Starting from October 4, the UK has increased its visa fees for all foreigners, including Indians. The changes affect various types of visas and have different impacts.
For example, a six-month visit visa to the UK now costs GBP 115 (around ₹11,500), which is GBP 15 more than before. A student visa for travelers from around the world has gone up by GBP 127, making it GBP 490 (around ₹50,000) in total. These changes also apply to other types of visas, such as work and settlement visas.
The UK government says that the visa fee hike is necessary to support public services and contribute to public sector pay.
The fee structure for work and visit visas has increased by 15%, and the fee structure for family, settlement, and citizenship visas has increased by 20%. The immigration health surcharge (IHS) has also risen to GBP 1,035 annually.
Skilled workers may pay either GBP 719 (approximately ₹65,000) or GBP 1,420 (around ₹129,000) depending on the duration and type of sponsorship certificate.
It is important to note that visa fees for short-term courses in which students study English for over 6 months but less than 11 months will not increase.
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