New Home Office application fees announced
The Minister for Immigration yesterday announced proposals to change the fees for immigration and nationality applications with a view to coming into effect on 6 April 2014. According to the Ministerial Statement:
‘The Home Office has given careful consideration to its fee levels, to ensure they provide the funding necessary to operate effective immigration controls and invest in improving service levels to customers. This is balanced against the need to ensure that the UK continues to attract and welcome the ‘brightest and best’ migrants from around the world and those that make a valued contribution to British society. Given the ongoing need to reduce public spending, we believe it is right that we continue to reduce the contribution made by UK taxpayers towards delivering the immigration system by asking those who use and benefit directly from the system to make a greater contribution’.
The fees for the majority of applications will be increased by 4%. This means that, according to the published table, the fee for an application for leave to remain in the UK as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) will increase from £840 to £874. Similarly, those seeking settlement in non-Points Based System applications will see the application fee increase from £1,051 to £1,093. However, dependents of persons seeking settlement in non-Points Based System applications will have their application fee increased by more than 38%, from £788 to £1,093.
It is important to ensure that when submitting an application to the Home Office that it is accompanied by the correct fee, otherwise the application will be returned as being invalid.
If you would like to discuss making an application for leave to remain in the UK then please contact our immigration barristers in Covent Garden, London on 0203 617 9173 or email info@richmondchambers.com.
