On the 6th of April 2022, the Home Office increased some of the fees for settlement, residence, nationality, visit, study, and work visas.
The New Fees for 2022
For the first time in several years the increases are below inflation, although most of the fees are already at an extremely high level. Please see below for a summary of the main changes.
- 6-month Visit Visas have increased by £5 and are now £100
- Settlement 2 year, 5 year, and 10-year Visit Visas have increased by £15 (Including: Spouse Visa, Partner Visa, Indefinite Leave to Remain, 10 or 5 Years Parent Route)
- Visit visas for academics or medical treatment have increased by £10
- Almost all of the Work Visa categories have increased by £15
- Study applications from inside or outside the UK have increased by £15, except for Short term students studying the English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months, who will pay £14 more
- Nationality registrations have not increased in price
- Sponsorship fees have not increased in price
- Visitor extension applications have increased by £7 to £1000
You can see the full list of new fees.
Overall Cost
The UK Home Office stated, when they increased the fees in 2016, that the increases would reduce the taxpayer contribution towards the system and ensure that the border, immigration and citizenship system is self-funded by those who make use of the services.
Although the visa application fees have not increased by that much in the years since then, the Immigration Health Surcharge has risen from £200 a year in 2018 to £624 a year by the end of 2020. This has meant that the overall price of making the visa application has risen significantly.
If you had applied for a Spouse Visa from abroad in 2018 it would have cost £1,523 for the application fee and £200 per year for the IHS, making a total of £500 for the IHS and an overall cost of £2023 for the application plus IHS.
From the 6th of April 2022 the application fee will cost £1,538 for the application fee and a total of £1,872 (£624 x 3) for the IHS fee, making an overall total of £3,410. This represents a huge increase in costs of £1,387 in the last three years, a 69% increase of the 2018 figure.
Although the small increases in fees this year are more palatable than past larger increases, there is still a huge financial burden on families and those looking to settle in the UK.
If you have been affected by any UK immigration matter, please contact Solicitor Tito, a UK Immigration and Human Rights Solicitor, for a free initial consultation about your legal options. Call 07544 669131/01163800744 or on Skype: tito.mbariti.
Cross Border Legal Ltd is a UK Solicitor law firm regulated by the under the Solicitor Regulations Authority and is Headed by Mr Tito Mbariti, a UK Immigration and Human Rights Solicitor who is a practising lawyer and member of the Law Society of England and Wales.