If you are planning to move to, work in or visit the UK, you need to know what each application will cost before you apply. The Home Office increased most application charges from 8 April 2026, and this guide sets out the current UK visa fees by route, with the extra costs that often sit on top.
The Home Office published a full schedule of immigration and nationality fees that applies to applications made on or after 8 April 2026. At Axis Solicitors, our immigration team uses this schedule to help clients budget accurately, so that no cost comes as a surprise at the point of payment.
UK Visa Fees: 2026 Key Changes Summary
Most UK visa fees rose by around 6 to 7 per cent on 8 April 2026. The Immigration Health Surcharge, the Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the Immigration Skills Charge did not change in this round, and the Home Office fee table for 8 October 2026 shows no further changes.
The fees below are the Home Office application fees only. The immigration health surcharge and any optional services are charged separately, and we explain them later in this guide. Visa fees are set in pounds sterling (GBP), and most applicants pay online by debit or credit card.
Visit Visa Fees
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6-month visitor visa: £135
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2-year visitor visa: £506
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5-year visitor visa: £903
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10-year visitor visa: £1,128
If you are visiting, our guide to UK visitor visa requirements and fees explains which length of visit visa suits your plans.
Skilled Worker Visa Fees
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Skilled Worker (outside the UK, up to 3 years): £819
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Skilled Worker (outside the UK, over 3 years): £1,618
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Skilled Worker (application made in the UK, up to 3 years): £943
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Skilled Worker (application made in the UK, over 3 years): £1,865
Student Visas
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Student visa (main applicant and dependants): £558
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Child Student visa: £558
Settlement and Citizenship
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Indefinite leave to remain (ILR): £3,226
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Naturalisation as a British citizen: £1,709, plus a citizenship ceremony fee of £130
Understanding UK Visa Fees: What You Are Paying For and Why
UK visa fees are the charges you pay to the Home Office when you submit a visa application. They are set by regulations made under immigration and nationality law, and the 2026 increase was made through the Immigration, Nationality and Passports (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. The exact fee for your route is listed on the Home Office website.
How UK Visa Fees Are Structured
Most routes have a base application fee that depends on the type of visa, where you apply and how long permission lasts. For example, a Skilled Worker visa costs more if you apply from inside the UK, and more again if the Certificate of Sponsorship covers over three years.
Your total cost is usually made up of several parts:
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Application fee: the Home Office charge for the visa or entry clearance itself.
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Immigration health surcharge: a separate charge for access to the National Health Service.
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Supporting costs: items such as the UK test, an English language test (typically £150 to £250), certified document translation (often £20 to £85 per page), an overseas qualification check or a Tuberculosis test where they apply to you.
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Optional services: priority or super priority processing if you want a faster decision.
Many routes also require proof of maintenance funds. For a Skilled Worker, this is usually £1,270, held for a set period, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.
Why UK Visa Fees Keep Increasing
The Home Office raises immigration fees regularly so that the system relies less on general taxation. Increases are normally announced a few weeks ahead and take effect for applications submitted on or after the stated date.
The previous fees applied until 7 April 2026. If you submitted your visa application before 8 April 2026, the previous fees apply to that application. The Home Office applies its own exchange rate where fees are paid in local currency outside the UK.
If you want to see how the figures have moved over time, our article on the latest increase in UK visa fees covers the changes in more detail.
Mandatory vs Optional Costs of UK Visa Applications
The application fee and, for most routes, the health surcharge are mandatory. Premium services are optional, and paying for them does not change the outcome of your case.
| Cost type | Examples | Do you have to pay? |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | Application fee, immigration health surcharge (most routes), biometrics | Yes, paid upfront with the application |
| Route-specific | Life in the UK test (£50), English test, sponsor costs | Yes, where the route requires it |
| Optional premium | Priority service (£500), super priority service (£1,000) | No, only if you want faster processing |
Who Does Not Pay UK Visa Fees?
Refugees under specific schemes do not pay visa fees. The House of Commons Library notes that there is no application fee or surcharge for asylum applications or the EU Settlement Scheme, and children looked after by a local authority are also exempt.
Diplomatic personnel may receive visas free of charge. A fee waiver is available for certain human rights and family applications where you can show you cannot afford the fee. Local authorities sometimes meet the cost for children in their care.
Impact of Fees on Different Applicants
The same fee schedule affects each applicant differently. A single visitor pays one fee, while a family of four applying for family visa applications pays the application fee and health surcharge for every person on the application. Over five years, a family of four can pay more than £20,000 in surcharge alone.
Employers also carry costs, including sponsor licence fees and the Certificate of Sponsorship, which we cover below.
The Importance of Early Budgeting and Planning
You should check the fee for your route on the date you plan to apply. Fees are paid at the point of application, so you need the full amount ready before you can submit.
Where Professional Advice Saves Money Long Term
A refused application usually means paying the application fee again. At Axis Solicitors, we often recommend a document review before submission, because a missing financial document or an unclear employment record is a common reason for refusals and repeat fees.
Breaking Down UK Visa Fees by Visa Category
Each route has its own application fee. The sections below set out the current Home Office fees for the most common routes, as they apply from 8 April 2026.
Visitor and Short-Term Visa Costs
A standard visitor visa for up to 6 months costs £135. These visit visa fees apply to tourism, business visits and family visits, and longer visit visas are also available:
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6-month visa: £135
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2-year visa: £506
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5-year visa: £903
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10-year visa: £1,128
Other short-term charges include £41.50 for a direct airside transit visa and £74.50 for a landside transit visa. The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) rose from £16 to £20. For the full requirements, see our UK visitor tourist visa requirements and application page.
The visa fees for visiting academics and private medical treatment visas (more than 6 months but no more than 12 months) are £234.
Work Visa Fees and Long-Term Employment Routes
The Skilled Worker fee depends on where you apply and how long the Certificate of Sponsorship covers. A Certificate of Sponsorship is the electronic record your employer issues to support your application. Our guide to skilled worker visa fees and sponsor costs sets out the employer side in more detail.
| Skilled Worker application | Up to 3 years | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the UK | £819 | £1,618 |
| Inside the UK | £943 | £1,865 |
| Immigration Salary List job (outside the UK) | £628 | £1,235 |
| Health and Care Visa (outside the UK) | £324 | £628 |
The Immigration Salary List is a government list of occupations with a reduced fee, replacing the former shortage occupation list. The health and care visa is a Skilled Worker route for eligible health and care roles, and its holders and dependants are exempt from the health surcharge.
The senior or specialist worker route, part of Global Business Mobility, costs £819 for up to 3 years and £1,618 for more than 3 years when applied for from outside the UK, and £943 and £1,865 from inside the UK. Our guide on the differences between Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker visas explains how to choose between them.
Other Global Business Mobility routes, including UK Expansion Worker, Secondment Worker, Graduate Trainee and Service Supplier, cost £340. The same fee applies to the temporary worker routes, such as the Youth Mobility Scheme, India Young Professionals scheme and Government Authorised Exchange. A Representative of an Overseas Business costs £819, and the Scale-up route costs £937.
Family and Partner Visa Costs
The family and partner visa application fee for applications made from outside the UK is £2,064. The previous fees for this route were £1,938, so this is an increase of £126. The main applicant pays the fee, and each dependant pays their own.
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Partner, parent or child route to settlement (outside the UK): £2,064
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Other dependant relative (outside the UK): £3,635
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Refugee dependant relative (outside the UK): £452
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Leave to remain, other (inside the UK): £1,407
Our family and partner visas team can explain which application applies to you. You should also review the financial requirements for a UK spouse visa before you apply.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse and need indefinite leave to enter, the fee is currently £3,226.
Student Visa Fees and Temporary Study Routes
The student visa fees are now a single figure of £558 for both main applicants and dependants, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. The Child Student visa is also £558. Your university or college must hold a student sponsor licence before it can issue the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies you need.
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Student visa (main applicant and dependants): £558
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Child Student visa: £558
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Short-term student (English language, 6 to 11 months): £228
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Graduate route (main applicant and dependants): £937
Our UK student visa team can review your course and sponsor details.
Settlement and Permanent Residence Costs
Settlement is one of the most expensive single applications. The fee for indefinite leave to remain is £3,226 per person, up from £3,029.
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is permission to stay in the UK without time limit. Applicants for ILR do not pay the immigration health surcharge.
If you later apply for British citizenship, the following nationality fees apply:
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Naturalisation as a British citizen: £1,709
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Citizenship ceremony fee: £130 (added to the application fee, and paid for the citizenship ceremony where you make the citizenship oath)
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Registration as a British citizen (adult): £1,540
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Registration as a British citizen (child): £1,000, reduced from £1,214
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Naturalisation for a British Overseas Territory citizen: £1,140
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Registration for British Overseas Territory citizens, British overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons (adult): £1,027
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Registration for the same groups (child): £863
Applicants who hold Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status pay £206 for 30 months or £285 for 5 years. Our team can explain the UK immigration options that lead to British citizenship and settlement.
Comparing Costs Across Visa Routes
The application fee alone does not show the full cost. The table below compares common routes at the application stage, from outside the UK unless stated.
| Route | Application fee | Health surcharge applies? |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor (6 months) | £135 | No |
| Student | £558 | Yes, reduced rate |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | £819 | Yes, standard rate |
| Health and Care Visa (up to 3 years) | £324 | No (exempt) |
| Partner route to settlement | £2,064 | Yes, standard rate |
| Indefinite leave to remain (in the UK) | £3,226 | No |
Planning for Long-Term Costs and Strategic Visa Management
The first application is rarely the only cost. Most people who stay long term pay for an initial visa, one or more extensions and then settlement.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
The immigration health surcharge is £1,035 a year for most applicants. A reduced rate of £776 a year applies to students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and anyone under 18 at the date of application.
The surcharge is paid upfront for the whole period of permission, so it is often larger than the visa fee. Each dependant pays their own. A single adult on a 3-year Skilled Worker visa therefore pays £3,105 in surcharge in addition to the £819 application fee.
The rates did not change in the April 2026 round. If you apply from outside the UK for 6 months or less, you do not pay the surcharge. You should confirm the current rate on the official calculator before paying, because the rate is set by statutory instrument and can change.
Renewals and Extensions: Ongoing Costs
Each extension is a new application with its own fee and surcharge. In-country fees are often higher than entry clearance fees, so planning the length of each grant matters. If you hold a biometric residence permit, a replacement costs £19 where it is lost, stolen or damaged.
The Home Office fees page lists the extension charge for each route, and these home office fees change from time to time. A visitor extension costs £1,172, and leave to remain in the other category costs £1,407. While a valid extension is pending, Section 3C leave may protect your right to stay, which is a separate point from the cost.
Settlement and Permanent Residence Planning
A typical family route involves an initial application, one or more extensions and then settlement, each with its own fee. Adding these figures together at the start gives you a realistic total.
For example, a partner on the 5-year route pays the application fee and surcharge at the start, then again at each extension, and then the settlement fee.
Managing Costs for Families
Family costs multiply because each person normally pays a fee and a health surcharge. For a couple with one child on a 3-year Skilled Worker route, the surcharge alone is £8,538.
Children under 18 pay the reduced surcharge rate. You can spread the budgeting over time, but you cannot pay the surcharge in instalments.
Student and Visitor Costs in the Long Term
Students should budget for the whole course. A 3-year degree normally attracts £2,328 in surcharge at the reduced rate, and a student visa for a course of that length is usually granted with a few extra months.
Visitors should consider whether a longer visit visa is better value if they travel often.
Optional Services and Cost Efficiency
Optional premium services speed up processing but do not guarantee a decision. They are paid in addition to the application fee.
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Priority service: £500 for a faster decision, for settlement and non-settlement applications
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Super priority service: £1,000 for a decision on the next working day, where available
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User Pays Visa Application service: £76.50 for extra services at some visa application centres
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Registered Traveller (adult): £50 a year for faster entry at the border
Expedited processing is only worth paying for if timing is critical, such as a fixed start date or travel plan. The standard decision time for your route is published on GOV.UK. If the visa application service changes where you submit biometrics, our update on changes to UK visa application centres may help.
Impact on Businesses and Employers
Employers pay separate sponsorship fees. A sponsor licence is the Home Office permission that allows a UK business to employ workers from overseas.
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Worker sponsor licence (large): £1,682
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Worker sponsor licence (small): £611
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Temporary Worker sponsor licence or Student sponsor licence: £611
The Certificate of Sponsorship fee was unchanged at £525 for Skilled Worker roles, and a temporary worker certificate costs £55. Priority handling of sponsor licence applications costs £750, and a Scale-up sponsor licence through the endorsing body pathway carries a £1,500 endorsement fee excluding VAT. A sponsorship management request, such as changing a role on an existing certificate, is made through the sponsor management system. Employers may also pay the Immigration Skills Charge, which was also unchanged in this round.
Avoiding Refusals and Repeat Fees
An invalid application is rejected without a decision, and the processing charge is £30. A refused application normally means paying the full fee again.
Refunds are limited. Whether any of your UK visa fees are refundable depends on the reason, for example a withdrawal before a decision or a duplicate payment. The Home Office publishes refund guidance for caseworkers, and you should not assume a fee will be returned.
Early Budgeting and Strategic Planning
Build a total figure that includes the application fee, surcharge, tests and any optional service. Add a margin in case the fee schedule changes before you apply.
At Axis Solicitors, our immigration team can set out a route-by-route cost plan, covering renewals and settlement as well as the first application.
How Our Team Can Help You Plan and Pay the Right UK Visa Fees
Axis Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 653526), with offices in Manchester, Birmingham and London. These services are most relevant to the costs covered in this guide.
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UK Immigration: our team can confirm which application applies to you and what each stage is likely to cost, from your first visa to settlement.
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UK Sponsor Licence: we help employers apply for a sponsor licence and understand the sponsorship costs and compliance duties that come with it.
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Indefinite Leave to Remain: we check your eligibility and prepare the application, so that you pay the settlement fee once and do not need to repeat it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are UK visa fees in 2026?
It depends on the route. From 8 April 2026, a 6-month visitor visa is £135, a Student visa is £558, a Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK is £819 for up to 3 years, and indefinite leave to remain is £3,226.
Do I have to pay the immigration health surcharge as well as the visa fee?
Yes, for most routes. The surcharge is £1,035 a year (or £776 for students, under-18s and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants) and is paid upfront with your application. Visitors and ILR applicants do not pay it.
Did the immigration health surcharge go up in April 2026?
No. The Home Office confirmed that the surcharge was not part of the April 2026 increase, so the rates stay at £1,035 and £776 a year. These rates are set by statutory instrument and can change, so check the official calculator before you pay.
Can I get a refund of my UK visa fees if my application is refused?
Usually no. Application fees are normally not returned after a refusal, though refunds can apply in limited cases such as a withdrawal before a decision or a duplicate payment. The Home Office decides each request on its own facts.
Is it worth paying for priority or super priority service?
Only if timing is critical. Priority service costs £500 and super priority costs £1,000, but neither guarantees a successful outcome and availability depends on your route and location.
Do the new fees apply if I applied before 8 April 2026?
No. Applications submitted before 8 April 2026 are charged the previous fees. The new rates apply to applications submitted on or after that date.
Speak to a Solicitor About Your UK Visa Costs
If you want a clear costing for your own situation, our UK Immigration team can review your route, work out the fees and surcharge for everyone on your application, and flag any avoidable risks of refusal. If your business is hiring overseas workers, our UK Sponsor Licence team can explain the licence and sponsorship costs before you commit. To discuss your case with a solicitor, please contact Axis Solicitors.
