UK visa fees increase on April 8, 2026. All applications submitted on or after that date will be charged at the new rates. Here is the complete breakdown of what is changing and what it means for your application.
What Changes on April 8, 2026
The Home Office is increasing most immigration and nationality fees by approximately 6–7%. The changes affect Skilled Worker visas, student visas, visitor visas, settlement applications, and nationality fees.
What is NOT changing: The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) stays at £1,035/year per adult. The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee remains £525. The Immigration Skills Charge is not affected.
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Fee Table — Effective April 8, 2026
| Fee | Current (until April 7) | New (from April 8) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker (≤3 years, out-of-country) | £769 | **£819** | +£50 |
| Skilled Worker (>3 years, out-of-country) | £1,519 | **£1,618** | +£99 |
| Student Visa | £524 | **£558** | +£34 |
| ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) | £3,226 | **£3,226** | +£197 |
| Naturalisation (British Citizenship) | £1,605 | **£1,709** | +£104 |
| Citizenship Ceremony | £130 | **£130** | — |
| Visitor Visa (6 months) | £127 | **£135** | +£8 |
| Visitor Visa (2 years) | £475 | **£506** | +£31 |
| Visitor Visa (5 years) | £847 | **£903** | +£56 |
| Visitor Visa (10 years) | £1,059 | **£1,128** | +£69 |
| Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) | £16 | **£20** | +£4 |
| Child Citizenship Registration | £1,214 | **£1,000** | -£214 |
| IHS (per year) | £1,035 | £1,035 | — |
| CoS (employer pays) | £525 | £525 | — |
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The Real Total Cost of a UK Skilled Worker Visa in 2026
Most people only look at the visa fee. Here is the actual cost for a single applicant on a 5-year path to settlement:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa fee (>3 years) | £1,618 |
| IHS (5 years x £1,035) | £5,175 |
| ILR application | £3,226 |
| Life in the UK test | £50 |
| English language test | ~£150 |
| **Total (single applicant)** | **~£10,219** |
For a family of three (applicant + spouse + child), the total cost to ILR is approximately £25,000 to £30,000.
Compare that to: Ireland at roughly 1,300 EUR total with PR in 21 months. Germany at roughly 500 EUR total with settlement in 21 to 33 months. Canada at roughly 2,500 CAD total with permanent residence on arrival.
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Who Is Most Affected?
ILR applicants face the largest single increase — £197 more per person. A family of four pays nearly £13,000 just for settlement applications.
Students see a smaller absolute increase (£34) but this compounds with the IHS surcharge, which remains at £776/year for students.
Visitors and ETA holders face modest increases, but the ETA fee has doubled since its 2023 introduction.
Positive change: Child citizenship registration dropped by £214 to £1,000 — the only fee reduction in this round.
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What This Means for Your Application
The fee you pay depends on when you submit your application, not when you travel or start work. Applications submitted before April 8 will be charged at the current rates; applications from April 8 onward will use the new rates. If your documents are ready and your employer has issued the Certificate of Sponsorship, submitting before April 8 saves you £50 to £197 per applicant.
If you are planning a UK Skilled Worker visa, budget for the full cost: visa fee + IHS + eventual ILR + naturalisation. The visa fee is only a fraction of the total immigration cost.
All data verified from the official Home Office immigration and nationality fee table published March 18, 2026, effective April 8, 2026. Source: GOV.UK.