On 13 July 2023, the UK Government announced significant increases to Home Office application fees. Further to this announcement, the Home Office has now updated its website to reflect the new fees that will take effect from 4 October 2023.
Earlier this year, the UK Government announced that work and visit visa fees would be increased by 15%, whilst other visas, extensions, settlement and citizenship fees would be raised by at least 20%. The additional revenue generated from the new fees is intended to contribute to funding pay rises for public sector workers.
New application fees will begin to take effect from 4 October this year. The fees will increase in most visa categories; therefore, if you can submit your visa application before 4 October 2023, it is recommended to do so, as you may be able to save on the costs associated with your application.
The most significant fee increases affect applications for visit, work, study, settlement and nationality routes. The fees for optional premium services will also rise.
Settlement and Nationality: For example, the cost of an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will go up by £481, from £2,404 to £2,885. The optional super premium service will cost an additional £200, i.e. £1,000 in total. The cost of applying to become a British citizen by naturalisation will increase by £250 to £1,500, plus the additional £80 payable for the citizenship ceremony.
Work route: The most commonly used work visa routes have also seen an increase in the application fees. For example, a Skilled Worker application made outside of the UK for a term of up to three years will be increased from £625 to £719. To utilise an optional priority service will cost £500, which is double the cost charged at present. For an application under the same category made in the UK, the fees will increase from £712 to £827. The optional priority service, however, will remain unchanged, at £500.
Health and Care: Even the discounted work route of the Health and Care visa will see an increase of £37, or £72 depending on the number of years of sponsorship.
Student route: The cost of student visa applications made from outside of the UK will also rise to £490 (£127 will be charged in addition to the current fee of £363) for both the main applicants and any dependants.
The announcement made in July 2023 did suggest that the Immigration Health Surcharge was set to increase from £624 a year to £1,035 a year per adult. However, the date on which the fees will go up is yet to be announced.
How does this affect you?
If you currently hold a UK visa or looking to relocate to the UK, or you are a UK employer sponsoring overseas migrants, you will have to comply with the increased fees once they come into force on 4 October 2023.
Both migrants and employers should consider the short and long-term financial impact of the raised fees and may think about submitting upcoming applications as soon as possible to minimise spending costs.
Where can I find the latest UK immigration fees?
You can find out the latest UK immigration fees by checking the UK visa fees table on the UK Visas and Immigration website, which is part of the UK Home Office. The table is regularly updated with detailed information about the prices for various visa applications, including work, study, and family visas. It also provides the costs for optional services, such as the priority processing service, which can speed up the decision on your application.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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