Japan Hikes Visa Fees 30-Fold, Adds JESTA Pre-Clearance

Japan approves an immigration law amendment that raises visa fees up to 30-fold, with the cap for permanent residency jumping from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen and status renewals to 100,000 yen. Fees scale by stay length, from 10,000 yen for short visits to 70,000 yen for five-year stays, funding programs like language education for 4.13 million foreign residents. JESTA, a new electronic travel authorization, requires pre-clearance for short-term visitors and transit passengers by March 2029.