Japan hikes entry visa fee by 400% in first hike since 1978.
Japan visa fee hike news: For the first time since 1978, Japan is increasing the entry visa fee for all foreigners starting from July 1. As the fee hike comes in nearly 50 years, the increase is astounding — almost a five-fold increase. From July 1, single-entry visa fees will be raised from the current 3,000 yen ($18.69) to 15,000 yen ($92.83), while multi-entry visas will now cost 30,000 yen ($185.66), up from 6,000 yen ($37.13)Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the visa fee hike was made to reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. The Japanese government is not anticipating any immediate impact on tourism because of the fee hike.According to the reports, the Japanese yen which has been weakening continually since 2021 is the main reason behind the visa fee hike. Yen is now hovering near historic 40-year lows. This, along with a post-pandemic travel rebound, has led to a surge in tourists to Japan. The country welcomed a record 42. 7m international tourists last year.In May, Japan’s Upper House enacted a bill to raise other fees relevant to foreigners. Under that revision, the statutory upper limit for permanent residency applications will go up to 300,000 yen, 30 times the current cap of 10,000 yen. It will also cost up to 100,000 yen to change one’s residency status or extend a period of stay, up from the current 10,000 yen.
List of countries to be affected
An NYT report said that the fees will apply to travelers from more than 100 countries, including China, India and Vietnam, which were among Japan’s largest sources of visitors last year. They will go from paying about $18 to $93 for a single-entry visa, and from $37 to $186 for multiple entries. Tourists from the United States and around 70 other countries will not have to pay the new fees because of visa exemptions. For now, those travelers can enter for free. In 2028, Japan plans to roll out an electronic system for visa-exempt travelers known as Jesta, the fee for which has not yet been set.The revenue will subsidize the cost of passports for Japanese nationals, who will have to pay about $43 less in fees, according to Takaichi’s governing Liberal Democratic Party.Of Japan’s top five inbound tourism markets so far this year, mainland China is the only one whose travellers are required to obtain a visa. And China will be one of the hardest-hit countries by the new proposal.
