UK Immigration Fees Increasing from 8 April 2026: What You Need to Know

The Home Office has confirmed that a new immigration fee schedule will take effect from 8 April 2026, with most application fees increasing by approximately 6–7%.

While the percentage uplift is relatively modest, the overall cost of the UK immigration system continues to rise. For businesses sponsoring workers, or individuals progressing through the system, the financial impact is becoming increasingly significant.

Below are the key changes.

Visitor Visas

The standard 6-month visit visa is increasing from £127 to £137, an increase of 6%.

Longer-term visit visas are also rising. The 2-year visit visa will increase from £475 to £506.

For businesses regularly bringing staff to the UK for meetings, training or short-term assignments, these incremental increases will build over time.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

The ETA fee is increasing from £16 to £20.

While still relatively low, this is increasingly relevant as the scheme has now been fully rolled out.

Skilled Worker Visa

For Skilled Worker applications, both in-country and out-of-country fees are increasing.

For visas of up to 3 years:

• Applications made outside the UK are increasing from £769 to £819.
• Applications made inside the UK are increasing from £885 to £943.

For visas of more than 3 years (typically up to 5 years):

• Out-of-country applications are increasing from £1,519 to £1,618.
• In-country applications are increasing from £1,751 to £1,865.

For roles on the Immigration Salary List, reduced fees still apply, but these are also increasing:

• Up to 3 years: £590 increasing to £628.
• Over 3 years: £1,160 increasing to £1,235.

While these increases are in line with the wider fee uplift, the overall cost of sponsorship remains substantial once all elements are considered.

Health and Care Worker Visa

The Health and Care Worker route remains significantly cheaper than the standard Skilled Worker route, but fees are still increasing.

• Up to 3 years: increasing from £304 to £324.
• Over 3 years: increasing from £590 to £628.

This route continues to offer strong value, but it remains a high-risk area from a compliance perspective, with increased Home Office scrutiny.

Graduate Visa

The Graduate visa fee is increasing from £880 to £937.

This remains a useful route for employers accessing talent already in the UK.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

The cost of settlement is increasing from £3,029 to £3,226.

For many individuals and employers, this represents one of the most significant cost points in the immigration journey.

British Citizenship (Naturalisation)

Naturalisation fees are increasing from £1,605 to £1,709.

While not a dramatic jump, this continues the steady upward trend for those progressing to British citizenship.

What This Means in Practice

Bringing Applications Forward Can Save Money

There is a clear opportunity to submit applications before 8 April 2026 to avoid these increases.

Work visa applications can be submitted up to 3 months before the intended start date. Whilst visitor visa applications can be submitted up to 3 months in advance of travel.

For hires starting in summer 2026, this is particularly relevant.

The Real Cost Goes Beyond the Visa Fee

Visa fees are only one part of the overall cost.

Employers must also factor in:

• Certificate of Sponsorship fees (unchanged)
• Immigration Skills Charge (unchanged) 
• Immigration Health Surcharge (unchanged)
• Internal and external support costs

Even a modest increase at the visa stage becomes more significant when applied across multiple hires.

Poor Planning Will Cost More Than the Increase

In practice, the biggest risk is not the fee increase, it is delay, refusal, or compliance issues.

We continue to see:

• Applications delayed due to avoidable errors
• Increased scrutiny on genuine vacancies and job role mapping to SOC codes
• Requests for further information on CoS allocation increase requests

A refused or delayed application will cost far more than the increase itself.

Final Thoughts

The April 2026 fee increases reinforce a clear trend: UK immigration is becoming progressively more expensive and more tightly controlled.

For businesses, this is another reason to take a structured and forward-looking approach to sponsorship and compliance.

For individuals, timing your application correctly can make a real financial difference.

You can find the full Home Office fee schedule HERE.