UK immigration fees to rise from 9 April 2025
The Home Office has published a new set of UK immigration and nationality fees which are due to come into effect from 9 April 2025.
As expected, fees are set to increase across many categories including work, study and visit visa application fees, naturalisation fees and sponsorship fees for employers. Below is a breakdown of the key increases by category coming into force next month.
Work visa fees
From 9 April, the Home Office application fees will rise for various UK work visa categories, including:
| Category | Current fee | Fee from 9 April 2025 |
| Skilled Worker (3 years or less) | £719 | £769 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | £1,420 | £1,519 |
| Skilled Worker (3 years or less) job on the Immigration Salary List | £551 | £590 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) job on the Immigration Salary List | £1,084 | £1,160 |
| Health & Care Worker (3 years or less) | £284 | £304 |
| Health & Care Worker (over 3 years) | £551 | £590 |
| Senior or Specialist Worker (GBM) (up to 3 years) | £719 | £769 |
| Senior or Specialist Worker (GBM) (more than 3 years) | £1,420 | £1,519 |
| Graduate Trainee (GBM) | £298 | £319 |
| UK Expansion Worker (GBM) | £298 | £319 |
| Service Supplier (GBM) | £298 | £319 |
| Secondment Worker (GBM) | £298 | £319 |
| Scale-up Worker | £822 | £880 |
| High Potential Individual | £822 | £880 |
| Innovator Founder | £1,191 | £1,274 |
| Temporary Worker routes | £298 | £319 |
The above fees apply to work visa applications made outside the UK. Fee increases are also being introduced for in-country applications as listed in the updated fees table here.
Study visa fees
Application fees for Study visas are also set to increase as follows:
| Category | Current fee | Fee from 9 April 2025 |
| Student | £490 | £524 |
| Child Student | £490 | £524 |
| Short term student studying English language | £200 | £214 |
Visit visa fees
The Home Office is also increasing fees for overseas nationals visiting the UK, whether that’s via a Visit visa or via the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for visa-exempt nationalities.
| Category | Current fee | Fee from 9 April 2025 |
| Visit visa (up to 6 months) | £115 | £127 |
| Visit visa (up to 2 years) | £432 | £475 |
| Visit visa (up to 5 years) | £771 | £848 |
| Visit visa (up to 10 years) | £963 | £1,059 |
| Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) | £10 | £16 |
Settlement and nationality fees
Fees are also set to increase in April for those applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British citizenship.
| Category | Current fee | Fee from 9 April 2025 |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain | £2,885 | £3,029 |
| Naturalisation (British citizenship) | £1,500 | £1,605 |
| Naturalisation British overseas territory citizens | £1,000 | £1,070 |
| Nationality registration as a British citizen (adult) | £1,351 | £1,446 |
| Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons (adult) | £901 | £964 |
Sponsorship fees
Employers and education providers sponsoring overseas workers or students should prepare for some Home Office sponsorship fees to increase from 9 April, including the following:
| Category | Current fee | Fee from 9 April 2025 |
| Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,476 | £1,579 |
| Worker sponsor licence (small sponsor) | £536 | £574 |
| Temporary Worker sponsor licence | £536 | £574 |
| Student sponsor licence | £536 | £574 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee – Skilled Worker & GBM Senior or Specialist Worker | £239 | £525 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee – Temporary Worker | £25 | £55 |
| Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) fee – Student & Child Student | £25 | £55 |
| Sponsor action plan | £1,476 | £1,579 |
| Student sponsor basic compliance assessment | £536 | £574 |
Optional premium services
The Home Office offers a range of optional premium services which allow applicants and employers to pay an additional fee for an enhanced service, such as receiving a faster decision on their visa application or sponsorship request.
The new fee table confirms no changes will be introduced to these premium services in April.
Find out more
The full list of fees per category has been published on GOV.UK here. To find out more about the new UK immigration fees and how the increases may impact your business, please contact Smith Stone Walters today.
