New Immigration Application Fees Effective 4th October 2023

The government recently released the updated immigration application fees, which had been announced earlier in the year. This fee adjustment is primarily designed to increase funds, allowing more resources to be allocated for public sector pay raises. The information below clarifies that fees for various immigration and nationality services will be increased by 15-20%, in an effort to significantly support the Home Office's broader financial goals.

The notes summarise the changes as follows:

Fees for visit routes will see a 15% increase. However, for visits lasting up to two years, the increase will be limited to 6% to align with the upper limit set by the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2016.

Work route fees will be adjusted by 15%. In specific situations, this increase may be less to ensure compliance with pre-established fee caps.

For the student route, fees for out-of-country applicants will rise by 35% to match the in-country applicant fee, in adherence to the previous fee ceiling.

A broader range of entry pathways, such as the Route to Settlement, as well as for the settlement itself and British citizenship applications, will undergo a 20% fee adjustment. The 'Route to Settlement – Refugee Dependent Relative' will experience a modest 4% increase, in line with updated unit costs released in April 2022.

Fees for Convention Travel Documents will be revised to be consistent with the rates of analogous passport services, following the passport fee adjustment effective from 2nd February 2023.

There will be a 19-20% adjustment for fees associated with Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and Confirmations of Acceptance of Studies (CAS), marking the first adjustment in these fees since 2016.

Fees for expedited PV and SPV application services, irrespective of application origin (within or outside the UK), will be standardised. The PV fee will be set at £500 and SPV at £1,000. This represents a 100% increase for out-of-country PV applications, a 25% increase for SPV in the UK, and a 13% reduction for the UK's Priority Settlement service.

The Visa Application Centre (VAC) user fee will be adjusted from £55 to £76.50 to accommodate rising operational expenses.

Later this autumn, the immigration health surcharge will be raised from £624 to £1,035 annually. This increase follows a different procedure (termed "draft affirmative") from the application fee changes. Both Houses of Parliament must approve this through a vote, which means its implementation might be delayed.

The majority of these regulatory changes are set for 4 October 2023. However, there are two exceptions. On 5 October 2023, a new category, ‘Appendix Gurkha and Hong Kong military unit veteran discharged before 1 July 1997’, will be introduced with a fee of £1,846. Additionally, the Electronic Travel Authorisation, priced at £10, becomes effective on 25 October 2023, coinciding with the start of its application process.

Worth mentioning is what remains unchanged. The explanatory document highlights that technical constraints were the sole barriers preventing a 20% increase to the £1,048 fee for limited leave to remain. After resolving these issues, there will be further regulations to establish this increase.

Visas and applications made outside the UK

Fees category	Current Fee	New 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 (Inlands 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

Work - application made outside the UK

Fees category	​Current Fee	New 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	​£1000	​£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

Study-application made outside the UK

​Fees catergory	Current Fee	New fee from 4 Cotober 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

Optional premium services outside the UK

​Fees category	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

Fees category	Current Fee	New 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 border

​Fees category	​Current Fee	New 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

Work- applications made in the UK

​Fees category	Current Fee	New 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

Study- application made in the UK

Fees category	​Current Fee	​New fee from 4 October 2023	​Fee Change
​Student – main applicant and dependants	​£490	£490	​£0
​Child student	​£490	£490	​£0

Other applications made in the UK

​Fees Category	Current Fee	​New fee from 4 October 2023	​Fee Change
Visitor Extension – main applicant and dependants	​£1000	​£1000	​£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

Nationality

​Fees category	Current Fee	​New 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

Sponsorship

Fees category	Current Fee	New 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