The Royal Society: Summary of Visa Costs Analysis 2024

Fragomen was commissioned by the Royal Society—a fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and the oldest scientific academy in continuous use—to conduct a 2024 analysis of upfront immigration costs in the United Kingdom and 17 other leading science nations.

It focuses on the main visa categories for researchers, skilled workers and students; including the UK Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Student and Graduate visas, as well as their equivalents in other countries. From 2021 to 2024, total upfront immigration costs in the UK increased by up to 58%, depending on the visa type.

Other key findings include:

• UK immigration costs have surged up to 126% since 2019.
• The UK’s upfront costs are the highest, up to 17 times higher than international averages.
• The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) rose by 66%, making a 5-year stay cost £5,175 in IHS alone.
• The Global Talent Visa (GTV) is the most expensive among comparable nations, costing 1,583% more than the average.
• Families face steep costs, with a family of four on a GTV paying £20,974 upfront.

These costs highlight significant barriers for international researchers considering migrating to the UK.

Read the full analysis here.