TOKYO - Japan's immigration agency said Tuesday that foreigners who meet criteria for financial hardship and humanitarian consideration will be eligible for fee cuts when visa application and renewal charges are hiked from Oct. 1.
The guidelines announced by the Immigration Services Agency, however, will likely exclude most asylum seekers as the criteria require them to be recipients of government assistance for those in severe financial hardship.
Refugee support organizations have criticized the eligibility for the fee reduction as "too narrow."
Among the fee hikes, the cost of a one-year visa will be raised to 33,000 yen ($200) while a visa of five years or more will be set at 75,000 yen, up sharply from the current flat rate of 6,000 yen for changes to residence status and renewals. The fee for permanent residency permission will be hiked to 200,000 yen from 10,000 yen.
For those who are unable to pay due to financial constraints and deemed eligible under the new guidelines, fees will be reduced to 10,000 yen for renewals and changes to status, and to 20,000 yen for permanent residency permission.
Full exemption of fees will be limited to those who hold "diplomatic" or "official" residency status, not for those facing financial hardships.
The fee reduction eligibility guidelines list 12 categories in which humanitarian consideration should be given, including for recognized refugees, asylum seekers, spouses of Japanese nationals and single parents.
Asylum seekers in Japan can receive public assistance from the state to cover living and other expenses for four months in principle if they are deemed to be in a state of extreme poverty.
According to the immigration agency and other information, 11,298 people applied for asylum in 2025, and 518 received such benefits in fiscal 2025.
The small proportion of recipients is partly because a considerable number of asylum seekers are permitted to work while their applications are under review.
