Japan’s hefty visa fees, new digital entry system move closer to implementation

Japan's parliament has passed a revision to its immigration control law that will significantly increase fees for foreigners applying for residence status and introduce a new online pre-entry travel authorization system. These changes are expected to be implemented later this financial year. The maximum fee for visa renewals will rise to 100,000 yen (US$630), and for permanent residency applications, it will increase to 300,000 yen. This represents a substantial jump from the current fees of 6,000 yen for status changes or extensions and 10,000 yen for permanent residency. The new law aims to streamline entry processes and adjust application costs.