Dubai: Effective April 9 this year, the UK plans to increase fees for almost all visa categories. The revised fees will apply to visitor, student, and work visas as part of the government’s effort to ensure that the migration and border system is financially sustainable.
According to a statement from the UK Home Office, these adjustments aim to reduce taxpayer subsidies and move towards full cost recovery for the migration and borders system.
Most categories will see an increase of 5 to 10 per cent. However, sponsorship fees for employers who hire overseas workers will be raised significantly. Skilled Worker applicants’ Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee will double from £239 to £525. while fees for individual Worker Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) will rise by 120 per cent to £525 from the current £239.
Visit visa increases
A standard six-month visit visa will rise from £115 to £127, which accounts for a £12 increase.
Long-term visit visas will also become more expensive, with a two-year visa increasing from £432 to £475, a five-year visa from £771 to £848, and a ten-year visa from £963 to £1,059. These changes are expected to generate additional revenue to support the UK’s border operations while keeping pace with the increasing costs of processing applications.
The planned increase for electronic travel authorisation (ETA) applications (permission to travel in electronic form, from £10 to £16 per traveller, will also take effect on this date.
An explanatory memorandum to the immigration, nationality, and passport (fees) amendment regulations explained that a fee of £10 was set for the initial rollout phase of the scheme in Autumn 2023, with the intention for this fee level to be reviewed before full rollout. “Following completion of that review, this amendment will increase the fee to £16. This
increase will deliver significant additional income for the department, which is estimated at £128.2 million in 2025-2026 based on current forecasts,” the statement explained.
Work visa fees will also be adjusted, with Skilled Worker visas increasing across different durations and locations of application. The fee for a Skilled Worker visa valid for up to three years, when applied for from outside the UK, will rise from £719 to £769, while the five-year visa will increase from £1,420 to £1,519.
Applications made from within the UK will also be affected, with the three-year visa fee increasing from £827 to £885 and the five-year visa rising from £1,636 to £1,751. Additionally, visas under the Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation category will experience a 26.3 per cent hike, bringing the cost up to £470. The cost of the Innovator Founder visa, aimed at entrepreneurs setting up businesses in the UK, will increase from £1,486 to £1,590.
Student visa fees
Student visa fees will also increase, with the cost rising from £490 to £524. This adjustment aligns with the government’s broader strategy to ensure that visa applicants contribute more to the costs associated with their applications and immigration-related services. Medium and large companies applying for a sponsor license will also see an increase, with the fee rising from £1,476 to £1,579.
Nationality application
Nationality application fees are also set to rise. The cost of naturalisation as a British citizen will increase from £1,500 to £1,605, while the nationality registration fee for an adult applying as a British citizen will rise from £1,351 to £1,446. The government justifies these increases as necessary to align fees with the actual costs incurred in processing these applications.
Despite these increases, premium services such as the Priority Visa service for settlement (£500) and the Super Priority Visa service (£1,000) will remain unchanged. The UK government believes that by adjusting standard visa fees while maintaining optional premium processing costs, applicants can still access faster processing if they are willing to pay additional charges.
The government aims to ensure that applicants, rather than the general public, bear a larger share of the costs associated with visa processing, border control, and immigration enforcement. The fee hikes are also expected to generate additional revenue to fund public services and other essential government functions.
