UK Visa Fees are Going Up from April 9th!
If you’re dreaming of a British adventure, looking for work in the Isles, want to bring your family over, or plan to study at a UK university, now’s the time to pay attention. The UK government is increasing the fees for most immigration categories starting mid-April.
written by: BOGI – Continent Surfer
Important changes
Let’s take a look at the most important changes so you know what costs to expect. The fee for the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is jumping from £10 to £16. The popular Standard Visitor Visa, used for tourism, will cost £127 instead of £115. The Family Visa, for family reunification, will also be more expensive, rising from £1846 to £1938.
For those planning to work in the UK, there are also changes. The Skilled Worker Visa fee for the initial period of up to 3 years will increase from £719 to £769, while the fee for permits longer than 3 years will go up from £1420 to £1519. If your occupation is on the Immigration Salary List (roughly equivalent to the shortage occupation list), you’ll still face higher costs: the fee for a visa up to 3 years will rise from £551 to £590, and for visas longer than 3 years, it will increase from £1084 to £1160.
The Health and Care Worker Visa fee is also changing: for permits up to 3 years, it will go from £284 to £304, and for those longer than 3 years, the fee will increase from £551 to £590. For international sportspersons and coaches (International Sportsperson Visa), the fee for a visa up to 12 months will rise from £298 to £319, and for permits longer than 12 months, it will increase from £719 to £769.
Starting your studies will also become more expensive: the Student Visa fee is increasing from £490 to £524, and the Short Term Study Visa fee is going up from £200 to £214. Obtaining British citizenship (British citizenship – Naturalisation) will also cost more, rising from £1500 to £1605.
Businesses are also affected by these changes: the sponsor licence fee for small companies will increase from £536 to £574, and for large companies, it will rise from £1476 to £1579. Furthermore, the fee for the Certificate of Sponsorship (official job offer) is seeing a significant jump, from £239 to £525.
To summarise the key fee increases:
- ETA: £10 –> £16
- Standard Visitor Visa: £115 –> £127
- Family Visa: £1846 –> £1938
- Skilled Worker Visa up to 3 years: £719 –> £769
- Skilled Worker Visa longer than 3 years: £1420 –> £1519
- Skilled Worker Visa, if occupation on Immigration Salary List (approx. shortage occupation list), up to 3 years: £551 –> £590
- Skilled Worker Visa, if occupation on Immigration Salary List (approx. shortage occupation list), longer than 3 years: £1084 –> £1160
- Health and Care Worker Visa up to 3 years: £284 –> £304
- Health and Care Worker Visa longer than 3 years: £551 –> £590
- International Sportsperson Visa, up to 12 months: £298 –> £319
- International Sportsperson Visa, longer than 12 months: £719 –> £769
- Student Visa: £490 –> £524
- Short Term Study Visa: £200 –> £214
- British citizenship (Naturalisation): £1500 –> £1605
- Sponsor licence fee for small companies: £536 –> £574
- Sponsor licence fee for large companies: £1476 –> £1579
- Certificate of Sponsorship: £239 –> £525
Important Note: The fees mentioned above apply to those applying for a visa for the first time. However, it’s crucial to remember that fees for visa extensions will also increase from April 9th! So, if you’re already in the UK and your visa is nearing its expiration date, renewing it will also cost you more.
There’s a Silver Lining!
Fortunately, not all costs are going up. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee will not change for now, remaining at £1035 per person per year (or £776 per person per year for those under 18 and Student Visa applicants). This is good news as it can be a significant part of the overall visa application expenses.
The same applies to the fees for priority and super priority services, which allow for faster processing of visa applications. These fees will remain at £500 and £1000, respectively.
What Should You Do If You’re Affected?
If you’re planning to move to the UK or need to extend your visa and want to avoid the higher costs, it might be worth submitting your application before April 9th, 2025.
You can find the complete list of fees on the UK government website. It’s worth reviewing the list to find out exactly which fees apply to you and prepare for the costs. Need help navigating the sea of regulations? Our partner, Attila, can assist!
Did you know?
The London Underground (also called the Tube) features 409 escalators. Together, every week, they travel the same distance as the circumference of the globe.
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