Fees for visas across most categories increase from today (March 18).
The changes, which were announced in January, mean most fees, including short-term visitor visas and most work (such as Tier 2) or study (such as Tier 4) applications, have gone up around 2 percent, while the fee for nationality and settlement applications has risen a substantial 25 percent.
The fee for companies applying for a Tier 2 sponsorship licence – which enables them to employ Tier 2 visa holders – remains unchanged at £536 for smaller businesses and £1,476 for larger businesses.
According to the home office, the increases in revenue will reduce the amount British taxpayers contribute towards the UK’s border control and immigration infrastructure. It is hoped that, by 2019-2020, the system will be “self-funded” by those who use it.
Recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures indicate that most migrants who secure a Tier 2 visa subsequently apply for settlement or permanent residence after five years in the UK. These individuals will now be expected to pay £1,875 for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application (up from £1,500).
Applications for naturalisation, which is a step up from ILR and leads to UK citizenship, have risen to £1,236, up from the previous £1,005, while a newly introduced £25 surcharge will be levied for non-valid applications. Under the previous fee structure, any fees paid for applications that turned out not to be valid were refunded.
Optional premium services offered by the Home Office, including its super-premium service and priority visa services overseas, have seen fees increased by up to 33%, while family and spouse visas have soared to £1,195 and the fee for ‘Adult Dependant Relatives’ has jumped to £2,676.
The main changes effect visas linked most closely to economic growth and “help maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s top tourist destinations,” according to a Home Office statement.
