If you've ever daydreamed about settling in Japan long-term, the paperwork just got a lot more expensive and a lot more demanding. From 1 October 2026, the fee for an approved permanent residency application has leapt from ¥10,000 (roughly £48) to ¥200,000 (around £955), per Japan's Immigration Services Agency. Fees are also changing for those extending their stay or switching residency status, with costs now scaled to the length of permit granted.
The deadline triggered something of a scramble. Tokyo's main immigration bureau saw queues stretching past seven hours as foreign residents rushed to lodge applications under the old fee. Japan's foreign resident population hit a record 4.12 million at the end of 2025, up 9.5 per cent year on year, and the government has framed the shake-up as a response. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said on X that policy needed to become more "orderly" so citizens and foreigners alike can live securely.
Money is the big sticking point. Applicants already had to show assets or skills supporting an independent livelihood, but under the revised guidelines household income will be benchmarked against the average for comparable Japanese households – and you'll need to have consistently earned above that line. That rule also reaches back to applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026 that were still in the pipeline on 1 October. Pension projections are under scrutiny too: your expected pension income will be compared with what 30 years of contributions at your income level would generate, with savings and assets counted if you fall short.
And there's more on the horizon. From April 2027, applicants will be assessed on Japanese language proficiency and knowledge of Japan's systems and rules. Spouse routes are tightening as well – the required marriage duration rises from three to five years, and continuous residence in Japan from one year to three.
Timing matters here. Applications received by 30 September 2026 stay on the old ¥10,000 fee even if approved later, and applicants facing financial hardship may qualify for a reduced fee under the new system.
Why should a traveller care? If Japan is only a two-week holiday destination for you, nothing changes – tourist visas are untouched. But for slow travellers, remote workers and serial long-stayers eyeing Japan as a permanent base, this is a genuine recalibration. The era of a cheap, lightly vetted path to permanent residency is over, and anyone weighing a move should now budget for a four-figure application fee, document a solid income history, and start taking Japanese language study seriously ahead of the 2027 rules.
Story via Condé Nast Traveller UK
