UK Introduces A Number Of Changes To Its Visa Services Fees

09 Apr 2014

The UK government has announced changes to its fees for visas, immigration and nationality applications and other related high-end services. The modifications amount to a 4% increase in most categories of fees. These categories include short-term visitor visa and many of the other types of visas such as study, settlement and work. Changes (increases) have also been made to other types of visa categories as well.

It has been stated by UK’s immigration department that these changes in fees are meant to improve its services and at the same time make sure that the applicant categories that benefit the most, pay commensurately.

Some of the key modifications that have been done are as follows. Fees for most categories of applications including those for settlement, work, study and short-term visit have been increased by 4%; the fees for all of the dependents would be the same as for the main applicants; nationality fees have been restructured, while child applicants get discounts on the fees applicable to them; there have been increases to in-person application fees (£ 400, now) and to priority postal service (£ 300, now); direct airside transit visa fee now stands at £ 40; applicants of Tier 2 shortage occupations now applicable for those who are residing abroad and in UK and its cost would be £428; introduction of applications for new 5 year, Tier 2 general and ICT applicants; long-term visit visa with a validity  duration of 10 years to now cost £737; a new registered traveller fee would soon be initiated.

It has also been announced that the home office will introduce a new, single global fee. This would be done for some of the optional premium services for applications which are submitted outside the UK. These changes are as follows. Visa fees of £100, or £300 for 3 to 5-day priority service in the case of priority settlement applications; super priority visa service will be introduced which will cost £600, and its turnaround time will be about 24 hours; special application centres, which are conveniently located where applicants can submit applications with a fee of £59; appointments outside of office hours with fees payable set at £50; an additional convenient service for passport pass-back with its fees set at £40.

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