UK Visa Application Fees for 2019/2020
UK Visa Application fees can be both expensive and confusing for someone going through the applications process. The UK has one of the highest visa fee rates in the world and many applicants are at risk of losing their money because of small mistakes in their application.
The Home Office makes a sizeable profit on these fees. The charge for an application for indefinite leave to remain is £2389 with the cost of processing it at £243. A Tier 2 work visa is charged at £928 with the cost of processing at £127. The disparity between the charge for registering a child as British, over £1000, and its actual cost of £372 is currently the subject of a legal challenge.
The Home Office price changes made on 29 March 2019 show the latest rise in fees which are moderate, albeit in comparison with the large rises of previous years:
Fee increases for different visa categories
- Six-month short-term visit – a £2 rise from £93 to £95
- 2-year long-term visit visa – an £11 rise from £350 to £361
- 5-year long term visit visa – a £19 rise from £636 to £655
- 10-year long term visit – a £24 rise from £798 to £822
- Academic visitor & private medical visas – £4 fee increase
- Private Medical Treatment visas – a £4 rise from £186 to £190
Fee increases for some UK Priority Visa Services
- Priority Visa – The Non-Settlement service fee has been set at £220
- Super Priority services – a £190 rise from £610 to £800
- In-country Priority services – a £23 rise from £477 to £500
- Out-of-country Priority Visas – an £8 rise from £212 to £220
Fee increases for other categories of UK Visas
- Electronic Visa Waiver – a £15 rise, from £15 to £30
- Border Force Fast-Track service at Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 4 – a £1.30 rise from £3.90 to £5.20
- Border Force ‘above-basic services’ – a £4.25 rise from £53.08 to £57.33
- Two new Tier 1 fees for the UK innovator and start-up visas. These replace the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) routes. Fees for these new visa products will be set at the same rate as the visas they are replacing.
- Entry Clearance to enter the island of Jersey under the new Temporary Seasonal Work Permit arrangements – a new fee of £244 will be charged.
You can find a comprehensive list of the updated visa fees here. This list includes naturalisation fees, ILR, sponsorship licence fees and all Points Based System application fees. Finally, it is important to remember to include the ‘Immigration Health Surcharge’ (IHS) in the calculation of your visa application fees (if applicable) . Whether this applies, as well as the cost will depend on your particular circumstances and can be calculated here.
Contact our Immigration Barristers & Lawyers
For expert advice and representation in relation to a UK visa application or immigration appeal, contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or via our enquiry form below.
