No UK visa fee increase: How much a UK visa will cost in 2020

The Home Office revises and increases the prices of most UK visas every year on 6 April. This year, the UK government has decided not to increase the cost of visas. However, it’s a short respite as the NHS fee will be going up later this year. Here’s how much a visa will cost you.

UK visa fees in 2020

Application fees for UK visas vary massively. These are the government fees* for your UK visa application if you are applying from outside of the UK:

UK visa	Application fee
Ancestry visa	£516
Partner/spouse visa	£1,523
Tier 1 (Investor) visa	£1,623
Start-up visa	£363
Innovator visa	£1021
Tier 2 (General) visa (Intra-Company Transfer) – more than three years	£1,220
Tier 2 (General) visa (Intra-Company Transfer) – less than three years	£610
Tier 2 (General) visa – shortage occupation, less than three years	£464
Tier 2 (General) visa – shortage occupation, more than three years	£928
Tier 4 (General) student visa	£348
Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa	£244
Visitor visa (6 months)	£95
Visitor visa (2 years)	£361

*These fees are charged by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and exclude any fees charged by us.

See also: COVID-19 UK government guidelines for visa applicants outside the UK

Immigration Health Surcharge set to increase

If you are moving to the UK for more than six months, you will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The IHS allows you to use the National Health Service (NHS) as soon as you arrive in the UK. Paying this surcharge gives you access to free basic medical care while you are in the UK.

In the March 2020 Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the fee would increase by as much as 60%. This increase is expected to come into effect in October this year.

How does the IHS work?

The IHS is an upfront fee that is paid in full along with your visa application. The amount you’ll have to pay depends on which visa you are applying for and how long you’ll be staying in the UK. The current fee is £400. If you’re applying for an Ancestry visa which is valid for five years, you’ll have to pay £2,000 upfront as part of your application.

Should the full increase take effect, the surcharges could look like this:

• Ancestry visa will increase from £2,000 to £3,120 per applicant
• Spouse visa will increase to £1,248 per applicant
• Spousal extension will increase to £1,248
• Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) will increase from £300 to £470

See also: UK government extends visas due to COVID-19

It’s more important now than ever to get your application right

Every year, thousands of visa applications are rejected because they are filled out incorrectly or applicants haven’t included the right documents. The Home Office will keep your visa fee whether your application gets accepted or denied. To avoid throwing money away, or paying the same amount twice, it’s important that your application is as watertight as possible.

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Our immigration advisors can assist you at every step of the process. We offer a “no visa, no fee” guarantee, so if you don’t get your UK visa, we won’t charge you a cent. Get in touch with us on immigration@sableinternational.com or call on +27 (0) 21 657 2153 or +44 (0) 20 7759 4500.