When did the new UK visa fees apply?

The most recent significant fee changes took effect on 8 April 2026. The Visitor visa rose from £127 to £135. Skilled Worker, Spouse, Family and other route fees were adjusted in smaller increments at various points in 2025-2026.

The Home Office increases fees periodically to recover the operating costs of the visa system and reduce the burden on UK taxpayers. April 2026 increases were modest compared to the 2024 IHS rise from £624 to £1,035 per year.

April 2026 UK Visa Fee Changes Explained

TL;DR

The most recent significant UK visa fee changes took effect on 8 April 2026, with the Standard Visitor visa rising from £127 to £135. Other route fees saw smaller increments. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) remains at £1,035/year for adults and £776/year for students — unchanged since the major February 2024 increase.

What changed in April 2026

Visa	Before 8 Apr 2026	From 8 Apr 2026	Change
Standard Visitor (6 months)	£127	£135	+£8
Long-term Visitor (2 years)	£400	£432	+£32
Long-term Visitor (5 years)	£716	£771	+£55
Long-term Visitor (10 years)	£898	£963	+£65
Marriage Visitor (6 months)	£127	£135	+£8
ETA	£10	£16	+£6

The increases for Skilled Worker, Spouse, Family, Student, and ILR routes were either unchanged in this round or adjusted at different dates. Use our Fees Calculator for the current totals.

What hasn't changed (yet)

Skilled Worker application fees: £719-£1,500 depending on length and shortage status
Spouse / Partner / Family initial fee from outside UK: £1,938
Student fee from outside UK: £524
Graduate fee: £880
ILR: £3,029
Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035/year adult, £776/year student

The IHS is the largest single cost for most applicants and saw its big increase in February 2024 (from £624 to £1,035 for adults). It's been stable since.

How this affects different applicants

First-time visitors

The £8 increase to the Standard Visitor visa is small relative to the typical applicant's overall trip cost (flights, accommodation, daily expenses). Plan for £135 instead of £127.

Long-term visit visa applicants

The 2-year, 5-year and 10-year long-term visit visas saw 8-10% increases — more noticeable. The 10-year visa rose £65. For frequent visitors, the long-term option is still cheaper than multiple single applications, even at the new rates.

ETA holders

The ETA fee for visa-exempt nationals rose from £10 to £16 — a 60% increase. ETAs are still bookable directly on gov.uk; £16 is still significantly cheaper than the £135 Visitor visa for short-stay visitors from visa-exempt countries.

Skilled Worker, Spouse, Family applicants

Largely unchanged in this round. The big shift for these routes was the April 2024 financial requirement increase (Spouse / Family from £18,600 to £29,000) and the Skilled Worker minimum salary increase (from £26,200 to £38,700) — both more impactful than the visa fee changes.

What's coming

The Home Office reviews fees periodically. Likely future changes (not confirmed):

Annual fee review typically in spring; small adjustments expected
Skilled Worker salary thresholds may be adjusted with inflation
Graduate visa duration drops from 2 years to 18 months for Bachelor's/Master's graduates from January 2027 — this affects total cost (less IHS) but not application fee
eVisa transition continuing — physical BRP issuance phasing out throughout 2026

We update our fees calculator when changes land. The "Last verified" date in the calculator confirms the most recent check against gov.uk.

How to budget

For a Skilled Worker single applicant 3-year visa from outside the UK in 2026:

Application fee: £1,500
IHS (£1,035 × 3): £3,105
Biometrics: £100
Total: ~£4,800

For a family of 4 on the same:

Main applicant: £4,800
Partner + 2 children dependant fees + IHS: ~£10,000
Total: ~£14,800

Use our Fees Calculator to model your specific route and family situation with the current 2026 figures.