Effective October 4, the British government’s new UK visa fee structure is now in place for foreign nationals, including Indians, and it brings significant changes to the cost of various types of visas.

Under the revised fee structure, visitors planning to stay in the United Kingdom for under six months will need to budget an additional GBP 15 (approximately ₹1,500), while students from around the world will face an extra expense of GBP 127 (roughly ₹12,750) for their visas. Specifically, the cost of a visit visa for less than six months has risen to GBP 115, equivalent to nearly ₹11,500, and the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK now stands at GBP 490, approximately ₹50,000.

These visa fee adjustments apply to a wide range of categories, encompassing fees for visit visas spanning 6 months, 2, 5, and 10 years, as well as fees for entry clearance, applications for leave to remain in the UK (including work and study), indefinite leave to enter and remain, health and care visas, certificates of sponsorship, confirmation of acceptance for studies, and applications for registering and naturalizing as a British Citizen.

A spokesperson from the UK Home Office stated, “It is right and fair to increase visa application fees so we can fund vital public services and allow wider funding to contribute to public sector pay.”

Here’s a summary of the key changes to UK visa application fees:

Effective October 4, the new fee structure for UK visas will come into effect for foreigners, including Indians. The cost of UK visas will go up for students, skilled workers, and immigrants. As per the official site, the cost of family, settlement, and citizenship visas will increase by 20%, while the cost of work and visit visas will increase by 15%. The immigration health surcharge (IHS) will also rise to GBP 1,035 a year.

Visa fees for students, including child students and dependents, will rise to GBP 490. However, the UK government clarified that there will be no increase in visa fees for short-term courses where students study English for more than 6 months but no more than 11 months.

For skilled workers, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less, the visa price will be GBP 719 (approximately ₹65,000). If the sponsorship certificate has been granted for more than three years, the immigration fee will be GBP 1,420, which is roughly ₹129,000.

Visa fees have also increased for skilled workers in shortage occupations with a certificate of sponsorship for three years or less. They will now have to pay GBP 551, equivalent to nearly ₹50,351. If the sponsorship certificate has been in effect for more than three years, the immigration fee will cost GBP 1,084 or ₹99,125.

In light of these changes, individuals seeking visas, permission to stay, or citizenship in the UK should be prepared for these updated fees.