Refugees face limited aid as visa fee hikes

Refugee support groups are reacting with concern to newly released draft guidelines offering only narrow exemptions for impoverished applicants regarding the sharp hike to Japan’s residency fees taking effect October 1.

The Immigration Services Agency on July 3 released details of the new tiered system under the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law, which will replace the current flat 6,000 Yen ($37) fee.

New fees will be 10,000 Yen for visas good for three months or less; 33,000 Yen for one year; 48,000 Yen for over one year to less than three years; 64,000 Yen for three years or more to less than five years; and 75,000 Yen for five years or more.

The fee for a permanent residency permit will see the most dramatic increase, jumping from 10,000 yen to 200,000 Yen.

The government has justified the Diet-approved hikes by citing the rising administrative costs associated with a growing foreign population.

Applications submitted before the Oct. 1 enforcement date will be processed at the current rate.

While fee exemptions will be limited to diplomats and embassy staff, the new guidelines lay out strict criteria for a reduction.

To qualify, an applicant must meet two conditions: they must require public assistance and must also be a recognised refugee, defined as a person granted protection from conflict or requiring humanitarian consideration.

For the many applicants with pending refugee claims, eligibility for a fee reduction is restricted to those receiving public “protection funds.”

This severely limits who can receive aid.

In fiscal 2024, only 710 of the approximately 12,000 refugee applicants in Japan were approved for these funds.

The Immigration Services Agency is accepting public comments on the draft guidelines until August 2.

-The Asahi Shimbun