If you're in the process of applying for a UK visa from outside the country, seeking an extension of your stay or aiming for indefinite leave to remain, it's important to note that a Home Office visa application fee is a mandatory part of the application process.
The specific amount of the visa application fee will vary based on factors such as the type of visa or immigration application you're pursuing, whether the application is made from within or outside the UK, and whether you opt for a Home Office premium service for application submission.
It's crucial for each applicant to pay the applicable fee for their visa or immigration application in full, following the prescribed application procedure. The UK visa application fee to be paid will be determined by the fee in effect on the date of your application.
In 2024, the United Kingdom's visa landscape is evolving, and with it, so are the costs involved. Whether you're planning a short-term visit, a long-term study programme, to join family or pursue employment in the UK, understanding the latest visa application fees is crucial for effective planning. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the latest UK visa application fees in force in 2024, shedding light on the various categories and recent changes. Read to the end for links to some other posts from the Richmond Chambers immigration team that will help you prepare for your journey to the UK.
Recent Changes to UK Visa Application Fees
The cost of applying for most, but not all, UK visas increased on 4 October 2023. This increase applied to both applications for entry clearance submitted from outside the UK and applications for leave to remain submitted from within the UK. Settlement and citizenship applications were also impacted.
The application fee for the majority of UK visa applications increased by 15%, with the cost of applying for a family visa (spouse, civil partner, fiance, proposed civil partner, unmarried partner), indefinite leave to remain and naturalisation as a British citizen increasing by 20% and the cost of applying for a student visa increasing by 35%:
- Visit visa (6 months) – up by 15% from £100 to £115
- Skilled Worker visa – up by 15% from £625 to £719
- Innovator Founder visa – up by 15% from £1,036 to £1,191
- High Potential Individual visa – up by 15% from £715 to £822
- UK Expansion Worker visa – up by 15% from £259 to £298
- Global Talent visa – up by 15% from £623 to £716
- Scale-up visa – up by 15% from £715 to £822
- Student visa – up by 35% from £363 to £490
- Graduate visa – up by 15% from £715 to £822
- Spouse visa – up by 20% from £1,538 to £1,846
- Indefinite leave to remain – up by 20% from £2,404 to £2,885
- Naturalisation as a British citizen – up by 20% from £1,250 to £1,500
The cost of applying for a settlement visa from overseas via the Priority Visa Service dropped by 13% from £573 to £500, but the cost of applying for a non-settlement visa from overseas via the Priority Visa Service increased by 100% from £250 to £500.
However, not all UK visa application fees increased.
For example, the cost of applying for a private medical treatment visa for a period of more than 6 months remained the same at £200, whilst the cost of applying for a 5 year Hong Kong BN(O) visa remained at £250.
Employers applying for a sponsor licence also avoided a fee increase, with the Home Office fee for both a worker sponsor licence application and a temporary worker sponsor licence application remaining at £536 for a small sponsor and £1,476 for a large sponsor.
That said, it was not all good news for employers, as the cost of allocating a certificate of sponsorship increased by between 19% and 20%.
UK Visa & Immigration Application Fees 2024
The tables below set out the UK visa application fees for all visa and immigration applications submitted in 2024. The tables include application fees for the following immigration categories:
- Short Stay Visit Visas
- Partner & Family Visas
- Long Term Work Visas
- Short Term Work Visas
- Business Visas
- Business Mobility Visas
- Global Talent Visas
- Student & Graduate Visas
- Hong Kong BN(O) Visas
- British Citizenship
The majority of UK visa applicants will also be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) on top of their UK visa application fee. For information on the Immigration Health Surcharge and who needs to pay it, please see our previous post. Applicants should note, however, that the UK Government has announced proposals to increase the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Some, but not all, employers who recruit foreign workers may also be required to pay an Immigration Skills Charge.
To discuss your UK visa application with one of our immigration barristers, contact our immigration lawyers on 0203 617 9173 or complete the enquiry form below.
UK Work Visa Application Fees 2024
Work Visa Applications Submitted Outside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Innovator Founder – main applicant and dependants | £1,191 |
Endorsement fee under Innovator Founder route (payable to endorsing body) excluding VAT | £1,000 |
Start-up – main applicant and dependants | £435 |
Approval letter from a competent body in respect of an initial application for Global Talent | £524 |
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is required | £192 |
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is not required | £716 |
Global Talent – dependants only | £716 |
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) – dependants only | £716 |
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – dependants only | £1,191 |
Tier 1 (Investor) – main applicant and dependants | £1,884 |
Skilled worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £719 |
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,420 |
Skilled Worker – shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,084 |
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £284 |
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
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 | £284 |
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
T2 Minister of Religion – main applicant and dependants | £719 |
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for 12 months or less – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over 12 months – main applicant and dependants | £719 |
Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement, Government Authorised Exchange and Youth Mobility Scheme – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Representative of an overseas business – main applicant and dependants | £719 |
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – up to 3 years – main applicant and dependants | £719 |
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – more than 3 years -main applicant and dependants | £1,420 |
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Scale-up – main applicant and dependants | £822 |
High Potential Individual – main applicant and dependants | £822 |
Work Visa Applications Submitted Inside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Innovator Founder – main applicant and dependants | £1,486 |
Endorsement fee under Innovator Founder route (payable to endorsing body) excluding VAT | £1,000 |
Start-up – main applicant and dependants | £584 |
Approval letter from a competent body in respect of an initial application for Global Talent | £524 |
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is required | £192 |
Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is not required | £716 |
Global Talent – dependants only | £716 |
Graduate Route – main applicant and dependants | £822 |
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) – dependants only | £716 |
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – main applicant and dependants | £1,486 |
Tier 1 (Investor) – main applicant and dependants | £1,884 |
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £827 |
Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,500 |
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
Skilled Worker, shortage occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,084 |
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £284 |
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
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 | £284 |
Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £551 |
T2 Minister of Religion – main applicant and dependants | £827 |
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for 12 months or less – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over 12 months – main applicant and dependants | £827 |
Temporary Worker – Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement Worker, Government Authorised Exchange Worker – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Representative of an overseas business – main applicant and dependants | £827 |
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – up to 3 years – main applicant and dependants | £827 |
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – more than 3 years -main applicant and dependants | £1,500 |
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker – main applicant and dependants | £298 |
Scale-up – main applicant and dependants | £822 |
High Potential Individual – main applicant and dependants | £822 |
Sponsorship Application Fees 2024
Sponsorship Applications |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – large sponsors | £25,000 |
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – small sponsors | £8,000 |
Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Student sponsors | £8,000 |
The expedited processing of a sponsorship management request made by a Worker sponsor or Temporary worker sponsor | £200 |
Priority service for expedited processing of sponsor licence applications | £500 |
Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
Worker sponsor licence (small sponsor) | £536 |
Student sponsor licence | £536 |
Temporary Worker sponsor licence | £536 |
Worker and Temporary Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
Worker, Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 |
Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence | £536 |
Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor), where sponsor currently holds a Temporary Worker and/or Student Sponsor Licence | £940 |
Endorsement fee for a Scale-up sponsor licence under the Endorsing Body Pathway (payable to the endorsing body) excluding VAT | £1,500 |
Student sponsor basic compliance assessment | £536 |
Sponsor action plan | £1,476 |
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, Intra-company Transfer (until 10 April 2022), Intra-company Transfer Graduate Trainee (until 10 April 2022), Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker (from 11 April 2022) | £239 |
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for Temporary Work route – including Global Business Mobility- Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier and Secondment Worker route, and Scale-up route | £25 |
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – over 12 Months | £239 |
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – for 12 months or less | £25 |
Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) for student, child student | £25 |
Other UK Visa and Application Fees 2024
Other Visa and Applications Submitted Outside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Visit visa – short up to 6 months | £115 |
Visit visa – long up to 2 years | £400 |
Visit visa – long up to 5 years | £771 |
Visit visa – long up to 10 years | £963 |
Visiting academic – more than 6 months but no more than 12 months | £200 |
Private medical treatment visa – more than 6 months but not more than 11 months | £200 |
Transit visa – (direct airside transit) | £35 |
Transit visit visa (landside transit) | £64 |
Visa for the purpose of joining a ship or aircraft as a member of the crew of that ship or aircraft | £64 |
Electronic Visa Waiver | £30 |
Single-entry visa to replace a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) | £154 |
Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode (outside the UK) | £388 |
Transfer of Conditions (Vignette Transfer) application made overseas | £154 |
Other visa | £637 |
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) for 30 months – main applicant and dependants | £180 |
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) for 5 years – main applicant and dependants | £250 |
Route to Settlement | £1,846 |
Route to Settlement – other dependant relative | £3,250 |
Route to Settlement – refugee dependant relative | £404 |
Indefinite leave to enter the UK as the dependant of a member of the armed forces under Appendix Armed Forces to the Immigration Rules. | £2,885 |
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. | £2,885 |
Call out/ out of hours fee (per hour/part hour) – service of consular officers | £142 |
Receiving, preparing and forwarding documents – consular functions | £141 |
Administrative review | £80 |
Other Applications Submitted Inside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Visitor Extension – main applicant and dependants | £1,000 |
Leave to enter for persons in the UK who are liable to immigration detention | £1,258 |
Leave to remain – Other | £1,048 |
Hong Kong British National (In-country) for 30 months – main applicant and dependants | £180 |
Hong Kong British National (In-country) for 5 years – main applicant and dependants | £250 |
Processing an application which is subsequently rejected as invalid | £25 |
Indefinite leave to remain – main applicants and dependants | £2,885 |
Replacement Biometric Residence Card (issued under the EU Settlement Scheme) which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed | £19 |
Replacement Biometric Residence Permit which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed | £19 |
Travel Document – Certificate of travel – adult | £280 |
Travel Document – Certificate of travel – child | £141 |
Travel Document – Convention travel document – adult | £82 |
Travel Document – Convention travel document – child | £53 |
Administrative Review | £80 |
Life in the UK test | £50 |
UK Study Visa Application Fees 2024
Study Visa Applications Submitted Outside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Student – main applicant and dependants | £490 |
Child Student | £490 |
Short term student studying English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months | £200 |
Study Visa Applications Submitted Inside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Student – main applicant and dependants | £490 |
Child Student | £490 |
British Citizenship Application Fees 2024
Nationality Applications |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Naturalisation | £1,500 |
Naturalisation British overseas territory citizens | £1,000 |
Nationality registration as a British citizen – adult | £1,351 |
Nationality registration as a British citizen – child | £1,214 |
The arrangement of a citizenship ceremony (including the administration of a citizenship oath and pledge at the ceremony). | £80 |
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 |
Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – adult | £901 |
Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – child | £810 |
Renunciation of nationality | £372 |
Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode (In the UK) | £372 |
Nationality review | £372 |
Status Letter (Nationality) | £250 |
Non-acquisition Letter (Nationality) | £250 |
Nationality correction to certificate | £250 |
Nationality – supply of a certified copy of a notice, certificate, order or declaration | £250 |
Nationality reissued Certificate | £250 |
Optional Premium Visa and Immigration Services 2024
Optional Premium Services Outside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Priority Visa service – Settlement | £500 |
Priority Visa service – Non-Settlement | £500 |
Super Priority Visa service | £1,000 |
User Pays Visa Application service | £76.50 |
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 |
International Contact Centre – Email Service (per query) | £2.74 |
International Contact Centre – Telephone Helpline (per minute) | £0.69 |
Optional Premium Services Inside the UK |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Super Priority service | £1,000 |
Expedited processing – Priority service | £500 |
On-Demand service (Mobile Biometric Enrolment) (per hour per representative of the contractor providing the service) | £650 |
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 |
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 |
Premium status checks and advice – Administrative Officer (per minute) | £0.80 |
Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute) | £0.88 |
Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute) | £1.10 |
Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute) | £0.97 |
Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute) | £1.23 |
Premium Services at the UK Border |
|
Application Category | Application Fee |
Registered Traveller (Adult) – Yearly Subscription (per year) | £50 |
Registered Traveller (Child) – Yearly Subscription (per year) | £24 |
Registered Traveller – Registration of New Documents | £20 |
Fast Track – Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4 | £5.20 |
Fast Track – Other ports of entry | £3.00 |
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.