Visas & rules
Visas, fees and the 2026 changes
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Visa fees from October 1, 2026
Same for every status: student, MBA, work, company-sponsored. The fee depends only on the length of stay granted and whether you apply online. First entry with a COE pays no Japan-side fee (only your embassy's visa fee).
| Change of status / extension: period granted | At the counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 months | ¥10,000 | ¥10,000 |
| 3–6 months | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 |
| 6 months – 1 year | ¥25,000 | ¥21,000 |
| 1–3 years | ¥33,000 | ¥27,000 |
| 3–5 years | ¥48,000 | ¥42,000 |
| 5 years | ¥65,000 | ¥56,000 |
| Over 5 years | ¥75,000 | ¥65,000 |
| Permanent residence | ¥200,000 | Not available |
Before Oct 1, 2026: ¥6,000 (counter) / ¥5,500 (online). Applications received by Sep 30 pay the old fee. Hardship reductions: ¥10,000 (change/extension), ¥20,000 (PR). Sources: Coto Academy table ↗ · GoMate ↗.
TB screening (JPETS)
Nationals of the Philippines, Nepal and Vietnam must submit a TB clearance certificate from a designated clinic when applying for a COE (stays over 90 days). Indonesia, Myanmar and China will follow (dates to be announced). Official JPETS FAQ ↗
Decode a job ad
Direct hire reality: on one foreigner-friendly tech job board, about half of visa-tagged roles (134 of 281) were for Japan residents only. Keep a Plan B. Japan Dev ↗