Why has Japan increased visa application fees fivefold?

Japan says the decision to increase visa fees fivefold is aimed at offsetting the costs of managing the growing number of international visitors and foreign residents, and addressing tourism overload.

Tourists walk along the path leading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan, on January 13, 2025. Photo: Paul Miller .

According to the Japan Times , the Japanese government has decided to increase visa application fees for foreign nationals by amending a related cabinet decree. The decision, approved at a cabinet meeting on June 19th, marks the first time Japan has adjusted visa fees since 1978.

According to the new regulations, the new fees will apply to applications submitted from July 1st.

• The fee for a single-entry visa has increased from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen (approximately $104 USD , or 2.5 million VND).
• The fee for a multiple-entry visa has increased from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen (approximately $208 USD , or 4.9 million VND).

Overcrowding

The Japanese government explained that the fee increase was necessary to bring visa-related fees closer to Western standards . In the US, short-term visa fees are $185 ; in the UK, $177 ; and in Canada, CAD 100 ( $71 ). France, Germany, and Italy, members of the Schengen Area that allow free movement within the region, all charge €90 ( $105 ) for short-term visas.

These countries regularly adjust visa fees to compensate for the impact of inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, and to control the number of foreign visitors. Meanwhile, Japan has not increased its visa fees since 1978.

However, the sharp increase in international visitors in recent years has forced the government to recruit more staff to process applications, leading to ever-increasing operating costs.

Japan says the increased revenue from the visa fee hike will be used to strengthen immigration management , upgrade tourism infrastructure, and implement measures to address tourist overcrowding at many popular destinations currently under pressure from record numbers of international visitors.

TOP 10 LARGEST SOURCE MARKETS FOR VISITING JAPAN IN MAY 2026
Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
Label		Korea	Taiwan (China)	America	Mainland China	Hong Kong (China)	Thailand	Philippines	Australia	Singapore	Malaysia
Number of visitors	Thousand views	951.3	616.8	333.7	313	207.9	98.8	85	82.3	76.6	72.2

According to data released on June 17th by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Japan welcomed approximately 3.56 million international visitors in May, a 3.6% decrease compared to the same period last year. Even so, this is still a very high figure for the period between cherry blossom season and summer vacation – a time when demand for tourism in Japan typically slows down.

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According to JNTO, 19 markets, including South Korea, Taiwan (China), the US, and Malaysia, recorded their highest-ever visitor numbers in May. The Middle East and India, in particular, set monthly records.

To date, in the first five months of the year, Japan has welcomed approximately 17.94 million international visitors, a slight decrease of 1.1% compared to the same period in 2025. Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu emphasized that the government had considered many impacts of the decision to increase visa fees, but "there will not be an immediate impact on the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan."

Observers believe that although there may be "no immediate impact" as Foreign Minister Motegi stated, this decision could directly affect the travel plans to Japan of many countries, especially those with middle and low incomes, in the near future.

This is also considered an important issue for foreigners who are currently living, studying, or planning to live, study, and work in Japan.

Many popular tourist destinations in Japan have been experiencing overcrowding for years. Photo: Reuters, Pexels.

Tighten immigration controls.

In addition to tourist visa fees, the legal limit for fees for changing residency status or extending stay has also been raised from 10,000 yen to 100,000 yen (approximately 16 million VND). Fees for applications for permanent residency have increased from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen (approximately 49 million VND).

The Japanese government says the fee increase aims to build a stricter immigration management system . The additional revenue from the new policy will be used to support the country's record-growing foreign resident community, which is expected to reach 4.13 million by the end of 2025.

This funding will also be used to expand Japanese language training programs and strengthen measures against illegal labor and residency.

VIETNAMESE TOURISTS' GOALS FOR VISITING JAPAN IN 2025
Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
Label		Commerce	Tourism	Other purposes (studying abroad, technical intern, visiting relatives...)
Proportion	%	5	32	63

In fact, the number of Vietnamese people visiting Japan for long-term stays is higher than for pure tourism. Vietnam recorded approximately 58,000 visitors to Japan in May, a decrease of 2.1% compared to 59,263 in the same period last year. However, for the first five months of the year, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached approximately 340,000, an increase of 9.1% compared to the same period last year.

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According to JNTO, Vietnam is a market with a large proportion of visitors entering Japan for the purpose of studying, skills training, and activities other than pure tourism. The decision to increase fees is expected to significantly impact the cost of applying for new and renewing documents for hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese trainees, students, and tourists in the coming period.

Source: https://znews.vn/vi-sao-nhat-ban-tang-phi-xin-visa-gap-5-lan-post1662045.html