UK Visa Fees: What You Need to Know About the Massive Increase
The cost of visitor and student visas has increased by over 600 percent, from £15 (14,592.70) for visitors to £115 (approximately N111,878.28) and from £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59) for students, respectively.
This information was presented in a statement that was posted on the website of the UK Home Office on Friday, September 15, 2023.
The increase will go into effect on October 4, 2023, according to the statement, which also stated that the changes are necessary to pay for “vital services and allow more funding to be prioritized for public sector pay rises.”
“The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 (N14,592.70) to £115 (N111,878.28 ), while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59), to equal the amount charged for in-country applications,” the statement partly read.
Remember that the government announced a 15% rise in most work and visit visa fees in July, as well as an increase of at least 20% in priority visa fees, study visa fees, and certificates of sponsorship.
The statement further read, “Income from fees charged 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, whilst continuing to provide a service that remains attractive to those wishing to work in the UK and support broader prosperity for all.”
According to checks by Saturday PUNCH, the revisions include payments for visit visas valid for up to six months as well as two, five, and ten years.
The bulk of entrance clearance costs as well as several applications for UK visas, including those for work and study, were also raised.
Fees for indefinite leaves to enter and stay, convention travel documents, stateless person’s travel documents, health and care visas, certificates of sponsorship, and confirmations of acceptance for studies, as well as the in-country and out-of-country fees for super-priority services and priority services, went up as well.
In order to be in line with the price of using the priority service, it was mentioned that the settlement priority service will be lowered. The cost for the User Pays Visa Application service as well as applications to register and naturalize as British citizens have both increased.
The message did mention that starting on October 4, the immigration and nationality fees would increase, subject to parliamentary approval.
“Today’s changes do not include the planned increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is scheduled to be introduced later in the Autumn,” it added.
