When did the new UK visa fees apply?

The current fee schedule took effect on 8 April 2026. Application fees rose across the Skilled Worker, family, student, graduate, settlement and visitor routes, and the ETA rose from £16 to £20. The Immigration Health Surcharge did not change.

The Home Office increases fees periodically to recover the operating costs of the visa system and reduce the burden on UK taxpayers. Even after the April 2026 rises, the biggest cost for most applicants remains the Immigration Health Surcharge, unchanged at £1,035 per year since its February 2024 increase.

April 2026 UK Visa Fee Changes Explained

TL;DR

UK visa application fees rose across almost every major route on 8 April 2026. Skilled Worker (outside UK, up to 3 years) went from £719 to £819, the Spouse/Family entry fee from £1,938 to £2,064, Student to a single £558 fee, Graduate from £880 to £937, and ILR from £3,029 to £3,226. Visitor long-term visas and the ETA (£16 to £20) also rose. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is unchanged at £1,035/year for adults and £776/year for students.

What changed: work, family, study and settlement

Visa	Before 8 Apr 2026	From 8 Apr 2026	Change
Skilled Worker, outside UK, up to 3 years	£719	£819	+£100
Skilled Worker, outside UK, over 3 years	£1,500	£1,618	+£118
Skilled Worker, inside UK, up to 3 years	£827	£943	+£116
Skilled Worker, inside UK, over 3 years	£1,636	£1,865	+£229
Skilled Worker, Immigration Salary List, over 3 years	£1,084	£1,235	+£151
Partner / Spouse / Family, outside UK	£1,938	£2,064	+£126
Partner / Family FLR(M), inside UK	£1,321	£1,407	+£86
Adult Dependent Relative	£3,413	£3,635	+£222
Student, outside UK	£524	£558	+£34
Student, inside UK	£775	£558	-£217
Graduate	£880	£937	+£57
Indefinite Leave to Remain	£3,029	£3,226	+£197

Two details worth noting:

The Student fee is now a single £558 whether you apply from outside or inside the UK; in-country applicants actually pay less than before.
Immigration Salary List applications for up to 3 years now cost £628, still well below the £819 standard rate.

What changed: visitors and the ETA

Visa	Before 8 Apr 2026	From 8 Apr 2026	Change
Standard Visitor (6 months)	£127	£135	+£8
Long-term Visitor (2 years)	£432	£506	+£74
Long-term Visitor (5 years)	£771	£903	+£132
Long-term Visitor (10 years)	£963	£1,128	+£165
Marriage Visitor (6 months)	£127	£135	+£8
ETA	£16	£20	+£4

The long-term visit visas saw the sharpest percentage rises, 15-17%. They are still good value for frequent visitors compared with repeated single applications.

What hasn't changed

Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035/year adult, £776/year for students and under-18s, stable since the February 2024 increase from £624
Priority services: £500 priority, £1,000 super-priority
Life in the UK test: £50

The IHS remains the largest single cost for most applicants. A 3-year Skilled Worker grant carries £3,105 of IHS against an £819 application fee.

Salary thresholds also moved

Separately from the fee schedule, the Skilled Worker salary regime has been raised. Under the current rules:

The general minimum is £41,700 (previously £38,700), or the job's going rate if higher
The new-entrant floor is £33,400 (previously £30,960), payable at 70 to 90 percent of the going rate depending on the route
Immigration Salary List roles must pay at least £33,400 and the full going rate; the old 80 percent going-rate discount no longer exists

See our Skilled Worker salary threshold tracker for the full history.

How this affects different applicants

Visitors and ETA holders

The £8 rise on the 6-month Visitor visa is minor against total trip costs. The ETA at £20 is still far cheaper than the £135 Visitor visa for nationals of visa-exempt countries. Budget more carefully for long-term visit visas, the 10-year option now costs £1,128.

Skilled Worker applicants

A £100-£229 rise depending on length and location of application. The bigger long-term factor is the salary threshold rising to £41,700; check the going rate for your SOC code before relying on the general minimum.

Family and spouse applicants

The entry fee is now £2,064 and FLR(M) £1,407. The £29,000 minimum income requirement has not changed.

Students and graduates

Small rises, and in-country student applicants pay less than before. Maintenance requirements have risen though: £1,529/month in London and £1,171/month outside, for up to 9 months.

Settlement applicants

ILR at £3,226 per applicant (£12,904 for a family of four) is the fee to plan furthest ahead for.

How to budget

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

Application fee: £819
IHS (£1,035 × 3 years): £3,105
Total: £3,924

For a family of 4 on the same route (partner plus 2 children):

Main applicant: £3,924
Partner: £3,924 (£819 fee plus £3,105 IHS at £1,035 × 3 years)
Two children: £6,294 (each £819 fee plus £2,328 IHS at £776 × 3 years)
Total: £14,142

Biometric appointments are usually free; some visa application centre locations charge £76.50 for a standard appointment. Use our Fees Calculator to model your specific route and family situation with the current figures.