根據日本政府近期的政策動向，以及Immigration Services Agency of Japan（出入國在留管理廳，ISA）的相關決議，日本正計畫對在留相關手續費進行大幅調整。官方說明指出，此次調整的主要目的在於讓日本的行政收費與國際水準接軌，同時為入管行政的數位化改革與效率提升提供必要的財政來源。

目前日本政府提出的法案，設定新的收費「上限」標準。若政策按計畫推動，最快自2026財政年度開始，日本各類在留手續費將出現約半世紀以來首次大規模調整。根據法案內容，在留資格的更新或變更申請費上限，將可能提高至10萬日圓；而申請永久居留資格的費用上限，則可能調整至30萬日圓。相比之下，現行制度下多數在留資格更新費僅約4,000日圓，而永久居留申請費則為 1 萬日圓，因此新制度的上限金額引發社會廣泛討論。政府方面表示，現行收費標準長期偏低，難以負擔日益增加的審查成本與系統開發費用，而且與United States或United Kingdom等國相比，日本的移民行政收費仍屬相當低廉。

需要特別注意的是，目前國會通過的內容主要是「法定上限」，並不代表所有費用將立即調整到該最高金額。實際收費標準仍需由後續的行政命令與省令進一步制定，因此最終金額仍存在調整空間。此外，入管廳也表示將研究設立減免制度，例如針對經濟條件較為困難的外國人，包括留學生或低收入勞動者等群體，提供一定程度的費用減免，以避免政策對弱勢族群造成過重負擔。

若政策順利推動，最快可能在2026年4月，也就是日本2026財政年度開始時正式實施。從政治背景來看，這項改革與部分保守派政治人物的政策主張有關，例如Sanae Takaichi等人所倡導的「使用者付費」與「日本優先」理念，在政策辯論中也扮演一定角色。

這項費用調整對不同群體的影響程度並不相同。對於持有工作簽證、計畫長期居住或申請永久居留的外國人而言，未來在留手續的成本可能明顯上升，尤其對已在日本建立家庭與長期生活基礎的人影響較為直接。相對而言，來自Taiwan或Hong Kong等目前享有免簽待遇的短期觀光客，暫時不會受到這次在留手續費調整的影響。不過，日本政府也正在規劃未來的入境管理制度改革，預計於2028年推出名為JESTA的電子旅行授權系統，其概念類似ESTA。一旦該制度正式上線，免簽旅客在入境前可能也需要支付一定的申請費用。

According to the latest policy developments from the Japanese government and decisions by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), Japan is planning a significant adjustment to residence-related administrative fees. Officials explain that the purpose of the increase is to align Japan’s immigration administrative costs with international standards while also funding improvements in digitalization and operational efficiency within the immigration system.

Under the proposed legislation, the government has set new maximum fee limits for various residence procedures. If implemented as planned, the changes could take effect starting in Japan’s 2026 fiscal year and would represent the first large-scale revision of such fees in roughly half a century. According to the bill, the upper limit for residence status renewal or change applications could be raised to as much as 100,000 yen, while the maximum fee for permanent residency applications could reach 300,000 yen. At present, however, most residence status renewal fees are around 4,000 yen, and the application fee for permanent residency is about 10,000 yen. The proposed ceilings have therefore sparked widespread discussion. The government argues that the current fees are too low to cover the increasing costs of application reviews and system development, and that Japan’s immigration fees remain significantly lower than those in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

It is important to note that the legislation currently establishes only the legal upper limits. The actual fees to be charged will be determined later through administrative orders and ministerial regulations, meaning the final amounts may be set well below the proposed caps. The Immigration Services Agency has also indicated that it is considering fee reduction or exemption mechanisms for individuals facing financial hardship, including international students and lower-income foreign workers, in order to prevent the policy from placing excessive burdens on vulnerable groups.

If the plan proceeds smoothly, the new system could be implemented as early as April 2026, the start of Japan’s fiscal year 2026. Politically, the proposal is partly associated with policy positions promoted by conservative lawmakers, including Sanae Takaichi, who have emphasized principles such as “user pays” and “Japan-first” approaches in policy debates.

The impact of these changes will vary among different groups. Foreign nationals holding work visas or planning to apply for permanent residency are likely to feel the most direct financial impact, particularly families that have been living in Japan long term. In contrast, short-term visitors from visa-exempt regions such as Taiwan and Hong Kong will not be directly affected by the fee increases related to residence procedures. However, Japan is also preparing future reforms to its entry management system. The government plans to introduce the JESTA in 2028, an electronic travel authorization system similar to the ESTA. Once implemented, visa-exempt travelers may also be required to pay a small application fee before entering Japan.