The Embassy of Japan in China has quietly posted a notice that will be felt by every business traveller and tourist planning trips from China to Japan this summer. According to the announcement dated 24 June 2026, all visa applications submitted to the embassy in Beijing on or after 1 July 2026 will attract higher processing charges. A single-entry (一次) visa will rise to CN¥715, while both double-entry and multiple-entry visas jump to CN¥1,430. Re-entry permit extensions will cost CN¥145. Indians benefit from a long-standing bilateral arrangement that caps their single- or multiple-entry fee at just CN¥40. Applicants must still pay the service charge levied by authorised visa agencies.
![Japan’s Embassy in Beijing hikes visa fees from 1 July 2026]()
For applicants who prefer professional assistance navigating the new fee structure and appointment bottlenecks, VisaHQ’s Beijing team can streamline the paperwork, secure appointments, and monitor your application from start to finish. The easy-to-use platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) allows travellers to compare visa categories, upload documents, and track real-time status updates—saving valuable time and helping you stay ahead of the increased costs.
Background: Japan restored all categories of Chinese visas in early 2024 and demand has soared on the back of China’s post-pandemic outbound rebound. In the first quarter of 2026, the Japan National Tourism Organisation recorded 1.8 million mainland arrivals—already 68 % of the 2019 level. Travel agents say appointment slots at the Beijing visa centre are fully booked three weeks out. Why the increase? Consular sources blame a weaker yen and higher processing costs, but analysts note that Japan’s fee table had not been adjusted since 2017. Even after the hike, Japanese visas remain cheaper than Schengen short-stay visas (currently €80/≈CN¥640) and considerably lower than the United States’ MRV fee (US $185/≈CN¥1,340). Business impact: Companies that rotate staff frequently between China and Japan—especially semiconductor, automotive and life-sciences firms clustered in Beijing’s Zhongguancun and Tianjin—will see mobility budgets swell. HR teams are already advising employees to submit applications before the 30 June deadline or switch to the visa-waiver routes that Japan grants to APEC Business Travel Card holders and certain high-value investors. Practical tips: • Check that your authorised agency has locked an appointment in June if you wish to avoid the new fees. • Expect queues at the embassy cashier on 28–30 June; same-day express processing is unlikely to be accepted. • Travellers transiting Japan for onward flights may wish to explore the 72-hour visa-exemption for ferry passengers via Kyushu ports, although airline itineraries rarely meet the eligibility criteria.
For applicants who prefer professional assistance navigating the new fee structure and appointment bottlenecks, VisaHQ’s Beijing team can streamline the paperwork, secure appointments, and monitor your application from start to finish. The easy-to-use platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) allows travellers to compare visa categories, upload documents, and track real-time status updates—saving valuable time and helping you stay ahead of the increased costs.
Background: Japan restored all categories of Chinese visas in early 2024 and demand has soared on the back of China’s post-pandemic outbound rebound. In the first quarter of 2026, the Japan National Tourism Organisation recorded 1.8 million mainland arrivals—already 68 % of the 2019 level. Travel agents say appointment slots at the Beijing visa centre are fully booked three weeks out. Why the increase? Consular sources blame a weaker yen and higher processing costs, but analysts note that Japan’s fee table had not been adjusted since 2017. Even after the hike, Japanese visas remain cheaper than Schengen short-stay visas (currently €80/≈CN¥640) and considerably lower than the United States’ MRV fee (US $185/≈CN¥1,340). Business impact: Companies that rotate staff frequently between China and Japan—especially semiconductor, automotive and life-sciences firms clustered in Beijing’s Zhongguancun and Tianjin—will see mobility budgets swell. HR teams are already advising employees to submit applications before the 30 June deadline or switch to the visa-waiver routes that Japan grants to APEC Business Travel Card holders and certain high-value investors. Practical tips: • Check that your authorised agency has locked an appointment in June if you wish to avoid the new fees. • Expect queues at the embassy cashier on 28–30 June; same-day express processing is unlikely to be accepted. • Travellers transiting Japan for onward flights may wish to explore the 72-hour visa-exemption for ferry passengers via Kyushu ports, although airline itineraries rarely meet the eligibility criteria.
