Japan Immigration Costs in 2026: New Visa Fees and Real Wait Times

2026年8月18日

A passport, residence card, calendar, and yen arranged for planning a Japan immigration application.

Japan Immigration Costs in 2026: New Visa Fees and Real Wait Times

Japan sharply increased its overseas visa fees on July 1, 2026. The standard fee is now approximately ¥15,000 for a single-entry visa and ¥30,000 for a multiple-entry visa.

That is only one part of the budget. A person moving to Japan may first wait for a Certificate of Eligibility, then apply for a visa overseas. A resident already in Japan normally follows a different procedure through the Immigration Services Agency.

This guide is for foreign residents, workers, students, and families planning an application in 2026.

The essentials:

Applications accepted overseas from July 1, 2026, use the new visa fees.
A straightforward overseas visa examination normally takes five working days, but that period begins only after the application is accepted.
Long-term applicants without a Certificate of Eligibility may wait one to three months for the visa stage alone.
In-Japan residence applications have separate fees and processing periods.
Published processing figures are historical national averages, not guaranteed completion dates.

TOC

First, identify which procedure you need

“Visa” and “status of residence” are not interchangeable in Japan. Confusing them can produce the wrong budget and timeline.

Visa issued outside Japan

A visa is issued by a Japanese embassy or consulate before a foreign national travels to Japan. It is used when requesting permission to enter at the border.

This stage is managed by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It may apply to:

A relative coming to Japan for a short visit
A new employee moving to Japan
A student entering for a course
A spouse or child joining a resident
A traveler who is not covered by a visa-exemption arrangement

Status of residence handled in Japan

A status of residence defines what a foreign national may do and how long that person may remain after entering Japan. Applications for an extension, change of status, or permanent residence are handled by the Immigration Services Agency.

For example, a worker renewing an existing period of stay does not normally apply for another entry visa at an embassy. The worker applies for an extension in Japan.

Certificate of Eligibility before a long-term move

A Certificate of Eligibility, commonly called a COE, is issued by the Immigration Services Agency before many work, study, and family-related moves. A representative in Japan, such as an employer, school, or eligible relative, often submits the application.

The COE is not a visa and does not guarantee admission. It does, however, show that the proposed activity has been examined against the conditions for the relevant status of residence. It also normally makes the later visa stage faster.

Overseas visa fees changed on July 1, 2026

The important date is when the overseas diplomatic mission accepts the application, not the intended travel date.

For applications accepted on or after July 1, 2026, the general fees converted into yen are approximately:

Single-entry visa: ¥15,000
Multiple-entry visa: ¥30,000

Payment is generally collected in the local currency used by the embassy or consulate. The exact amount can therefore appear as dollars, euros, pounds, or another currency on the local mission’s fee schedule.

Before July 1, the general figures were about ¥3,000 for a single-entry visa and ¥6,000 for a double- or multiple-entry visa. The new single-entry amount is therefore five times the former general figure.

Why your actual charge may differ

The headline amount is not universal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that a fee may be different—or waived—depending on nationality and the purpose of travel.

Check the website of the embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence for:

The local-currency amount
Nationality-based exemptions or special rates
Accepted payment methods
Whether direct applications are allowed
Whether an accredited agency must be used

Japan does not charge the visa issuance fee if the visa is not issued. An accredited agency may still charge its own handling fee under its terms.

ここがポイント: A resident sponsoring someone from Japan should not quote ¥15,000 as the family’s total immigration cost. Confirm the applicant’s local consular fee, agency charge, document expenses, and any COE-related preparation separately.

In-Japan immigration fees use a different schedule

Residents applying inside Japan should budget according to the Immigration Services Agency’s residence-procedure fees, not the overseas visa rates.

As of August 1, 2026, the principal current fees include:

Extension of period of stay: ¥6,000 at a counter or ¥5,500 for an online application, payable if permission is granted
Change of status of residence: ¥6,000 at a counter or ¥5,500 online, payable if permission is granted
Permanent residence: ¥10,000, payable if permission is granted
Certificate of Eligibility: no issuance fee

The current extension and change fees apply to applications accepted from April 1, 2025. An application accepted on or before March 31, 2025, remained subject to the previous ¥4,000 fee even if permission came later.

A possible October 2026 change is not the current fee

In July 2026, the Immigration Services Agency published a proposal to revise residence-permission fees from October 1, 2026. The proposed amounts vary by the length of permission and would be much higher for longer periods.

At the time of writing, that publication concerns a proposed amendment. Do not pay or budget from the proposed table as though it were already the current schedule. Anyone expecting a decision on or after October 1 should check the final Immigration Services Agency announcement before applying.

How long an overseas visa application takes

The standard examination period is five working days from the day after acceptance, provided there is no particular problem with the application.

Five working days does not always mean one calendar week. Weekends, Japanese embassy holidays, local public holidays, appointment availability, and agency delivery schedules may add time before or after the official examination.

The process can take several weeks or months when:

Additional documents or an interview are required
The embassy must refer the case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo
Many applications arrive during the same period
Information is missing or inconsistent
A long-term application is submitted without a COE

For a work or other long-term stay without a COE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives a typical visa-stage estimate of one to three months. That is separate from any earlier time spent obtaining documents or waiting for an appointment.

A safer planning rule

Do not buy a non-refundable ticket based only on the five-working-day standard. A practical sequence is:

Find the correct embassy, consulate, or approved application channel.
Confirm the current checklist for the applicant’s nationality and purpose.
Obtain the COE first when it is part of the long-term route.
Submit consistent originals, copies, and translations as required.
Leave extra time for further questions or document requests.
Make firm travel commitments after the passport and visa are returned.

A single-entry visa is generally valid for three months from issuance. Applying extremely early can therefore create another problem: the holder must seek entry before the visa expires.

How long residence procedures are taking inside Japan

There is no single “Japan immigration processing time.” It changes according to the procedure and status of residence.

The Immigration Services Agency publishes nationwide averages each month. Its May 2026 data illustrate the differences clearly.

Examples from applications completed in May 2026

For Certificate of Eligibility issuance, the reported averages included:

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services: 69.7 days
Dependent: 64.0 days
Spouse or Child of Japanese National: 96.9 days
Business Manager: 161.6 days

For extensions of period of stay, the averages from application to notification included:

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services: 35.0 days
Dependent: 35.1 days
Spouse or Child of Japanese National: 44.6 days

For permanent residence, the reported average to notification was 282.0 days, or a little over nine months.

These numbers describe successful cases completed during that month. They do not include denied or withdrawn applications, and they do not predict exactly how long a newly filed case will take. The agency also notes that an extension or change may have finished examination before the date on which permission was formally communicated.

Regional workload, the requested status, seasonal application peaks, and the facts of the case can all affect the result. The national average is useful for planning, but the applicant should still allow a margin.

Build a realistic application budget

The government fee may be the most visible number, but it is rarely the whole cost.

Direct official charges

Start with the fee for the correct procedure:

Overseas visa issuance
In-Japan extension or status change
Permanent-residence permission
Another procedure listed by the relevant authority

Do not add the overseas visa fee to an ordinary in-Japan renewal unless the person will actually need a new visa issued abroad.

Supporting costs

Depending on the application and country, also allow for:

Passport photographs
Official certificates
Certified or professional translations
Postage and tracked return envelopes
Travel to an embassy, consulate, or immigration office
Accredited agency handling fees
Professional advice when the case requires it

These costs are not nationally fixed. An employer or school may prepare some documents, while the applicant remains responsible for others.

Time is part of the budget

A delayed start date can cost more than the official fee. Workers, students, and their families should discuss realistic timing with the sponsoring employer, school, or organization before making housing and travel commitments.

If a document will expire soon, submitting too early is not always useful. If a residence card will expire soon, submitting too late is risky. Use the checklist for the exact status rather than relying on a generic list found elsewhere.

Documents that commonly need early preparation

Requirements vary by nationality, location, status of residence, and individual circumstances. Still, several items often create delays because another person or institution must prepare them.

Check early for:

A valid passport
A completed application form and compliant photograph
A COE for a long-term entry application, when applicable
Employment, enrollment, or family-relationship evidence
Tax, income, or financial-support documents
Documents prepared by an inviting person, employer, school, or guarantor
Translations where the receiving authority requires them

Names, dates, salary figures, addresses, and the stated purpose should agree across the application. A corrected employment contract or newly issued family certificate can take much longer to obtain than filling in the form itself.

Common mistakes that increase cost or delay

Most preventable problems happen before the authority begins substantive examination.

Using the wrong fee page: Overseas visas and residence procedures inside Japan belong to different systems.
Relying on an old screenshot: Japan changed overseas visa fees on July 1, 2026, and further residence-fee changes have been proposed.
Treating five working days as a guarantee: It is a standard for straightforward accepted applications, not a deadline for every case.
Skipping the COE for a long-term stay: Without it, the visa stage alone may take one to three months.
Assuming every embassy accepts the same method: Some locations use appointments or accredited agencies.
Paying before checking instructions: Currency, payment timing, and accepted methods depend on the mission and application channel.
Booking inflexible travel too early: Additional examination can continue beyond the expected period.
Calling repeatedly for an in-Japan update: The Immigration Services Agency says it generally cannot answer individual progress inquiries; online applicants can check the status in the online system.

A practical timeline for a long-term move

A worker, student, or dependent moving to Japan can use this planning model:

Before the COE application

Confirm the correct status of residence.
Divide document responsibilities among the applicant and the sponsor in Japan.
Check whether medical screening or other nationality-specific conditions apply.

While the COE is under review

Monitor expiry dates on passports and supporting documents.
Prepare the local embassy’s visa checklist.
Avoid setting a fixed arrival date from the average COE figure alone.

After the COE is issued

Confirm the embassy or consulate with jurisdiction.
Recheck the local fee and payment method.
Apply with enough time for more than the five-working-day standard.
Wait for issuance before making non-refundable arrangements.

For an extension or change inside Japan, replace the embassy stage with the relevant Immigration Services Agency procedure. Online filing can reduce the current permission fee by ¥500 and lets the applicant view the application status, but eligibility and document rules still apply.

FAQ

Is the ¥15,000 fee charged when I submit the visa application?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes it as a visa issuance fee. If the visa is not issued, that fee is not required. An agency may have a separate handling charge, so read its payment and refund terms.

Does every tourist need to pay for a visa?

No. Some nationalities and regions have short-stay visa-exemption arrangements, subject to their conditions. Other applicants may have a different rate or an exemption. Check the official page for the applicant’s passport and place of residence.

Does a COE guarantee a visa?

No. A COE supports a long-term application but does not guarantee visa issuance or permission to enter Japan.

Can an applicant use Japan eVISA for a work or dependent visa?

Japan eVISA is limited to eligible short-term tourism applicants in specified countries and regions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs directs work and other long-term applicants to the Japanese embassy, consulate, or consular office with jurisdiction.

Can I speed up an in-Japan application by calling immigration?

The Immigration Services Agency asks applicants to avoid calls solely requesting progress information because officers generally cannot provide an individual forecast. Online applicants can view labels such as “under examination” in the residence application system.

What to check before paying or booking

The safest next step is to identify the authority first: a Japanese embassy or consulate for an overseas visa, or the Immigration Services Agency for a residence procedure inside Japan.

Then verify these points on the current official page:

The application’s acceptance date and applicable fee
The exact local-currency amount
Any nationality- or purpose-based exception
The required application channel and agency charge
The latest document checklist
Recent processing averages for the relevant status
Final announcements about any fee revision from October 2026

The practical lesson is simple: budget for the entire route, not one fee. For a long-term move, the COE wait may be measured in months even when the later visa stage takes only five working days. For residents already in Japan, the overseas visa increase may not apply at all—but a separate residence-fee revision remains an important watchpoint.

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