Japanese visa fees increase fivefold starting July: Chinese travelers most affected, Taiwan visa exemption unaffected

The Japanese government officially approved on June 19th, that starting July 1st, the visa fees for foreigners will be increased by five times, marking the first adjustment in 48 years. Single-entry visas will rise sharply from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen, with Chinese travelers being the most affected; travelers holding Taiwanese passports enjoy visa exemption and are not affected for short-term tourism.
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The Japanese government officially approved on June 19th during a cabinet meeting to raise the visa fees for entry by foreigners starting July 1st, with a fivefold increase, after 48 years since the last fee setting.

This fee adjustment takes effect from July 1st, and all applications submitted from that date will be subject to the new standards. The fee increase is quite significant: single-entry visas jump from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen; multiple-entry visas increase from 6,000 yen to 30k yen, with both categories seeing a fivefold rise.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi explained at a press conference that the current visa handling fees have not been adjusted since 1978, and this review was initiated in response to recent inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. He also stated that the government decided to proceed with the adjustment after a comprehensive assessment of various impacts, "and does not believe this will immediately affect inbound tourism."

Chinese travelers are most impacted, while Taiwan’s visa exemption remains unaffected

In terms of application volume, Chinese travelers are the most affected. In 2024, Japan issued approximately 5.24 million visas to Chinese citizens, accounting for nearly 70% of all visas issued; followed by the Philippines with about 570k, and Vietnam with about 320k.

In contrast, travelers from Taiwan, the U.S., and other countries with visa exemption privileges are not affected for short-term tourism (within 90 days). According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Bureau of Consular Affairs, since September 26, 2005, Taiwan residents have been allowed visa-free short-term entry, with a maximum stay of 90 days per visit.

Aligning with G7 standards, outbound tax also increases simultaneously

Previously, some experts pointed out that Japan’s visa fees are significantly lower compared to G7 and other major countries. The Japanese government expects that after the increase, the fees will be closer to the current rates implemented by G7 countries, helping to maintain reasonable administrative costs.

It is worth noting that Japan’s outbound tax will also be increased simultaneously starting July 1st, approximately tripling the current rate. With both measures implemented at the same time, some market observers are concerned about whether this will impact Japan’s annual inbound travel target.