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Japan Hikes PR Fees 20-Fold: Low Bank Balance? Say Goodbye to Permanent Residency!
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News18•02-10-2026, 07:20
Japan Hikes PR Fees 20-Fold: Low Bank Balance? Say Goodbye to Permanent Residency!
- •Japan has increased its Permanent Residency (PR) fee by 20 times, from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen (approx. 1.15-1.25 lakh INR) starting October 1, 2026.
- •PR rules have also been tightened, with stricter scrutiny of applicants' income, pension, and future self-sufficiency.
- •The fee hike aims to cover rising administrative costs due to the increasing foreign population and pressure on the immigration system.
- •New guidelines require applicants' income to be equal to or greater than the average income of Japanese families, considering family size, with pension also monitored.
- •From April 2027, understanding of the Japanese language and laws will also be part of the scrutiny, making PR more expensive and challenging for Indians.
Key Questions Answered
Starting October 1, 2026, successful applicants for permanent residency in Japan will need to pay 200,000 yen instead of the previous 10,000 yen.
The Japanese government raised the PR fees to manage administrative costs, document verification, and immigration system pressures driven by a record high foreign population reaching over 4.1 million.
In addition to higher fees, officials will closely scrutinize applicants' income to ensure it matches or exceeds the average Japanese family income, along with tracking pension contributions and self-sufficiency.
