Parliament is considering a law that would increase immigration fees for applications submitted on or after March 18, 2016 (April 6, 2016 for Isle of Man). The increase is meant to ensure that by 2020, the UK immigration system is self funded. A full list of the new fees can be found here.
Notable Increases
Notable changes include:
- Application fees for Points-Based System visas under Tiers 2, 4 and 5 would increase by 2%.
- Tourist and visitor visa fees would increase by 2%.
- Settlement, residence and nationality visa fees would increase by 25%.
- Super premium service and overseas priority visa services would increase by up to 33%.
A GBP 25 fee would be introduced for applications that are rejected prior to review by the Home Office, for example for applications submitted on an out-of-date application form.
Fees for Certificates of Sponsorship would not change.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals should be prepared to pay higher visa and immigration application fees, particularly for settlement applications, if the law is implemented.