Japan Likely to Pass Bill to Raise Immigration Fees

Tokyo, April 28 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill to raise the ceiling on fees for immigration procedures, making it likely to be enacted during the current parliamentary session ending in July. The amendment to the immigration control and refugee recognition law was approved by a majority vote at a plenary meeting of the lower chamber of the Diet, with backing from the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling camp and opposition parties including the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito. If the bill clears the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, the new fees would be implemented within this fiscal year, which ends next March. Under the revision, the ceiling would be raised to 100,000 yen for permission to change residence status and extend the period of stay and to 300,000 yen for permanent residence permission. Actual fees would be determined based on a relevant ordinance within these limits. Currently, the fee cap for the three categories is 10,000 yen. According to the Immigration Services Agency, fees are expected to be set at 10,000 yen for residence for three months or less, 30,000 yen for one year, 60,000 yen for three years and 70,000 yen for five years. The fee for permanent residence is expected to be 200,000 yen. The government says the increased revenue will be spent on measures to respond to the growing number of foreign residents, in line with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s call for tougher policies on foreigners. The bill also envisions the establishment of the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, to assess whether entry into Japan should be permitted prior to travel. The system will conduct online advance screenings for foreign nationals visiting Japan for short-term stays, such as sightseeing, to ease airport congestion and prevent illegal stays. The introduction of JESTA is scheduled for fiscal 2028. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]