UK visa and immigration charges have increased several times in recent years, affecting visitors, workers, students, families, people applying for settlement and UK employers sponsoring overseas workers.
The latest UK visa fee increase took effect on 8 April 2026, when many Home Office application fees for main applicant and dependants rose by around 6 to 7%. This followed another major UK visa fee increase in 2025, as well as separate changes to sponsorship charges and the Immigration Skills Charge.
When UK visa fees increase, applicants may also need to consider the Immigration Health Surcharge, dependant fees and optional services. Employers can face separate sponsor licence, Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge costs.
This article focuses specifically on UK visa fee changes and increases. For a broader breakdown of application charges, see our UK Visa Fees Explained guide.
What Is the Latest UK Visa Fee Increase?
The latest significant across-the-board increase in Home Office immigration and nationality application fees took effect on 8 April 2026.
The changes affected applications made both outside and inside the UK, including visitor, Skilled Worker, Student, family settlement, indefinite leave to remain and citizenship applications. Sponsor licence fees also increased.
Examples include:
- Six-month visitor visa: £127 to £135
- Student visa: £524 to £558
- Skilled Worker visa, up to three years from outside the UK: £769 to £819
- Family route settlement application from outside the UK: £1,938 to £2,064
- Indefinite Leave to Remain: £3,029 to £3,226
- Naturalisation application: £1,605 to £1,709
The Home Office has also published its fee schedule applying from 8 October 2026. The main visitor, Student, Skilled Worker, ILR, nationality and sponsorship fees covered in this article show no further increase under that schedule.
When Did UK Visa Fees Increase?
UK immigration fees have changed at several points. Understanding the timeline helps distinguish the UK visa fee increase 2025 from the later 2026 changes.
| Date | Main fee change | Who was affected |
| 6 February 2024 | IHS increased from £624 to £1,035 for most applicants and from £470 to £776 at the reduced rate | Many temporary migrants, students, dependants and children |
| 9 April 2025 | Broad increases across visitor, work, study, settlement and nationality fees | Individuals, families, workers and students |
| 9 April 2025 | Worker CoS fee increased from £239 to £525 | Sponsoring employers |
| 16 December 2025 | Immigration Skills Charge increased by 32% | Employers sponsoring eligible workers |
| 8 April 2026 | Further increases across many visa, settlement, nationality and sponsor licence fees | Applicants and sponsors |
The 2025 changes included the six-month visitor fee rising from £115 to £127, the Student visa from £490 to £524 and an overseas Skilled Worker application of up to three years from £719 to £769.
The Immigration Skills Charge then increased by 32% from 16 December 2025. The first-year charge became £480 for a small or charitable sponsor and £1,320 for a medium or large sponsor.
Which UK Visa Fees Have Increased?
The following examples show how selected Home Office fees changed on 8 April 2026. They are intended to illustrate visa application fees, rather than replace the full Home Office fee schedule.
| Application | Previous Fee | Fee from 8 April 2026 | Increase |
| Visitor visa, up to 6 months | £127 | £135 | £8 |
| Student visa | £524 | £558 | £34 |
| Skilled Worker, up to 3 years, outside UK | £769 | £819 | £50 |
| Skilled Worker, over 3 years, outside UK | £1,519 | £1,618 | £99 |
| Family route settlement application, outside UK | £1,938 | £2,064 | £126 |
| Leave to remain, other | £1,321 | £1,407 | £86 |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain | £3,029 | £3,226 | £197 |
| British citizenship by naturalisation | £1,605 | £1,709 | £104 |
Not every route increased. For example, the main Global Talent application fees remained unchanged in the April 2026 schedule.
UK Visa Fee Increase by Visa Type
The details of most common visa categories are given below.
Skilled Worker Visa Fee Increase
The UK Skilled Worker visa application fee increased in April 2026.
For an application made outside the UK, the standard fee for sponsorship of up to three years increased from £769 to £819. For more than three years, it increased from £1,519 to £1,618. In-country Skilled Worker fees also increased.
Employers and workers should not treat the application charge as the entire Skilled Worker visa cost. Depending on the circumstances, sponsorship can also involve a Certificate of Sponsorship, Immigration Skills Charge and the applicant’s Immigration Health Surcharge. Applicants may also face biometric enrolment fees, priority processing services, and translation or legal support costs.
See our detailed Skilled Worker visa fees guide for the broader cost breakdown.
Student Visa Fee Increase
The Student visa application fee increased from £524 to £558 on 8 April 2026 for both overseas and in-country applications. The Child Student fee increased by the same amount.
For most student visas granted for more than six months, students must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at the reduced student rate, and it is paid upfront for the full visa period, so the application fee should not be treated as the full cost of studying in the UK.
Visit Visa Fee Increase
Visitor visas, including the Standard Visitor visa for a stay of up to six months, increased from £127 to £135 in April 2026. Longer visit visa fees also rose, including two, five and ten-year visas. This followed the UK visa fee increase in 2025, when the six-month fee had already risen from £115 to £127.
See our guide to UK visitor visa fees for route-specific information.
Family and Spouse Visa Fee Increase
Family applicants were also affected by the latest UK immigration fee increase.
The Home Office’s overseas “Route to Settlement” fee increased from £1,938 to £2,064 in April 2026. The Home Office visa fee tool lists £2,064 for family visas where someone is joining a partner, parent, proposed civil partner or child.
Many family applicants must also budget for the Immigration Health Surcharge and separate charges for each dependant.
Global Business Mobility Visa Fee Increase
All five Global Business Mobility visa routes were affected by the April 2026 fee increase. For the Senior or Specialist Worker route, an overseas application of up to three years increased from £769 to £819, while an application for more than three years rose from £1,519 to £1,618. In-country fees increased from £885 to £943 and from £1,751 to £1,865 respectively.
The Graduate Trainee, Service Supplier, UK Expansion Worker and Secondment Worker routes each increased from £319 to £340 for main applicants and dependants. Employers should also account separately for Certificate of Sponsorship and other sponsorship costs where applicable.
ILR and Citizenship Fee Changes
The ILR application fee and related settlement fees increased from £3,029 to £3,226 on 8 April 2026. British citizenship by naturalisation also increased from £1,605 to £1,709, while the Home Office schedule states that the citizenship ceremony fee is added separately where applicable. For a family of four applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain, Home Office settlement fees alone can exceed £12,000 before extra costs are added.
For further information, see our ILR application fee guide.
UK Visa and Sponsorship Fee Increases
UK visa fees increasing and sponsorship fee increases should be considered separately because employers and applicants do not necessarily pay the same charges.
The main categories include:
- Visa application fee: paid for the immigration application.
- Sponsor licence fee: paid by an employer applying for or maintaining the relevant sponsorship permission.
- Certificate of Sponsorship: paid when the relevant certificate is assigned.
- Immigration Skills Charge: an employer charge applying to certain sponsored workers.
- Immigration Health Surcharge: normally paid by the applicant where applicable.
Sponsor licence applications carry their own Home Office charges separate from the worker’s visa costs.
From April 2026, a large Worker sponsor licence increased from £1,579 to £1,682, while the small Worker sponsor licence increased from £574 to £611.
The worker Certificate of Sponsorship fee remained £525 in April 2026, after having increased sharply from £239 to £525 in April 2025.
Separately, the Immigration Skills Charge increased by 32% from 16 December 2025. It is currently £480 for the first 12 months for a small or charitable sponsor and £1,320 for a medium or large sponsor, with additional charges for longer sponsorship periods.
Has the Immigration Health Surcharge Increased?
Yes, but the latest major UK immigration health surcharge increase did not occur in April 2026.
The current rates took effect on 6 February 2024. The standard annual Immigration Health Surcharge increased from £624 to £1,035, while the reduced rate increased from £470 to £776 for students, student dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and children under 18.
The IHS is separate from Home Office visa application charges. This distinction is important when comparing UK immigration costs, because an applicant may have to pay both amounts upfront. Some visa routes and circumstances are exempt from the IHS.
Why Did UK Visa Fees Increase?
The Government has stated that immigration and nationality fees help fund the wider immigration system, reduce the amount that needs to be met through general taxpayer funding, and fund wider immigration activities.
The Home Office has said visa-fee income helps cross subsidise border security and can generate government income above simple processing costs.
It also aims to recover more than twice what it spends on processing applications through fees, with revenue from higher charges supporting public services such as the NHS and Home Office operations.
For the April 2026 changes, most affected visa and nationality routes increased by around 6 to 7%, although different treatment applied to certain categories. For example, some Health and Care fees rose more significantly, while Global Talent and High Potential Individual application fees were not increased.
These UK visa fee reforms therefore do not apply uniformly across every route.
The Immigration Skills Charge is also distinct from visa fees. Its December 2025 increase was set at 32%, with the Government stating that the change accounted for inflation since the charge was introduced.
What Is the Impact of the UK Visa Fee Increase?
The UK visa fee increase impact varies depending on the route, length of stay, number of dependants, the higher fees paid by applicants and sponsors, and whether sponsorship is required.
- For individuals, higher immigration application fees increase the amount that must usually be paid when submitting an application.
- For families, costs can multiply because each eligible family member may need a separate application and, where applicable, their own IHS payment.
- Students need to budget for both the standard student visa fee and the reduced IHS rate.
- Skilled Workers may need to consider their application fee and IHS, while employers can separately face sponsor licence, CoS and Immigration Skills Charge costs.
- People extending their stay are also affected. The April 2026 Home Office schedule increased the general “Leave to remain, other” fee from £1,321 to £1,407.
- Applicants progressing to settlement face a larger individual application charge, with ILR increasing by £197 to £3,226.
Because costs can rise across the route, applicants should plan their financial commitments early to avoid unexpected costs.
The practical effect is that applicants and employers should identify each applicable charge separately instead of relying on a single headline “visa cost”.
Are There UK Visa Fee Waivers or Exemptions?
Fee waivers are available only in particular circumstances and should not be assumed to apply to all immigration applications.
For example, GOV.UK provides a fee-waiver process for certain people applying for permission to stay on specified family, private life, human rights, modern slavery or related grounds who cannot afford the relevant fee. Eligibility depends on the application type and the applicant’s financial circumstances.
Some immigration routes are fee exempt under the relevant rules rather than requiring a fee waiver. The eu settlement scheme is one example where some applications may be exempt from certain charges. Applicants should therefore check the rules applying to their specific immigration category before submitting an application.
Planning for UK Visa Fee Changes
The recent UK visa cost increase shows why applicants and employers should check current Home Office charges before submitting an immigration application.
Before applying:
- Confirm the visa application fees for the correct immigration route.
- Check whether the Immigration Health Surcharge applies, as it is usually mandatory for visas over six months.
- Include separate costs for dependants where relevant.
- Factor in biometric enrolment fees and any optional priority service.
- Employers should distinguish sponsor licence, CoS and Immigration Skills Charge costs.
- Check whether any fee waiver or exemption applies.
- Compare the full budget in advance, as total charges can make the UK look less UK immigration costs competitive once surcharges and extras are added.
- Review GOV.UK shortly before submission because Home Office visa fees can change.
The total payable can also depend on when the application is filed, because the submission date fixes the applicable fee.
Our immigration lawyers at Axis Solicitors can advise individuals, families and employers on the immigration route relevant to their circumstances, the applicable Home Office charges and the documents required for their application.
For wider immigration options, visit our UK visas for individuals page or contact Axis Solicitors to discuss your circumstances.
FAQs About UK Visa Fee Changes
How Much Have UK Visa Fees Increased?
There is no single percentage applying to every category. Most immigration fees rose in April 2026, but some categories remained unchanged. Many April 2026 immigration and nationality fees increased by around 6 to 7%, but individual increases vary by route and some fees remained unchanged.
Does the UK Visa Fee Increase Affect Visa Extensions?
Yes. Some in-country application fees increased in April 2026, including the general “Leave to remain, other” fee, which rose from £1,321 to £1,407. The amount depends on the extension route.
Are UK Visa Fees Refundable if an Application Is Refused?
Generally, the Home Office does not refund the application fee when an application is refused because the applicant did not meet the route requirements. Different rules can apply to withdrawals, invalid applications, overpayments and the IHS.
Can UK Visa Fees Be Waived?
Only certain applicants and application categories are eligible for a fee waiver. For example, limited family, private life and human rights applications may qualify where the applicant satisfies the relevant affordability criteria. Applicants should still check the current immigration rules for their category before assuming any waiver applies.
