Japan's Digital Nomad Visa Fee Just Rose 5x: What It Costs From July 2026
Japan raised its visa issuance fee from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 (about $99) for applications from 1 July 2026 — the first revision since 1978. Here's what changed and what it means for Digital Nomad Visa applicants.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has raised the fee for visas issued to foreign nationals — including the Digital Nomad Visa — from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 (roughly $20 to $99) for applications submitted from 1 July 2026, its first visa-fee revision since 1978. If you're applying for Japan's Digital Nomad Visa after that date, budget for the new ¥15,000 single-entry fee rather than the old ¥3,000.
Planning information, not legal or tax advice
These are 2026 planning estimates based on Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement. Fee schedules, exchange rates, and consulate practices can change — confirm the current fee with your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate before you apply.
What changed in Japan's visa fee schedule?
On 19 June 2026, Japan's cabinet approved an amendment to the government order (政令) that sets visa fees, and MOFA's official visa-fee page now confirms the revision takes effect for applications received on or after 1 July 2026:
| Visa type | Old fee | New fee (from 1 July 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-entry visa | ¥3,000 (~$20) | ¥15,000 (~$99) |
| Multiple-entry visa | ¥6,000 (~$40) | ¥30,000 (~$198) |
| Transit visa | ¥700 (~$5) | Unchanged / minor adjustment |
USD figures use this site's reference JPY/USD rate and are approximate — check the live exchange rate when you budget.
Japan's Digital Nomad Visa grants one entry within three months of issue and a non-renewable 6-month stay, which is understood to make it a single-entry visa — so it's the ¥3,000 → ¥15,000 line that applies to nomad applicants, not the multiple-entry rate. MOFA's fee schedule doesn't break this out by visa sub-category, so confirm the exact fee for your case with the consulate handling your application.
Why did Japan raise visa fees now?
Japanese officials confirmed the change at a 19 June 2026 cabinet decision, citing nearly five decades of inflation and yen depreciation since the 1978 fee schedule, and arguing the new, higher fees bring Japan roughly into line with what the United States and Germany charge for comparable visas — a point covered in reporting on the change. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi separately commented that the increase was unlikely to dent inbound tourism demand.
It's worth separating this from a second, related change: the amended Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, which cleared Japan's Diet on 29 May 2026, separately allows the Immigration Services Agency to raise in-country fees — for changing or renewing a status of residence (up to roughly ¥100,000) and for permanent-residency applications (up to roughly ¥300,000), per Fragomen's summary of the changes. That law targets people already resident in Japan converting or renewing a status of residence — a different process from the consular visa fee nomads pay before they ever arrive, and its rollout timing wasn't finalized as of this writing. Our read is that Digital Nomad Visa holders, who hold a visa rather than a status of residence, wouldn't be directly affected by that second change — but treat that as an interpretation, not an official ruling, and it matters regardless if you're weighing Japan's other long-stay routes.
Does this affect people who already have a Japan Digital Nomad Visa?
No. The new ¥15,000 fee only applies to visa applications submitted on or after 1 July 2026. It isn't retroactive, and because Japan's Digital Nomad Visa can't be renewed from inside Japan — our Japan guide covers the 49 eligible nationalities and the 6-month, non-renewable structure — the fee is a one-time cost per visa cycle either way. Anyone who already has a valid visa or who applied before the cutover keeps the old rate for that application.
Does the higher fee change whether Japan's Digital Nomad Visa is worth it?
Barely. Japan's Digital Nomad Visa is gated by a demanding ¥10 million-a-year (~$67,000) foreign income requirement — that bar, not the visa stamp, has always been the real filter. Against that income floor, an extra ¥12,000 (~$79) in government fees is close to noise. What the increase does do is remove Japan from the list of "near-free" nomad visas: at ¥15,000, the fee now sits closer to what other Asia-Pacific programs charge.
How does Japan's new fee compare to other Asia-Pacific nomad visas?
- Japan (Digital Nomad Visa): ~$99 visa fee, no other government fees, 6 months non-renewable.
- South Korea (Workation Visa, F-1-D): ~$100 visa fee plus ~$30 for the alien-registration card, up to 2 years with extension.
- Taiwan (Employment Gold Card): $100–310 depending on the validity period chosen (1–3 years), and — unusually for the region — a genuine path to permanent residency after 3 years.
See the side-by-side numbers in our Japan vs South Korea comparison. Japan's new fee lands squarely between South Korea's and Taiwan's — the fee is no longer an outlier either way, though Japan's shorter, non-renewable term and higher income bar remain the bigger trade-offs than the stamp cost.
The bottom line
Budget ¥15,000 (~$99), not ¥3,000, for a Japan Digital Nomad Visa application filed from 1 July 2026 onward. It's still one of the cheaper line items in a move that also requires proving ¥10 million in annual income and holding health insurance worth at least ¥10 million — the fee hike is real, but it doesn't meaningfully change the visa's math for anyone who already qualifies.
FAQ
How much does Japan's Digital Nomad Visa cost now? The government visa-issuance fee is ¥15,000 (roughly $99 at the site's reference rate) for applications submitted on or after 1 July 2026, up from ¥3,000. Japan's Digital Nomad Visa is understood to be issued as a single-entry visa, so the single-entry fee line applies rather than the multiple-entry fee (¥6,000 → ¥30,000) — confirm the exact category with your consulate.
When did Japan's visa fee increase take effect? 1 July 2026, for visa applications received at Japanese embassies and consulates on or after that date. MOFA confirmed the new schedule on its official visa-fee page, and the cabinet approved the fee revision on 19 June 2026.
Does the fee increase affect people who already hold a Japan Digital Nomad Visa? No. The higher fee only applies to new visa applications submitted from 1 July 2026 onward. It doesn't retroactively charge existing visa holders, and since the visa is non-renewable, current holders won't pay it again unless they later re-qualify for a fresh visa.
Why did Japan raise its visa fees by 5x? MOFA hadn't revised visa fees since 1978. Japanese officials cited decades of inflation and yen depreciation since that schedule was set, and said the new fees are broadly comparable to US and German rates; Foreign Minister Motegi separately said the change was unlikely to dent tourism demand.
Is Japan's Digital Nomad Visa still worth the ¥10 million income bar given the higher fee? Yes, for most people who already clear the income requirement. Even at ¥15,000, the visa fee is minor next to a ¥10m/year (~$67,000) income floor, and it's roughly in line with South Korea's Workation Visa or Taiwan's Gold Card. The real cost of Japan's visa was always the income threshold, not the stamp fee.