- Japan will raise single-entry visa fees from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 starting July 1
- Multiple-entry visa fees will increase from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000 from July 1
- Visa fee hike is the first major increase since 1978 amid inflation and a weaker yen
Travelling to Japan has long been seen as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, that journey is about to become a bit more expensive. Japan has announced its first major visa fee increase since 1978, according to the BBC. Single-entry visa fees for foreign nationals in Japan will rise from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000, approximately Rs 1,750 to Rs 8,752. Multiple-entry visas will also see an increase, rising from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000, or roughly Rs 3,501 to Rs 17,505. These changes will take effect on July 1.
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As per reports, the fee adjustment comes amid ongoing inflation and a weaker yen. The Japanese currency has been weakening steadily since 2021 and now sits near 40-year lows. That decline, coupled with a post-pandemic rebound in travel, has driven a surge in visitors to Japan. The country recorded 42.7 million international tourists last year.
“The current visa fee was set in 1978, and we have recently revised it to reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations since then. We made this decision after carefully considering various factors, and we do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a news conference, as quoted by The Japan Times.
Japan's Upper House passed a bill in May raising several other fees for foreign nationals. The statutory upper limit for permanent residency applications will rise to 300,000 yen, up from the current cap of 10,000 yen. Changing residency status or extending a stay will also cost up to 100,000 yen, compared to 10,000 yen previously.
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As per reports, officials argue that the fee hikes are necessary to bring Japan's visa and residency charges closer to those in Western countries and create a more robust immigration system. The revised structure will move Japan's visa issuance fees nearer to the levels charged by other G7 members: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.
