From today, 8 April 2026, every category of UK immigration and nationality application costs more. The Home Office’s new fee order—laid before Parliament on 18 March—has now kicked in, adding roughly 6 - 8 percent to the price of most visas, settlement applications and British‐citizenship filings. A standard six-month visitor visa has risen from £127 to £135, while the overseas Skilled Worker fee has climbed to £819 (up from £769) for jobs lasting up to three years. Indefinite Leave to Remain now costs £3,226, an extra £197 per applicant.
![UK Visa, Settlement and Passport Fees Jump 6-8 % as New Tariff Takes Effect]()
Whether you’re an HR professional handling bulk applications or an individual traveller looking to keep costs under control, VisaHQ can guide you through the new fee landscape. Their platform lets you check current prices, assemble documents and submit UK visa requests entirely online—helping you avoid surprises and stay compliant. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
The increases are part of the Government’s long-running policy of shifting the cost of controlling immigration from taxpayers to applicants and their sponsors. Ministers argue that higher charges “reflect updated processing costs and help fund border security”, but employers warn that repeated hikes make the UK less competitive for internationally mobile talent. Sponsor-licence fees and Certificate of Sponsorship charges are also higher, meaning HR teams will need to update cost forecasts immediately. Students—already contending with last year’s ban on bringing most dependants—face a 6.5 % rise to £558. Even the heavily subsidised Health & Care Worker route has gone up by £20-£38. The only relief is for children registering as British citizens: that fee has been cut from £1,214 to £1,000 following years of litigation over affordability. Practically, global mobility managers should: (1) refresh intranet guidance and template offer letters, (2) budget for higher reimbursement claims, and (3) accelerate any in-progress applications that have not yet been paid for—because the new tariff applies from the moment an online payment is made, not the date a form was started.
Whether you’re an HR professional handling bulk applications or an individual traveller looking to keep costs under control, VisaHQ can guide you through the new fee landscape. Their platform lets you check current prices, assemble documents and submit UK visa requests entirely online—helping you avoid surprises and stay compliant. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
The increases are part of the Government’s long-running policy of shifting the cost of controlling immigration from taxpayers to applicants and their sponsors. Ministers argue that higher charges “reflect updated processing costs and help fund border security”, but employers warn that repeated hikes make the UK less competitive for internationally mobile talent. Sponsor-licence fees and Certificate of Sponsorship charges are also higher, meaning HR teams will need to update cost forecasts immediately. Students—already contending with last year’s ban on bringing most dependants—face a 6.5 % rise to £558. Even the heavily subsidised Health & Care Worker route has gone up by £20-£38. The only relief is for children registering as British citizens: that fee has been cut from £1,214 to £1,000 following years of litigation over affordability. Practically, global mobility managers should: (1) refresh intranet guidance and template offer letters, (2) budget for higher reimbursement claims, and (3) accelerate any in-progress applications that have not yet been paid for—because the new tariff applies from the moment an online payment is made, not the date a form was started.
