The immigration and nationality fees are set to rise starting from October 4th, following the recent legislation laid in Parliament on September 15th. These fee adjustments serve the dual purpose of funding crucial services and allocating more resources for public sector salary increases.
These modifications entail various changes, such as an increase of £15, bringing the cost of a visit visa for stays less than six months to £115. Additionally, the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 to £490, aligning it with the amount charged for in-country applications.
In July, the government had already announced a 15% hike in the cost of most work and visit visas, along with a minimum 20% increase in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and certificates of sponsorship.
The revenue generated from these fees plays a critical role in sustaining the Home Office’s immigration and nationality system. Setting fees is a careful process that aims to reduce the financial burden on British taxpayers while maintaining an attractive service for those seeking to work in the UK and contribute to overall prosperity.
The changes include:
- Fees for up to 6 months, 2, 5 and 10 year visit visas.
- The majority of fees for entry clearance and certain applications for leave to remain in the UK including those for work and study.
- Fees for indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain.
- Convention travel document and stateless person’s travel document.
- Health and Care visa.
- Fees in relation to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies.
- The in and out of country fee for the super priority service and the out of country fee for the priority service. The settlement priority service will reduce so it is aligned with the cost of using the priority service.
- Applications to Register and Naturalise as a British Citizen.
- The fee for the User Pays Visa Application service.
It’s important to note that these fee increases are subject to Parliamentary approval and will take effect on October 4, 2023. Notably, the changes do not encompass the planned increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is scheduled to be introduced later in the Autumn.
A full list of the new fees can be found at: Visa fees transparency data – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)