Japan to Revise Immigration Act, Fees for Visa Renewals and Permanent Residency Set to Increase

Tokyo, Dec 13: There is worrying news for foreign nationals dreaming of settling down or staying longer in Japan. The Japanese government is going to drastically revise its Immigration Control Act, which is likely to increase fees for visa renewals and permanent residency (PR) manifold. The move is being made to further tighten changing administrative requirements and immigration policies. The 20-fold increase in permit fees will directly hit those seeking permanent residence permits. Currently, permanent residency is charged only 10,000 yen, which may increase to about 110,000 yen (approximately Rs.