UKVI has decided to increase the immigration and nationality fees to pay for vital services. This will allow more funding which will be prioritised for public sector pay rise. It will come into effect on 4 October, following legislation that was in Parliament on 15 September 2023.
The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 to £115, while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 to £490, to equal the amount charged for in-country applications.
In July, the government announced a 15% increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and an increase of at least 20% in the cost of priority visas, study visas and certificates of sponsorship.
Income from fees plays a vital role in the Home Office’s ability to run a sustainable immigration and nationality system. Careful consideration is given when setting fees to help reduce the funding contribution from British taxpayers.
The changes are:
- 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.
Although the changes are subject to Parliamentary approval, the immigration and nationality fees will increase from 4 October 2023. However, the changes do not include the planned increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which are 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)
