The Home Office has announced a new set of UK immigration and nationality fees that will come into effect from 9 April 2025. These changes will see increases across various categories, including work, study, and visit visa application fees, as well as naturalisation and sponsorship fees for employers.
Work Visa Fees:
From 9 April 2025, the application fees for various UK work visa categories will increase. For instance, the fee for a Skilled Worker visa for up to three years will rise from £719 to £769, and for over three years, it will increase from £1,420 to £1,519. The Health and Care Worker visa fee for up to three years will go up from £284 to £304, and for over three years, from £551 to £590. Other categories, such as the Senior or Specialist Worker and Scale-up Worker will also see similar increases.
Study Visa Fees:
The application fees for study visas will also increase. The cost for a Student visa will rise from £490 to £524, and the same increase applies to the Child Student visa. The fee for a Short-term student studying the English language will increase from £200 to £214.
Visit Visa Fees:
Fees for visit visas will also be increased. For a visit visa of up to six months, the fee will rise from £115 to £127. For longer durations, such as up to two years, the fee will increase from £432 to £475, and for up to ten years, it will rise from £963 to £1,059. The fee for the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will increase from £10 to £16r.
Settlement and Nationality Fees:
Those applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will see the fee increase from £2,885 to £3,029 while Further Leave to Remain (FLR) – such as spouse visa , will see the fee increase from £1,258 to £1,321. The fee for naturalisation as a British citizen will rise from £1,500 to £1,605, and for British overseas territory citizens, from £1,000 to £1,070.
Sponsorship Fees:
Employers and education providers sponsoring overseas workers or students will also face increased fees. For example, the fee for a Worker sponsor licence for large sponsors will rise from £1,476 to £1,579, and for small sponsors, from £536 to £574. The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee for Skilled Workers and GBM Senior or Specialist Workers will increase significantly from £239 to £525.
Bottomline
These fee increases are part of the Home Office’s broader strategy to ensure that the costs of the immigration system are met by those who benefit from it, rather than by the UK taxpayer. However, Overall, the increasing costs associated with immigration applications place a heavier financial strain on migrant and immigrant families, especially those with lower incomes, exacerbating their economic challenges and potentially limiting their ability to secure necessary immigration statuses.
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Cross Border Legal Solicitors Ltd is a UK Solicitor law firm regulated by under the Solicitor Regulations Authority. It is Headed by Mr Tito Mbariti, a UK Immigration and Human Rights Solicitor practising lawyer and member of the Law Society of England and Wales.
