UK Visa Fees Increase – Employer And Employee Considerations

Here’s what’s new…

Jul 19, 2023

On 13 July 2023, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that visa fees and immigration health surcharges paid by UK visa applicants who want to come to the UK to live and work will increase significantly. The announcement came after a speech regarding an increase in public sector wages, which includes teachers, police, junior doctors, and other public sector workers.

The cost of UK immigration has been notable for rising steeply over the last fifteen years. For non-EEA nationals coming to the UK, UK visa and nationality application costs have become more expensive over time. Annual increases of 20-25% have become standard for applications for indefinite leave to remain.

Here at Centuro Global, we’ve seen these costs rise over time and how it affects UK companies with employees coming from outside the EEA. Increased costs pressure employers and employees and can become incredibly stifling. We’ve put together some points worth remembering for companies and individuals when attempting to hire, move and settle in the UK.

New visa fees set to come into effect from October 4, 2023

The UK Home Office has confirmed increases in visa fees for travellers across the globe will go into effect on October 4. 

Under the new fee structure, a visit visa for less than six months will £15 more, while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the country will rise by 127 pounds to 490 pounds. 

The changes will also be implemented across various visa categories, including the cost of health and care visas, applications for British citizenship registration and naturalization, and UK visa for different durations (up to six months, two, five, and ten years). 

This also encompasses entry clearance and specific applications for leave to remain in the UK, covering areas like work and study, indefinite leave to enter and remain, and fees related to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies. 

However, the changes do not include the planned increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), scheduled to be introduced later in the Autumn. 

The changes include: 

• Fees for up to 6 months, 2, 5 and 10 year visit visas. 
• Most entry clearance fees and specific leave applications to remain in the UK, 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. 
• Health and Care visa. 
• Fees concerning 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 to align with the priority service’s cost. 
• Applications to Register and Naturalise as a British Citizen. 
• The fee for the User Pays Visa Application service.
  

A complete list of the new fees can be found below:

 

How much do you need to pay now for UK visa fees?

UK visa work application fees

UK visa work applications made outside the UK	The Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Innovator Founder – main applicant and dependants	£1,036	£1,191	£155
Endorsement fee under Innovator Founder route (payable to endorsing body) excluding VAT	£1000	£1,000	£0
Start-up – main applicant and dependants	£378	£435	£57
Approval letter from a competent body in respect of an initial application for Global Talent	£456	£524	£68
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is required	£167	£192	£25
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is not required	£623	£716	£93
Global Talent – dependants only	£623	£716	£93
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) – dependants only	£623	£716	£93
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – dependants only	£1,036	£1,191	£155
Tier 1 (Investor) – main applicant and dependants	£1,638	£1,884	£246
Skilled worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£625	£719	£94
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£1,235	£1,420	£185
Skilled Worker – shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£943	£1,084	£141
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£247	£284	£37
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less  – main applicant and dependants	£247	£284	£37
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
T2 Minister of Religion – main applicant and dependants	£625	£719	£94
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for 12 months or less – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over 12 months – main applicant and dependants	£625	£719	£94
Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement, Government Authorised Exchange and Youth Mobility Scheme – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Representative of an overseas business – main applicant and dependants	£625	£719	£94
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – up to 3 years – main applicant and dependants	£625	£719	£94
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – more than 3 years – main applicant and dependants	£1,235	£1,420	£185
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Scale-up – main applicant and dependants	£715	£822	£107
High Potential Individual – main applicant and dependants	£715	£822	£107

 

UK visa work applications made in the UK	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Innovator Founder – main applicant and dependants	£1,292	£1,486	£194
Endorsement fee under Innovator Founder route (payable to endorsing body) excluding VAT	£1000	£1,000	£0
Start-up – main applicant and dependants	£508	£584	£76
Approval letter from a competent body in respect of an initial application for Global Talent	£456	£524	£68
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is required	£167	£192	£25
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is not required	£623	£716	£93
Global Talent – dependants only	£623	£716	£93
Graduate Route – main applicant and dependants	£715	£822	£107
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) – dependants only	£623	£716	£93
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – main applicant and dependants	£1,292	£1,486	£194
Tier 1 (Investor) – main applicant and dependants	£1,638	£1,884	£246
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£719	£827	£108
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£1,423	£1,500	£77
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£943	£1,084	£141
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£247	£284	£37
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants	£247	£284	£37
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation –Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants	£479	£551	£72
T2 Minister of Religion – main applicant and dependants	£719	£827	£108
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for 12 months or less – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over 12 months – main applicant and dependants	£719	£827	£108
Temporary Worker – Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement Worker, Government Authorised Exchange Worker and Youth Mobility Scheme – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Representative of an overseas business – main applicant and dependants	£719	£827	£108
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – up to 3 years – main applicant and dependants	£719	£827	£108
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – more than 3 years – main applicant and dependants	£1,423	£1,500	£77
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker – main applicant and dependants	£259	£298	£39
Scale-up – main applicant and dependants	£715	£822	£107
High Potential Individual – main applicant and dependants	£715	£822	£107

 

Sponsorship application fees

Sponsorship fees	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – large sponsors	£25,000	£25,000	£0
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – small sponsors	£8,000	£8,000	£0
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Student sponsors	£8,000	£8,000	£0
The expedited processing of a sponsorship management request made by a Worker sponsor or Temporary worker sponsor	£200	£200	£0
Priority service for expedited processing of sponsor licence applications	£500	£500	£0
Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor )	£1,476	£1,476	£0
Worker sponsor licence (small sponsor)	£536	£536	£0
Student sponsor licence	£536	£536	£0
Temporary Worker sponsor licence	£536	£536	£0
Worker and Temporary Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor)	£1,476	£1,476	£0
Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor)	£1,476	£1,476	£0
Worker, Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor)	£1,476	£1,476	£0
Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence	£536	£536	£0
Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor), where sponsor currently holds a Temporary Worker and/or Student Sponsor Licence	£940	£940	£0
Endorsement fee for a Scale-up sponsor licence under Endorsing Body Pathway (payable to the endorsing body) excluding VAT	£1,500	£1,500	£0
Student sponsor basic compliance assessment	£536	£536	£0
Sponsor action plan	£1,476	£1,476	£0
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker	£199	£239	£40
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) – Temporary Worker including Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier and Secondment Worker route, and Scale-up route	£21	£25	£4
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – Over 12 Months	£199	£239	£40
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – Up to 12 months or less	£21	£25	£4
Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) for student, child student	£21	£25	£4

 

UK visa for study

Student visa applications made outside the UK	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Student – main applicant and dependants	£363	£490	£127
Child Student	£363	£490	£127
Short term student studying English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months	£200	£200	£0

 

Student visa applications made in the UK	Fee pre- 4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Student – main applicant and dependants	£490	£490	£0
Child student	£490	£490	£0

 

UK visa applications

UK visa applications made outside the UK	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Visit visa – short up to 6 months	£100	£115	£15
Visit visa – long up to 2 years	£376	£400	£24
Visit visa – long up to 5 years	£670	£771	£101
Visit visa – long up to 10 years	£837	£963	£126
Visiting academic – more than 6 months but no more than 12 months	£200	£200	£0
Private medical treatment visa – more than 6 months but not more than 11 months	£200	£200	£0
Transit visa (direct airside transit)	£35	£35	£0
Transit visit visa (landside transit)	£64	£64	£0
Visa for the purpose of joining a ship or aircraft as a member of the crew of that ship or aircraft	£64	£64	£0
Electronic Visa Waiver	£30	£30	£0
Single-entry visa to replace a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)	£154	£154	£0
Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode (outside the UK)	£388	£388	£0
Transfer of Conditions (Vignette Transfer) application made overseas	£154	£154	£0
Other visa	£531	£637	£106
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) for 30 months – main applicant and dependants	£180	£180	£0
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) for 5 years – main applicant and dependants	£250	£250	£0
Route to Settlement	£1,538	£1,846	£308
Route to Settlement – other dependant relative	£3,250	£3,250	£0
Route to Settlement – refugee dependant relative	£388	£404	£16
Indefinite leave to enter the UK as the dependant of a member of the armed forces under Appendix Armed Forces to the Immigration Rules	£2,404	£2,885	£481
Indefinite leave to enter the UK as a foreign or Commonwealth citizen discharged from HM Forces under paragraph 13 of Appendix Armed Forces to the immigration rules	£2,404	£2,885	£481
Call out/ out of hours fee (per hour/part hour) – service of consular officers	£142	£142	£0
Receiving, preparing and forwarding documents – consular functions	£141	£141	£0
Administrative review	£80	£80	£0

 

Optional premium services outside the UK	Current Fee	New fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Priority Visa service – Settlement	£573	£500	-£73
Priority Visa service – Non-Settlement	£250	£500	£250
Super Priority Visa service	£956	£1000	£44
User Pays Visa Application service	£55	£76.50	£21.50
The provision of an immigration officer to provide any premium service relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom (per hour per officer)	£77.40	£77.40	£0
International Contact Centre – Email Service (per query)	£2.74	£2.74	£0
International Contact Centre – Telephone Helpline (per minute)	£0.69	£0.69	£0

 

Optional premium services in the UK	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Super Priority service	£800	£1000	£200
Expedited processing – Priority service	£500	£500	£0
On-Demand service (Mobile Biometric Enrolment) (per hour per representative of the contractor providing the service)	£650	£650	£0
The provision of an immigration officer to deliver any premium service, to a Government Department, relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom	£57.33	£57.33	£0
The provision of an immigration officer to deliver any premium service, relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom (per hour per officer)	£77.40	£77.40	£0
Premium status checks and advice – Administrative Officer (per minute)	£0.80	£0.80	£0
Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute)	£0.88	£0.88	£0
Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute)	£1.10	£1.10	£0
Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute)	£0.97	£0.97	£0
Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute)	£1.23	£1.23	£0

 

Premium services at the UK border	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Registered Traveller (Adult) – Yearly Subscription (per year)	£50	£50	£0
Registered Traveller (Child) – Yearly Subscription (per year)	£24	£24	£0
Registered Traveller – Registration of New Documents	£20	£20	£0
Fast Track – Heathrow	£5.20	£5.20	£0
Fast Track – Other ports of entry	£3.00	£3.00	£0

 

Other applications made in the UK	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Visitor Extension – main applicant and dependants	£1000	£1,000	£0
Leave to enter for persons in the UK who are liable to immigration detention	£1,048	£1,258	£210
Leave to remain– Other	£1,048	£1,048	£0
Hong Kong British National (In-country) for 30 months – main applicant and dependants	£180	£180	£0
Hong Kong British National (In-country) for 5 years – main applicant and dependants	£250	£250	£0
Processing an application which is subsequently rejected as invalid	£25	£25	£0
Indefinite leave to remain – main applicants and dependants	£2,404	£2,885	£481
Replacement Biometric Residence Card (issued under the EU Settlement Scheme) which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed	£19	£19	£0
Replacement Biometric Residence Permit which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed	£19	£19	£0
Travel Document – Certificate of travel – adult	£280	£280	£0
Travel Document – Certificate of travel – child	£141	£141	£0
Travel Document – Convention travel document – adult	£75	£82	£7
Travel Document – Convention travel document – child	£49	£53	£4
Administrative Review	£80	£80	£0
Life in the UK test	£50	£50	£0

 

British citizenship

Nationality fees	Fee pre-4 October 2023	Fee from 4 October 2023	Fee Change
Naturalisation (British citizenship)	£1,250	£1,500	£250
Naturalisation British overseas territory citizens	£1,000	£1,000	£0
Nationality registration as a British citizen – adult	£1,126	£1,351	£225
Nationality registration as a British citizen – child	£1,012	£1,214	£202
The arrangement of a citizenship ceremony (including the administration of a citizenship oath and pledge at the ceremony).	£80	£80	£0
The administration of a citizenship oath, or oath and pledge where the oath, or oath and pledge, are not administered at a citizenship ceremony or by a justice of the peace.	£5	£5	£0
Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – adult	£901	£901	£0
Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – child	£810	£810	£0
Renunciation of nationality	£372	£372	£0
Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode (In the UK)	£372	£372	£0
Nationality review	£372	£372	£0
Status Letter (Nationality)	£250	£250	£0
Non-acquisition Letter (Nationality)	£250	£250	£0
Nationality correction to certificate	£250	£250	£0
Nationality – supply of a certified copy of a notice, certificate, order or declaration	£250	£250	£0
Nationality reissued Certificate	£250	£250	£0

 

In addition to the above, other fees may apply depending on your circumstances, location at the time of application, and nationality; these include:

• Biometric Enrolment fee – this usually is £19.20 for most applications from within the UK.

• Visa /Biometric Centre fee – this depends on the locality; in the UK, this ranges from £72 to £200 if you don’t go to limited UK visa core centres, which release their appointments at midnight. For an application from abroad, some centres charge about £55.

• Optional services – this applies to applications both from abroad and in the UK; you have to submit the application passport work and biometric by a government-contracted 3rd party (TLScontact, VFSglobal or UKVCAS), who then tries to up-sell you extra services, e.g. the UKCAS Document Scanning service at £51 per person. These may not be necessary, but many applicants book the appointment unaware that extra steps may be needed, thus paying unnecessary fees.

• Tuberculosis tests – this applies to applicants from abroad, except for in a few countries, who must have a Tuberculosis test scan if they are applying for a UK visa to come to the UK for more than six months – the fee for TB screening is set by the clinic and can range from £50 to £200 each.

• English Exams – Most applications, e.g. Student UK Visa or Spouse UK Visa, require a certain level of English, which cannot be met if the applicant does not come from a limited number of recognised English-speaking countries unless you have an English-taught degree or have passed an English exam from a speciality college, which costs about £150. Please note that this is regardless of whether the applicant has spoken English since childhood as part of their national language, such as in Kenya or India. Suppose the applicant doesn’t have a UK degree. In that case, they will need to sit the exam or obtain a certificate of compatibility from NARIC to meet the English requirement, which costs around £150 but can be reused for other applications.
• Priority – this is an optional service you may have to pay for. Essentially, it is a service to have the visa application considered faster. This costs £575 for Priority service from abroad for a settlement visa and £800 from within the UK (Super Priority Service).

Paying UK visa fees in your local currency 

UK visa fees are set in Pounds Sterling (GBP) but can be paid in your local currency based on the exchange rate at the time of payment. The Home Office sets the rate, typically reviewed every two weeks.

 

Who will these changes affect?

The rising UK visa fees pose a significant financial burden for business owners relying on overseas labour, especially compared to countries like the United States or France, potentially increasing recruitment spending.

This will undoubtedly impact individuals’ decisions regarding whether to visit the UK – given that these fees are already expensive due to the weakness of other currencies.

These fee increases also affect people applying for visas to the UK to reunite with their families. They will affect people already living in the UK, working and paying taxes.

Those worst affected will be migrants already struggling with the cost of living crisis and the punishing effects of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) visa condition.

How to save on the cost of UK Visa Applications

Although it is difficult to compare like-for-like with other countries such as Australia, America, and Canada, it is fair to say that the UK immigration process is comparably more expensive. However, we have identified ways to avoid paying for optional or additional things applicants don’t need. Here are our top suggestions:

• Switch as soon as possible: Each visa has its path to settlement. Thus, applicants should consider swapping to the shortest route wherever possible. For example, if you are on the 10-year partner route, you should consider swapping to the 5-year route as soon as you qualify, as this will reduce the visas you need to apply for before attaining permanent stay.

• Apply for the correct UK visa: This can save you 1000s of Pounds. For example, if an applicant has the option of applying for a Fiancé UK Visa or getting married abroad and then applying for a Spouse UK Visa, opting for getting married abroad and then applying for the Spouse UK Visa will generally save you from having to apply for two visas in a short period and therefore save you money – of course where you get married requires many other considerations, including the ability of the family to attend. Our revolutionary Centuro Connect platform will save you time, money, and stress, and we can even expedite the visa process. 

• Consider a Fee waiver: It is possible to apply for a fee when applying for a UK visa, but this does come with long-term implications, as this often extends the period needed to obtain ILR. For example, visas often have a financial requirement and will switch you from a 5-year route to 10 10-year route if you apply under fee waiver as the UK visa could only be granted under Human Rights.

• Use NARIC instead of the English exam where possible – many applicants have a foreign degree taught in English; a certificate of compatibility from NARIC can be used for subsequent applications, whereas the English Exam certificates expire in two years. As the cost is the same, applying for the NARIC option makes more sense if possible.

• Hire appropriate help: With most UK visa costing an ‘arm and a leg’ and the process riddled with pitfalls, it is wise to consider seeking advice from qualified UK Immigration experts to assist with the process and give your application the best chances of it being granted the first time, as appeals and reapplications can be even more expensive and complicated.

 

What is next?

If you are worried about these fee increases and are in a position to make an earlier application, we suggest that you consider applying sooner. Overall, the more effort you put into preparing your application, the smoother and cheaper the road to settlement will be.

The fact remains that for business owners who desperately need to look to the overseas labour market for vacancies, these rises will be a massive increase in recruitment spending. For migrants looking to work in the UK, these fees are significantly higher than in other countries such as the United States or France. It is not unreasonable to predict that most migrant workers will consider working elsewhere.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our Immigration Team, who will be happy to assist.

Contributors: KEVIN NKRUMAH