Japan's First Visa Fee Hike in 50 Years Is a Biggie

Japan is making it a lot pricier to get in the door. Starting July 1, visa fees for foreign visitors jump for the first time since 1978: a single-entry visa rises from 3,000 yen (about $19) to 15,000 yen (about $93), while a multiple-entry version climbs from 6,000 to 30,000 yen (about $185). Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the move is meant to account for inflation and currency shifts and predicted little short-term impact on tourism, which hit a record 42.7 million visitors last year amid a weak yen, per the BBC.

Japan is also preparing steep increases to other immigration-related charges. A new law raises the maximum fee for permanent residency applications from 10,000 yen (about $62) to 300,000 yen ($1,855), and hikes the cap for changing or extending residency status to 100,000 yen ($618), with officials saying the country is catching up to other G7 nations' fee levels, per the BBC. Those changes, meant to feed a stronger immigration system, are expected to go into effect before the end of the next fiscal year in March, reports the Japan Times.