United Kingdom: Visa Fee Increase to Come into Effect October 4, 2023
September 15, 2023
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At a Glance
- Increases to immigration and nationality fees are set to come into effect on October 4, 2023.
- Most fees will rise between 15-20%.
- The cost of a typical worker visa submitted from outside the United Kingdom will increase from GBP 719 to GBP 827.
- Where possible, sponsoring employers should try to submit affected visa applications prior to October 4, 2023 to benefit from the lower fees.
The situation
Increases to immigration and nationality fees are set to come into effect on October 4, 2023 in the United Kingdom, following legislation being laid in Parliament on September 15, 2023.
A closer look
The fee changes cover the following applications:
- Fees for six-month, two-, five-, and 10-year visas.
- Most fees for entry clearance and certain applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom, including those for work and study.
- Fees for indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain.
- Convention travel document and stateless person’s travel document.
- The Health and Care visa.
- Fees in relation to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies.
- The in- and out-of-country fee for the super priority service and the out-of-country fee for the priority service (the settlement priority service will be reduced so it is aligned with the cost of using the priority service).
- Applications to Register and Naturalise as a British Citizen.
- The fee for the User Pays Visa Application service.
Background
In July 2023, the government announced a 15% increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and an increase of at least 20% in the cost of priority visas, study visas and certificates of sponsorship.
Income from fees charged plays a vital role in the Home Office’s ability to run a sustainable immigration and nationality system. The fee increases are also intended to pay for vital services and allow more funding to be prioritised for public sector pay rises.
Impact
Where possible, sponsoring employers should try to submit affected visa applications prior to October 4, 2023 to benefit from the lower fees.
Looking ahead
These changes do not include the planned increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge, which are scheduled to be introduced later in the coming months.
Parliamentary approval is still required for these changes, but is expected to happen.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
