Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the cost of applying for a visa and the immigration health surcharge, which provides access to the NHS, will both rise substantially on July 13. The fee increases, he said, were implemented to help the government raise money for other public spending initiatives.
Due to recent strikes in the UK, the prime minister announced the increase in visa application fees during a speech on public sector wages. After several months of strike action, the PM announced that teachers would receive a 6.5% wage increase and junior doctors would receive a 6% pay increase. Police officers will also receive a 7% pay rise despite being prohibited from striking. According to Mr. Sunak, a portion of the money earned from immigrants who want to live and work in the UK will be used to pay for the public sector salary hike.
“We’ve done two things to find this money,” he stated. “First, we’re going to raise the fees that we charge immigrants coming to this country when they apply for visas. Therefore, all of these fees will increase, raising almost a billion pounds.”
Sunak made it clear that these salary hikes were the Government’s final proposal and that, despite any future strikes, there will be no more negotiations this year.
How much do UK Visas cost right now?
The amount of a migrant’s visa costs vary according to the type of visa they are applying for, as well as the duration of their stay, the primary reason for their trip, the number of entries they wish to make into the country, the industry they work in, and other factors.
When the immigration health surcharge was originally implemented in March 2015, applicants had to pay £200 each. The fee doubled to £400 in December 2018 before rising once again to £624 for adults and £470 for discounted applicants, which included kids and students, in December 2020.
How much will the updated UK visa fees be?
The UK work and visa fees will go up by 15%, according to the government, while all other visa expenses will increase by at least 20%. When the new fees will be formally implemented is currently unknown. As for the rise in the immigration health fee, it now costs £1,035 per person per year. Students and children who qualify for a discount will pay £776, which is a 66% increase, instead of the previous price.
Please get in contact with our expert immigration team if you need any additional guidance on how rising immigration expenses will affect your firm or assistance with a particular visa application.
