table, and only counter amounts are written. Which procedures can be carried out online is not stated in this material.
Were online fees that already existed changed?
The guidance of the Immigration Services Agency states that, with the entry into force of this Cabinet Order, the fee amounts for matters such as permission to change status of residence are revised and that the fee amounts for cases where the procedure is carried out online are also newly set. In the fee list table as well, the pre-revision fee cell is merged across the counter and online rows and written as a single amount, and what is split into two amounts is the post-revision fee.
Where can I check the fees for procedures not in this table?
Neither the body of the guidance page nor the fee list PDFs (Japanese version and English version) states amounts for procedures other than those carried in the above table. The Japanese version titles this table 「手数料改定の例」 (examples of the fee revision), and the English version titles it 「List of Revised Fees」.
Are the fees for the specified registrant card (特定登録者カード) also in the table?
The table states that issuance of a specified registrant card is 4,000 yen at the counter (2,200 yen before the revision) and re-issuance is 2,000 yen at the counter (1,100 yen before the revision). Both items have only a counter row in this table and no online row. The guidance page also links to a separate guidance page on the specified registrant card.