UK to increase visa fees for visitors, workers, students by up to £222 from April

The United Kingdom has announced plans to raise visa fees for individuals seeking to visit, study, work, or settle in the country.

According to the UK Home Office, the new charges — set to increase by as much as £222 — will take effect from April 8.

The move is part of broader efforts by the government to curb immigration, alongside stricter policies targeting asylum seekers and migrants.

Among the new measures is a proposal to offer up to £10,000 to failed asylum seekers who voluntarily leave the country. Authorities also plan to withdraw taxpayer-funded accommodation from migrants found to be working illegally.

In addition, the government has introduced an “emergency brake” on student visas for applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan, citing a rise in asylum claims from those countries.

Shabana Mahmood, the UK home secretary, said the decision followed a surge in asylum applications from nationals of the affected countries.

Under the revised fee structure, short-term visit visas of up to six months will increase from £127 to £135. Two-year visit visas will rise to £506, while five-year and ten-year visas will cost £903 and £1,128 respectively.

Applications for British citizenship will also become more expensive, with naturalisation fees increasing from £1,605 to £1,709.

Settlement visa fees are set to rise as well, with the standard route increasing from £1,938 to £2,064.

Visa applications for individuals receiving care from relatives in the UK will see one of the largest hikes, rising by £222 to £3,635. Fees for refugee-dependent relatives will increase slightly to £452.

Work visa costs will also go up. Skilled worker visa applications submitted outside the UK for up to three years will increase from £769 to £819, with similar percentage increases for longer-term visas affecting both main applicants and dependants.

Student visa fees are also affected. The standard student visa will increase to £558, while the graduate route visa will rise from £880 to £937 for both main applicants and their dependants.