UK raises visa fees, tightens immigration rules for migrants, students

The United Kingdom has announced an increase in visa fees for individuals planning to visit, study, work, or settle in the UK, as part of broader efforts to tighten immigration controls.

The UK Home Office disclosed that the new charges, which will rise by up to £222, will take effect from April 8, saying the fee adjustment forms part of a wider policy shift aimed at reducing immigration and strengthening enforcement measures.

Under the new policy, failed asylum seekers may receive up to £10,000 to voluntarily leave the UK. Authorities also plan to withdraw taxpayer-funded accommodation from migrants found working illegally.

The government has also introduced an emergency restriction on student visas for applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan following a surge in asylum applications from these countries.

The UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, in a recent statement, said the decision was necessary due to the increasing number of asylum claims from citizens of the affected nations.

According to 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 visas will cost £903. Ten-year visit visas will increase to £1,128.

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The cost of applying for British citizenship will also rise from £1,605 to £1,709. Similarly, settlement visa fees will increase from £1,938 to £2,064. These visas allow foreign nationals to live and work in the UK before applying for indefinite leave to remain.

Visa fees for individuals receiving care from relatives in the UK will increase by £222 to £3,635, while settlement visa fees for refugee-dependent relatives will rise to £452.

Work visa fees will also be affected, with skilled worker applications made outside the UK for stays of up to three years increasing from £769 to £819. Longer-term work visa applications will see similar percentage increases for both main applicants and their dependants.

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

The Star