UK raises visa fee for tourists, students effective from Oct 4

For instance, a visit visa for less than six months will see a rise of GBP 15, and student visas will be GBP 127 more expensive for travelers worldwide, including Indians.

The UK Home Office stated that these changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months will go up to GBP 115, while the fee for an overseas student visa application will increase to GBP 490, aligning with the amount charged for in-country applications.

This decision follows British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's announcement in July regarding a significant increase in fees and health surcharges for visa applicants, aimed at supporting the UK's public sector wage hike.

“We are going to increase the charges that we have for migrants who are coming to this country when they apply for visas and indeed something called the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is the levy that they pay to access the NHS,” he said at the time.

“All of those fees are going to go up and that will raise over GBP 1 billion, so across the board visa application fees are going to go up significantly and similarly for the IHS,” he said.

The Home Office has announced a 15 percent rise in the fees for most work and visit visas. Additionally, there will be an increase of at least 20 percent in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and certificates of sponsorship.

“Income from fees charged plays a vital role in the Home Office's ability to run a sustainable immigration and nationality system. Careful consideration is given when setting fees to help reduce the funding contribution from British taxpayers, whilst continuing to provide a service that remains attractive to those wishing to work in the UK and support broader prosperity for all,” the Home Office said this week.

The fee increase will be implemented across various visa categories, including health and care visas, applications for British citizenship registration and naturalization, as well as visit visas for different durations.

This also encompasses entry clearance and specific applications for leave to remain in the UK, covering areas like work and study, indefinite leave to enter and remain, and fees related to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies.