[International] Japan's Residence Fees Skyrocket, Foreign Families Lament 'Using Up 2 Years of Savings'
RtiTalk 小編1d ago
Starting today (1st), Japan has significantly increased the fees for foreigners applying for, renewing, or obtaining permanent residency. The latter has seen a 20-fold increase. A Vietnamese family in Toyama lamented that applying for permanent residency for their five family members would 'use up two years of savings.'
Previously, the fee for applying for or renewing a residence status in Japan was uniformly 6,000 yen. Starting today, it has been raised to between 10,000 yen and 75,000 yen, with longer intended stays incurring higher fees.
Concurrently, the fee for permanent residency (known as 'Eiju Kyoka' in Japanese) has also been raised today, from the current 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen (approximately NT$40,000), a 20-fold increase. Furthermore, annual income, tax status, and enrollment in health insurance or national pension insurance are now considered among the review criteria.
These changes are part of the foreign policy of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government.
According to Toyama Television, a 41-year-old Vietnamese man runs two Southeast Asian grocery stores in Toyama Prefecture with his wife, also born in Vietnam, and their three children. They have lived in Japan for 10 years and finally meet the requirements for applying for permanent residency.
However, he stated, 'Applying for permanent residency for the five of us would cost 1 million yen. After the price increase, applying would use up about two years of savings.' His wife also expressed anxiety, saying, 'I also contribute to earning a living, and with many expenses for the children, it's quite difficult.'
Obtaining permanent residency in Japan means there is no limit to the period of stay, offering more flexibility in changing jobs or starting businesses, and making it easier to obtain loans from banks or financial institutions.
Kawanishi International Administrative Scrivener Office in Toyama Prefecture (a type of agency) offers services including assisting foreigners with residence and permanent residency applications. Takaaki Kawanishi, the head of the office, noted that applications have 'increased about tenfold since September... This is a sudden price hike, and we haven't received any specific reasons why it's necessary.'
According to the 'Sankei Shimbun,' Japan is considering the increase in related expenses due to the growing number of foreign residents. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (equivalent to the Immigration Bureau) estimates that the annual revenue from these fees, previously in the billions of yen, is expected to reach over 90 billion yen with this increase.
The increased revenue will be used for processing residence applications, as well as strengthening Japanese language education and related consultation services.
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=235072
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