UK to raise visa fees for visitors, workers, students by up to £222 from April

UK to raise visa fees for visitors, workers, students by up to £222 from April

The United Kingdom will increase visa fees for people seeking to visit, study, work, or live in the country.

The UK home office said the visa charges will rise by up to £222 and take effect from April 8.

The increase forms part of a wider set of measures aimed at reducing immigration. The government also plans to introduce stricter policies affecting asylum seekers and migrants.

The measures include paying failed asylum seekers up to £10,000 to voluntarily leave the country.

Authorities will also withdraw taxpayer-funded accommodation from migrants found working illegally.

The government has also introduced an “emergency brake” on student visas for migrants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan.

Shabana Mahmood, UK home secretary, said the decision followed a surge in asylum applications from citizens of those countries.

Under the new fee structure, short-stay visas for visits of up to six months will increase by £8. The application fee will rise from £127 to £135.

Visit visas allowing stays of up to two years will increase by £31 to £506. Five-year visit visas will rise by £55 to £903. Ten-year visit visas will increase by £69 to £1,128.

The UK government will also increase fees for applications leading to British citizenship. The cost of naturalisation will rise from £1,605 to £1,709.

Fees for settlement visas will also increase. The standard route to a settlement visa will rise from £1,938 to £2,064.

The visa enables foreign nationals to reside and work in the UK, and subsequently apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Visa fees for people receiving care from relatives in the UK will increase by £222 to £3,635. Settlement visa fees for refugee-dependent relatives will increase by £28 to £452.

Work visa application fees will also increase under the new structure. Skilled worker visa applications made outside the UK for stays of up to three years will rise from £769 to £819.

Longer-term work visa applications will also see comparable percentage increases. The changes will apply to both main applicants and their dependants.

Student visa fees will also increase. The standard student visa will rise by £34 to £558. The graduate route visa will increase from £880 to £937 for both main applicants and dependants.