Seven-fold increase
China raised visa fees for Japanese citizens to roughly seven times their previous level from 14 September 2026. A single-entry visa rose from ¥2,250 to ¥16,750, according to the Chinese embassy notice.
A reciprocal move
Beijing said the change followed the principle of reciprocity. Japan had raised its own visa fees for foreign nationals from 1 July, with single-entry visas rising from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 and multiple-entry visas from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000.
Most travellers still exempt
Japanese holders of ordinary passports can still stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa, and the new fees do not change that. The current visa-free policy is set to expire on 31 December, so whether it is extended will decide how many travellers pay the new fees. For more, see our tourism coverage.
Source: Chinese Embassy in Tokyo notice (11 September 2026), as reported by Jiji Press and Nomad Lawyer; Japan Foreign Ministry fee schedule (July 2026).
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