Up to 2% increase in UK Visa fees

The UK Visas and Immigration office has informed that there will be changes in visa and immigration application fees over the next four years. Danielle Humphries, Entry Clearance Manager, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), informed that for 2016-17, UK Visas linked most closely to economic growth and prosperity, such as visitor, work and study visas will be restricted to an increase of 2 per cent. During the same period, fees for all sponsorship categories will be held at the current rates. There will be up to 25 per cent increase for settlement and nationality fees. There will be up to 33 per cent increase for optional premium services offered by the Home Office such as the super priority and priority visa services.
The proposed maximum fee for entry clearance as a visitor for a period of six months or less is £95, as against the current maximum of £85. The proposed maximum fee for entry clearance as a visitor for a period of more than six months up to and including 12 months, calculated at fixed amount, is £200 as against the current maximum of £162. The current maximum for entry clearance as a visitor for a period of more than 12 months, calculated at annual rate, is £162 p.a. which has been proposed to increase to £200 p.a.
“We are confident that our proposed fee increases strike the right balance between ensuring we continue to provide a competitive level of service and maintaining a fees structure that remains attractive to businesses, migrants and visitors,” Humphries said, adding, “We have no current plans to raise fees to the maximum amounts, and most individual fees will remain significantly below these levels.”
This decision is a result of a legislation laid in the UK Parliament on January 11 to allow the Home Office to make changes to visa and immigration application fees over the next four years. Individual fees will change for 2016-17; these will be introduced after further legislation is laid in Parliament before April 2016. The reason that many of the visa and immigration fees are increasing is due to the government’s intention to reduce taxpayer contributions towards the Border, Immigration and Citizenship system and ensure that by 2019-2020 the system is self funded by those who access and benefit from these services.
“Already 95 per cent of visit visa applications are decided within 15 working days and we are extending the range of premium services offering an even faster and more flexible service. We have also recently achieved customer excellence accreditation right across UK Visas and Immigration,” Humphries added.