Japan Raises Visa Fees by 400% for Nigerians, Other Foreign Nationals
The Japanese government has approved a significant increase in visa fees for Nigerians and other foreign nationals following a revision of the country’s visa regulations.
According to a report by The Japan Times, the decision was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Friday, marking the first adjustment to Japan’s visa fees in 48 years since they were last reviewed in 1978.
Under the new fee structure, the cost of a single-entry visa will rise from ¥3,000 (approximately $18.60) to ¥15,000 ($92.99), representing a 400 per cent increase. The fee for a multiple-entry visa will also increase from ¥6,000 ($37.20) to ¥30,000 ($187.97).
The revised charges will take effect for visa applications submitted on or after July 1.
Explaining the decision, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the review was necessary to reflect economic realities.
“The current visa fee was set in 1978, and we have recently revised it to reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations since then,” Motegi told reporters on Friday.
“We made this decision after carefully considering various factors, and we do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” he added.
The development comes a month after Japan’s Upper House passed legislation authorising increases in visa and residency-related fees for foreign nationals. The bill had earlier received approval from the Lower House in April.
The measure is aimed at generating additional revenue to offset the administrative costs associated with managing Japan’s growing foreign resident population.
Before the legislative amendment, the statutory ceiling for fees related to residency status changes and stay extensions stood at ¥10,000 ($63), while the maximum fee for permanent residency applications was also ¥10,000. Under the revised framework, those limits have been raised to ¥100,000 and ¥300,000, respectively.
Actual charges will be determined through Cabinet orders within the newly approved statutory limits.
The government has proposed increasing fees for residency status changes and extensions from the current range of ¥5,500–¥6,000 to between ¥10,000 and ¥70,000. Permanent residency application fees are also expected to rise sharply from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000.
The new fee regime is expected to be fully implemented before the end of Japan’s next fiscal year on March 31, 2027.
Japanese authorities said the additional revenue would be used to strengthen immigration administration, support Japanese-language education programmes and enhance measures aimed at tackling illegal overstayers.
Officials also argued that the revised charges would bring Japan’s visa and residency-related fees closer to those of major Western countries.
For comparison, visa renewal fees in the United States range from about $420 to $470, while similar charges in Germany range between €93 ($107) and €98.
Japan’s foreign resident population reached a record 4.13 million at the end of 2025, further increasing pressure on immigration and public service systems.