UK increases visa fees to £222

The UK said visa fees to enter the country for people wishing to visit, study, work or live will increase to £222 effective April 8 2026.

This was announced by the British Home Office which stated that the increase was part of a wider series of measures aimed at reducing immigration.

The government also plans to implement stricter policies towards asylum seekers and migrants, including paying up to £10,000 to asylum seekers who fail to leave the country voluntarily.

Authorities will also withdraw taxpayer-funded accommodation for migrants found working illegally.
The government has also imposed an “emergency brake” on student visas for migrants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.

Shabana Mahmood, British Home Secretary, said the decision followed a surge in asylum applications from citizens of these countries.

Under the new fee structure, short-term visit visas for visits of up to six months will be increased by £8. Registration fees will increase from £127 to £135.

Visitor visas allowing stays of up to two years will increase by £31 to £506. The five-year visit visa will rise by £55 to £903. The ten-year visit visa will increase by £69 to £1,128.

The British government will also increase the application fee leading to British citizenship. Naturalization fees will increase from £1,605 to £1,709.

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Fees for settlement visas will also increase. The standard route to settlement visa will increase from £1,938 to £2,064.

This visa allows foreign nationals to live and work in the UK, and then apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Visa fees for people receiving care from relatives in the UK will increase by £222 to £3,635. Visa settlement fees for dependent relatives of refugees will increase by £28 to £452.

Work visa application fees will also increase under the new structure. Skilled worker visa applications made outside the UK for stays of up to three years will increase from £769 to £819.

Long-term work visa applications will also see a comparable percentage increase. This change will apply to both primary applicants and their dependents.

Student visa fees will also increase. The standard student visa will rise by £34 to £558. Postgraduate route visas will increase from £880 to £937 for both primary and dependent applicants.