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The Immigration Services Agency published a “Notice Regarding Immigration Services Fees” dated September 7, 2026. This is a one-page guide for those affected by the Kumamoto Earthquake in Reiwa 8.
The content focuses on two points: If various Status of Residence applications are accepted by September 30, 2026, the fee amount before the revision will apply even if permission is granted on or after October 1. Also, even for applications submitted on or after October 1, the fee may be reduced if certain requirements are met. This information is organized for foreign nationals affected by the disaster and HR professionals at companies employing them.
First, let’s summarize the key points.
💡 Key Point: For those affected by the disaster, the expiration date of their Period of Stay has been extended until January 27, 2027. However, the cutoff for fees remains September 30. The discrepancy between these two dates is the focus of this article.
There is a point I would like to clarify first.
This September 7 notice is not a new fee system created for those affected by the disaster. It is a re-announcement of two already published measures, directed at those affected by the disaster.
The two measures announced are as follows:
| Content Announced | Positioning of Content | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The amount before revision applies to applications submitted by September 30 | Transitional measure for the overall revision, not limited to disaster victims | “Regarding the Revision of Immigration Services Fees, etc., Effective October 1, Reiwa 8” |
| Fees may be reduced if certain requirements are met | General framework for fee reduction measures, not limited to disaster victims | “Regarding Fee Reduction or Exemption Measures for Immigration Services Fees on or after October 1, Reiwa 8” |
In other words, neither of these is a special provision prepared exclusively for those affected by the disaster. Nevertheless, this notice is significant because those affected by the disaster are in circumstances where their immigration procedures themselves differ from the norm, making it difficult for them to be aware of the fee deadline.
The understanding that “a new fee reduction system for disaster victims has been established” is not accurate. The reality is that existing frameworks have been announced, along with their deadlines.
The Immigration Services Agency states that the revised fees will apply to applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026. For applications accepted by September 30, 2026, even if the permission or issuance related to the application occurs on or after October 1, the payment will be based on the fee before the revision.
What is important here is that the standard is the acceptance date, not the permission date. Even if the examination takes several months, if the application is accepted by September 30, the amount to be paid will be the amount before the revision.
The amounts based on the leaflet distributed by the Immigration Services Agency (issued September 2026) are as follows:
Before Revision (Applications accepted by September 30, 2026)
| Permission | Application Method | Fee Before Revision |
|---|---|---|
| Permission for Change of Status of Residence / Permission for Extension of Period of Stay | In-person | 6,000 yen |
| Permission for Change of Status of Residence / Permission for Extension of Period of Stay | Online | 5,500 yen |
| Permission for Permanent Residence | In-person | 10,000 yen |
After Revision (Applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026)
| Period of Permission | Counter | Online |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | 10,000 yen | 10,000 yen |
| Over 3 months to 6 months | 18,000 yen | 15,000 yen |
| Over 6 months to less than 1 year | 25,000 yen | 21,000 yen |
| 1 year | 33,000 yen | 27,000 yen |
| Over 1 year to less than 3 years | 48,000 yen | 42,000 yen |
| 3 years or more to less than 5 years | 64,000 yen | 56,000 yen |
| 5 years or more | 75,000 yen | 65,000 yen |
| Permission for Permanent Residence | 200,000 yen | Not applicable |
After the revision, the fee will vary depending on the category of the Period of Stay for which permission is granted. For online applications, in addition to the above fees, a separate payment processing fee is required (330 yen or 550 yen, depending on the period of permission).
For online applications, the Immigration Services Agency advises applicants to confirm the acceptance date via an email notification of the “Temporary Application Acceptance Number” or “Application Acceptance Number”. For in-person applications, the date on the document issued at the time of application serves as a clue.
For applications accepted on or before September 30, payment will be made by Revenue Stamp, even for online applications. Applications submitted online on or after October 1 cannot be paid for with Revenue Stamps and must be paid via convenience store payment or bank transfer.
This is the point most easily overlooked by those affected by the disaster.
Regarding the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, due to a public notice based on the Act on Special Measures for Preserving the Rights and Interests of Victims of Designated Extraordinary Disasters (hereinafter, the Special Measures Act), the expiration dates for Period of Stay and Residence Card validity, among others, have been extended until January 27, 2027. The beneficiaries are individuals who were in municipalities where the Disaster Relief Act was applied at the time of the earthquake (July 28, 2026), or those who had their residence in such areas.
The extensions apply to the six periods specified in the public notice: Period of Stay, period of overstay, validity period of registration for Registered Support Organizations, validity period of permission for Supervising Organizations, validity period of Residence Card, and validity period of Special Permanent Resident Certificate.
On the other hand, the amount of the fee is determined by the date the application is accepted. The extension of the expiration date does not shift the effective date for the fee.
In other words, the following situation could occur:
If October arrives without realizing this asymmetry, it could lead to the perception that “the amount increased even though it was supposed to be extended.” It is accurate to understand that the expiration date and the fee cutoff date are separate lines.
Furthermore, the special provisions for immigration procedures due to the disaster itself (such as the extension of expiration dates, fulfillment of obligations under the Immigration Control Act, and handling of Application for Permission to Engage in Activity Other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence) are discussed in detail in Kumamoto Earthquake Immigration Procedure Special Provisions | Three Deadlines and Permissions Not Extended. Please refer to it as well.
It is not necessarily the case that all fees will uniformly become the revised amount after September 30. There is a framework for fee reductions.
Article 67, Paragraph 3 of the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (hereinafter, the Immigration Control Act) states that when a person who receives permission for Change of Status of Residence, permission for Extension of Period of Stay, or Permission for Permanent Residence is designated by Cabinet Order as a person for whom it is appropriate to reduce or exempt fees due to economic hardship or other special reasons, the fees may be reduced or exempted.
Fee reductions may apply only if both of the following two conditions are met:
The Immigration Services Agency clarifies in its Q&A that since both conditions must be met, meeting only one of them does not qualify a person for a fee reduction. The Agency’s guidelines are said to present four categories for condition 1 and twelve categories for condition 2.
This point is prone to misunderstanding.
Being affected by the disaster itself is not directly linked to either of the two requirements mentioned above. The announcement on September 7 also states, “If you become eligible, the application fee for the relevant application may be reduced,” and does not state that the fee will be reduced simply for being a disaster victim.
⚠️ Point of misunderstanding: Being in a financially difficult situation alone, or being affected by the disaster alone, does not necessarily qualify you for a reduction. To confirm whether you may be eligible, it is best to consult with your nearest regional Immigration Services Agency.
If a reduction is approved, the fees are as follows:
| Permission | Reduced Fee |
|---|---|
| Permission for Change of Status of Residence | 10,000 yen |
| Permission for Extension of Period of Stay | 10,000 yen |
| Permission for Permanent Residence | 20,000 yen |
Regarding Application for Change of Status of Residence and Application for Extension of Period of Stay, it is stated that the fee can be reduced to 10,000 yen if the applicant is eligible for a reduction and is granted a Period of Stay exceeding 3 months.
There are limitations on Permission for Permanent Residence. The Immigration Services Agency states that those eligible for a reduction when receiving Permission for Permanent Residence are limited to Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Permanent Resident, or Special Permanent Resident, etc. Since the fee for Permission for Permanent Residence will be 200,000 yen after the revision, this limitation has a significant practical impact.
Furthermore, if a Specific Residence Card is issued, it may be necessary to pay the above amount plus the fee for the issuance of the Specific Residence Card.
If you are considering a fee reduction, the following three points relate directly to the application method.
The Immigration Services Agency explicitly states that applications made through the online Status of Residence application system do not support fee reduction measures. If you are submitting supporting documents for fee reduction measures, you must submit your Status of Residence applications at the counter.
While online application fees are set lower than those at the counter, you cannot use online applications if you are seeking a fee reduction. The choice between the two will be made after first considering whether you may be eligible for a reduction.
Regarding the supporting documents for eligible applicants for fee reduction, at the time this article was written (early September 2026), the Immigration Services Agency had stated, “We will announce it later.” The Agency has since published the supporting documents for each applicable category on its dedicated page (confirmed September 2026). For some categories, the documents are listed as “none.” For the list, see Immigration Fee Reduction: Required Documents and Counter-Only Filing.
In other words, what documents are required to be approved for a fee reduction has not yet been determined. We must await future announcements on this matter. Instead of planning procedures based on the assumption of a reduction, it is safer to proceed while checking the publication status.
When receiving permission for an application submitted at the counter, the fee must be paid with a Revenue Stamp, as before. As the types of denominations required will change due to the revision, the Immigration Services Agency advises applicants to purchase Revenue Stamps for the amount stated on the postcard sent to them in advance at a large post office or similar location before visiting the office to pick up their examination results. Revenue Stamps can only be purchased with cash.
In disaster-affected areas, travel to the government office itself may take time. It is advisable to prepare with the understanding that you may not be able to purchase Revenue Stamps on the spot on the day of your visit.
The overall picture of the revision itself (fees for each category of Period of Stay, settlement fees, precautions against phishing emails, etc.) is explained in Immigration Services Fee Revision on October 1 | Old Fees Apply Until September 30.
The Immigration Services Agency states that for applications accepted by September 30, 2026, payment will be based on the pre-revision fees, even if the permission or issuance related to the application occurs on or after October 1. The criterion is the acceptance date.
The fee will not be reduced solely because you were affected by the disaster. Eligibility for a reduction applies only to those who are recognized as being in financial difficulty to a degree equivalent to a person requiring protection, and for whom humanitarian consideration is necessary. Please consult your nearest regional Immigration Services Agency office to determine if you may be eligible.
The extension applies to the expiration dates of six periods specified in the public notice, such as the Period of Stay and the validity period of the Residence Card. Since the fee amount is determined by the date the application is accepted, the extension of the expiration date does not shift the fee cutoff.
Applications submitted through the online Status of Residence application system are said not to support fee reduction measures. If you submit supporting documents for fee reduction measures, you must file your Status of Residence applications at the counter.
Regarding the supporting documents for eligible fee reduction applicants, the Immigration Services Agency initially stated that it would “announce details later,” and has since published them by applicable category on its dedicated page (confirmed September 2026).
While the reduced fee is stated to be JPY 20,000, eligibility for a fee reduction for Application for Permission for Permanent Residence is limited to Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Permanent Resident, or Special Permanent Resident, etc. Not all Application for Permission for Permanent Residence are eligible.
According to the Immigration Services Agency’s guidance, the fees for Application for Re-entry Permit (JPY 3,500 for single, JPY 6,500 for multiple) and issuance of Certificate of Authorization for Employment (JPY 1,600) themselves will not change. However, for online applications, a separate settlement fee (JPY 220) is said to be incurred.
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・If we find that a document contains information that is not true, or that the application is not your own (or a family member’s), we will decline the check.
This article is written based on publicly available information as of September 2026. Details of the system and implementation dates may change in the future. For actual applications, please refer to the official information from the Immigration Services Agency or contact our office.
Author of this article: Administrative Scrivener Authorized to File Applications Satoshi Nakayama
Representative, Administrative Scrivener Corporation Miyazaki International Legal Office
Location: Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture
