China to raise visa fees for Japanese nationals sevenfold after Japan hiked its own rates

China will raise visa fees for Japanese nationals by roughly sevenfold, following Japan's sharp increase in visa fees for foreign visitors earlier this year. Beijing said the move is a reciprocal response to Tokyo's action.

According to China's embassy in Japan, the new fee schedule takes effect Monday.

The fee for a single-entry visa will rise from 2,250 yen ($15) to 16,750 yen, while a one-year multiple-entry visa will increase from 7,500 yen to 50,250 yen — a roughly sevenfold increase across categories.

A double-entry visa will be set at 25,100 yen, and a six-month multiple-entry visa at 33,500 yen. Applications submitted before Monday will be processed at the current rates.

Applicants using the China Visa Application Service Center will also owe a separate service fee of 5,000 yen on top of the visa charge for standard applications, bringing the total cost of a single-entry visa through that channel to around 21,750 yen.

The move is widely seen as a direct response to Japan's own visa fee hike in July.

Japan raised fees for single-entry visas issued to foreigners from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen, and for multiple-entry visas from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen — a fivefold increase — effective July 1. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the changes followed an amendment to relevant regulations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing Friday that the fee adjustment was made "in accordance with the principle of reciprocity."

Japan's fee hike was not targeted exclusively at Chinese nationals. However, visitors from South Korea, the United States, Taiwan and many other countries and regions do not require a visa for short-term tourism to Japan, meaning the practical burden of the increase falls disproportionately on travelers who do need visas — including Chinese tourists.

The immediate impact of China's fee increase is also expected to be limited, since China currently allows Japanese nationals to enter visa-free for short stays. Japanese passport holders can stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism, business or family visits. China reinstated its short-term visa-free policy for Japanese nationals in November 2024.

The key variable is the end of this year. China's current 30-day visa-free policy, which applies to Japan and a number of other countries, is set to expire Dec. 31. If the policy is extended again, most ordinary Japanese tourists will rarely need to pay the new fees. If it is not, the cost of traveling to China could rise sharply starting next year.