Japan Residence Fees from October 1, 2026: Rates, Payment and Relief

For applications accepted from October 1, 2026, status changes and extensions cost ¥10,000–¥75,000 at a counter or ¥10,330–¥65,550 online, including the payment charge. The amount depends on the period granted.

Online filing costs less in every tier above three months, even after the payment charge. For three months or less, the counter fee is ¥10,000 and the online total is ¥10,330.

Who's affected

The revision covers foreign residents receiving permission for:

• A change of status of residence
• An extension of their period of stay
• Permanent residence

The period-based table below applies to status changes and extensions. Your fee is based on the period Immigration grants, rather than one flat amount for every case.

What changes for status changes and extensions

The online government fee is ¥27,000 for one year and ¥42,000 for more than one year but under three years. The payment charge is ¥330 below three years and ¥550 from three years. For applications accepted by September 30, 2026, the old online change/extension fee remains ¥5,500.

Permanent residence has a separate fee of ¥200,000 for applications accepted from October 1, 2026. The period-based table applies only to changes and extensions. ISA.

What other online procedures will cost

The government fees for the following procedures are not changing, but online applicants will pay an additional ¥220 processing fee:

The processing charge is the same whether you choose convenience-store or bank payment. Some convenience stores will not support the service.

The cutoff that matters

The key date is when Immigration accepts your application, not when it approves the case or issues the result.

• Accepted by September 30, 2026: the old fee applies.
• Accepted on or after October 1, 2026: the revised fee applies.
• Approved after October 1 but accepted before it: the old fee still applies.

If your application was accepted by September 30, 2026, you remain under the old rules and must pay with revenue stamps—even when permission or issuance happens after October 1.

Check the email showing your 申請受付仮番号 (provisional application receipt number) or 申請受付番号 (application receipt number).

The online-payment catch

For online applications accepted from October 1, payment will move away from revenue stamps. You will pay through the contractor designated by the Immigration Services Agency using:

• Convenience-store payment
• Bank payment
• Internet banking, if you want to pay cashlessly

Credit cards and QR-code payments are not supported. The separate contractor charge is already shown in the online totals above.

How payment will work

1. Immigration sends the examination-completion email.
2. A separate payment email is sent to the address registered with the online system.
3. That email shows the amount due and includes the payment link.
4. You pay through a supported convenience store or bank payment.

No paper payment notice will be mailed.

If you apply at an Immigration counter

Counter applications will continue to use revenue stamps (収入印紙).

The amount required will be shown on the postcard sent when your result is ready. Immigration warns that shops and convenience stores located inside its offices may have limited stocks of the denominations needed under the new multi-tier schedule.

If possible, buy the required stamps in advance from a large post office and bring them when collecting your result. Revenue stamps must be purchased with cash, and Immigration asks applicants to use a combination with the fewest possible stamps.

If you cannot afford the full fee

A fee reduction may be available if both of these points apply:

• You are considered to be in financial hardship comparable to a person requiring protection under Japan's Public Assistance Act.
• Your circumstances require humanitarian consideration.

The Immigration Services Agency has separate guidelines describing the types of cases expected to fall within the reduction measure. Qualification is still framed as something that may be granted, not an automatic entitlement based only on low income.

For permanent residence, the scope is narrower. Reduced-fee treatment is limited to specified family categories, including spouses or children of:

• Japanese nationals
• Permanent residents
• Special permanent residents

The reduced fees are:

• ¥10,000 for a change of status
• ¥10,000 for an extension of stay
• ¥20,000 for permanent residence

A separate fee for issuing a specified residence card (特定在留カード) may still be added in some cases.

Who can receive a full exemption

A complete fee exemption is available only for specific diplomatic, official, and designated-activities cases:

1. A person changing to Diplomat or Official status.
2. A person already holding Official status who receives an extension.
3. A person changing to Designated Activities for specially designated work as:
   • a staff member of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association's office in Japan, or a family member in the same household; or
   • a staff member of the General Mission of Palestine in Japan, or a family member in the same household.
4. A person already holding Designated Activities for one of those specially designated activities who receives an extension.

These exemption categories are highly specific. They do not create a general fee waiver for students, workers, dependants, or ordinary permanent residence applicants.

Sources: Immigration Services Agency — Residence permission fee revision from October 1, 2026

ISA — online fees · ISA — counter fees · ISA — fee relief

Common questions