The UK remains one of the most desirable countries to inhabit for a variety of reasons, including the allure of its prestigious education sector, which entices thousands of overseas students year after year, and the lucrative job opportunities it presents for overseas workers.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that in 2023 alone, the UK granted 3.4 million entry clearance visas to overseas visitors, workers, and students.
When it comes to visiting the UK, there are a variety of visa types granted to applicants, and the specific type will depend on the nature of the visit, amongst other factors.
Understanding the differences between the various types of visas is important to anyone hoping to visit the UK, as you will need to identify which visa type you should be applying for in order to have your application accepted.
Let’s explore the different types of UK visa fees, additional costs, exemptions, and refund processes to help you understand and feel confident in the process of applying for a visa.
Types of UK Visa Fees
There are generally three main fees associated with UK visa applications:
- The application fee.
- The healthcare surcharge fee.
- The priority service fee (if applicable).
The application fee includes the processing costs of the application, such as the administrative time needed to facilitate its completion. This fee applies to every application.
The health surcharge fee, officially known as the ‘immigration health surcharge (IHS),’ is the fee that gives the applicant access to the UK’s National Health Service in the event that they need medical care or treatment during the course of their stay.
The surcharge works in a similar way to the NHS system on the whole; most UK visitors will pay the surcharge and not have a need for treatment, but in this case, the funds will go towards treatment for other NHS patients.
The priority service fee is an optional fee that applicants can pay in order to have their application fast-tracked.
Fee Waivers and Exemptions
Though there are a variety of fees associated with UK visa applications, there are a range of circumstances in which applicants will be eligible for waivers and exemptions.
The circumstances that dictate whether an applicant is eligible for a waiver or exemption will depend on the type of visa applied for, whether this is a visit visa, study visa, or an asylum visa, for example.
Applicants may be exempt if they fit into any of the following categories:
- Children in care
- Asylum seekers
- Victims of domestic abuse
- Applicants in financial hardship
UK Visa Application Fees
When it comes to applying for a UK visa, the application fees differ based on a number of factors. This includes the type of visa being applied for, the circumstances of the applicant, and any additional features that the applicant wants to be included in the application. A variety of payment methods can be used to pay for a UK visa application.
Standard Visa Fees
Visa fees can change year on year due to external circumstances and government policy, but at the time of writing in 2024, the range of fees associated with the main visa types are as follows:
- Visit visas: £115 for six months, up to £963 for ten years
- Work visas: £719 for three years, up to £1420 for more than three years
- Study visas: £490 for both adult students and child students
- Family visas: £1258 to apply in the UK, up to £1846 to apply outside the UK
- Transit visas: £35 for direct airside transit, up to £64 for landside transit.
Additional Fees
In addition to the standard fees tied to UK visa applications, there is also a range of additional fees that may be applied depending on the situation. These include:
- Document translation fees: a fee applied for translating the application from another language into English. This fee varies based on the difficulty of the translation as well as the length of the application documents.
- Biometric enrolment fees: a fee charged for capturing and processing an applicant’s fingerprints and a personal photo, which are required for verification purposes.
- Priority fees: a fee applied for fast-tracking an application, where this priority service is opted for by the applicant.
Payment Methods
When it comes to paying for a UK visa, the main payment methods accepted are Visa or MasterCard credit and debit cards, as well as Skrill, a well-established e-wallet currency.
UK Healthcare Surcharge
The UK healthcare surcharge is a fee that grants applicants access to NHS services for the duration of their stay in the UK. The fee applies to most visa applications, though there are a few exceptions. There is also a refund process that is applicable to specific situations.
Purpose of the Healthcare Surcharge
The healthcare surcharge fee represents the contribution applicants must make in order to be able to access free NHS healthcare and treatment during their stay in the UK. Paying this surcharge entitles applicants to access the same NHS services as UK citizens.
This surcharge does not provide the applicant with free eye tests, assisted conception, dental treatment, or prescriptions, and these will need to be paid for separately.
It provides the application with all regular healthcare, including health checkups, GP appointments, and any elective investigations and surgery required following GP or consultant assessments within the NHS.
The surcharge is designed to maintain the sustainability of the NHS, a service that struggles to keep up with the demands placed upon it while also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all visitors to the UK.
Healthcare Surcharge Rates
Healthcare surcharge rates will differ depending on the visa category and the duration of an applicant’s intended stay in the UK. These rates can change year on year due to factors such as inflation, but as of 2024, the healthcare surcharge rates are as follows:
- Study visas: £776 per year for students and their dependents, as well as any applicant who is eligible for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
- Under 18 visa and immigration applicants: £776 per year
- All other visa and immigration applications: £1035 per year
Those who are applying from inside the UK, and only for a six-month or shorter term, will have to pay half the yearly cost. This equates to £388 for students, their dependents, and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and £517.50 for those applying for any other visa type.
Exemptions from the Healthcare Surcharge
There are a variety of exemptions to the healthcare surcharge. The main two categories this applies to are anyone who is applying outside the UK for a visa for less than six months and also anyone who is applying to remain in the UK permanently. There are also some niche circumstances which exempt applicants from the surcharge, including:
- Healthcare workers who are eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa.
- EU Settlement Scheme applicants.
- Diplomats visiting the UK for work purposes.
- Visiting armed forces.
- Dependents of armed forces members.
- Asylum seekers.
- Victims of slavery or human trafficking.
- Victims of domestic violence.
- S2 Healthcare Visitors.
- Children under 18 who have been taken into a local care authority.
Priority and Super Priority Services
While most visa applications are processed in 3 – 4 weeks, applicants do have the option to apply for a fast-tracked application. These services are referred to as priority and super priority services. Both of these services have eligibility criteria and fees attached to them, and are only applicable to certain visa types.
Priority Service
The priority service ensures that applicants receive a decision on their visa application within five working days. Family applications, which regularly take up to 24 weeks, will be processed within 30 days using the priority service. This service can be of great use to applicants who, for personal reasons, such as urgent work, need a decision on their application.
The priority service fee costs £500 in addition to the standard fees for a visa application.
Super Priority Service
The super priority service works in a similar way to the priority service but guarantees a faster decision than the regular priority service. Applicants will usually receive a decision by the end of the next working day, or if the day they made their application falls on a weekend or bank holiday, within two days of the application.
The super priority service fee costs £1000, in addition to all standard visa application fees.
In the case of family applications, the super-priority service will ensure a decision is made within five days of the application for a fee of £50 or within one working day for a fee of £1000.
Eligibility for Priority and Super Priority Services
Eligibility for the priority services depends on the type of visa being applied for as well as the applicant’s location.
The regular priority service is available for the majority of visa types, including skilled work visas, family visas, student visas, and visitor visas.
The super priority service is slightly more exclusive than the regular priority service, and is usually available to student visas, visitor visas, and specific types of work visas.
The availability of both the priority service and the super priority service depends partially on the capacity of the home office, who process the applications. Applicants with complex situations are unlikely to be eligible for either of the priority services, as these applications typically take longer to process.
Refunds and Fee Disputes
There are particular circumstances in which visa application fees may be refunded. These circumstances only relate to applications which are canceled by the applicant. If an application is processed but refused, the applicant will not be eligible for a refund.
There are certain cases in which an applicant may be eligible for a refund relating to one part of the application, for example, the priority service fee or the immigration health surcharge.
Refund Eligibility
There are specific circumstances relating to each element of the visa fees, in which applicants will be deemed eligible for a refund.
- Application fee: Applicants are eligible for a refund of the application fee if they were told to attend an appointment but have not yet given their fingerprints and photo or they used the smartphone app but did not select ‘confirm and upload’ to upload evidence, or withdrew their application before the deadline given for uploading evidence.
- Immigration health surcharge fee: Applicants are eligible for a refund of the immigration health surcharge fee if they cancel their application before a decision has been made.
- Priority service fee: Applicants are eligible for a refund of the priority service fee if they are eligible for the priority service and decide to withdraw their application. Note that this will not apply to applicants who are not eligible for the service.
Refund Process
The process of applying for a refund depends on whether the applicant has applied from within the UK or outside the UK.
If you were told to attend an appointment in order to provide your biometric information, such as your fingerprints and photo, and you applied from within the UK, you will need to fill in an online form on the UK Gov website in order to withdraw your application.
If instead you used the smartphone app to apply and were told to use the app to upload your photo and scan your ID, you will need to login to your account via the sign-up email you will receive, and from there, go to the dashboard and opt to ‘withdraw this application’.
Canceling your application in this way will begin the refund process automatically for the immigration health surcharge as well as the application fee. However, refunds for the priority service fee need to be requested separately and will not be granted automatically. In the case of a refund for this service, you will need to contact the home office by email.
Refunds are typically processed within 28 days.
Fee Disputes
If an applicant thinks they have been charged an incorrect fee relating to their visa application, they will need to contact UK Visas and Immigration via email, phone, or the online form on their website. It is important to include any evidence you may have with regard to any potential mischarge.
Additional Costs to Consider
When submitting a visa application, it is important to understand that the costs are not limited to the application via the UK Gov website. There are additional costs to consider, such as visa application center fees, travel and accommodation costs, and other potential costs that may arise during the application process.
Visa Application Centre Fees
If you apply via a visa application center, you may be charged additional fees relating to the handling and processing of your application, depending on the center you are assigned to.
This will be more likely to apply to you if you are applying from a region of the UK where the UK Government has outsourced its operations to private third-party services, who assist in managing visa applications.
Visa application centers will have their own operating procedures and charge varying amounts for their labor and handling costs, so these fees can vary from center to center.
Travel and Accommodation Costs
It’s important to be aware that as part of your application, you may need to visit a visa application center, and there will be a cost associated with traveling to the center, particularly if you are traveling a long distance. On top of this, unless you have friends or family to stay with nearby, you will have to factor in accommodation costs.
Though these expenses may seem trivial, they do add up and are worth factoring in when calculating the overall cost of your visa application in order to ensure that there are no unexpected surprises when it comes to fulfilling your application.
It is also possible you may need to make more than one visit to a visa application center over the course of your application, so it is worth budgeting some extra funds to prepare for this potentiality.
Other Potential Costs
There are some other potential costs associated with visa applications, such as if medical examinations are needed or if you need to use a document translation service to translate your documents into English or Welsh as part of your visa application.
The Bottom Line
Applying for a UK visa can feel like a daunting task, particularly when considering the various types of visas and the numerous fees associated with the application. However, when you break it down, the process is quite simple. You need to assess what sort of visa you need to apply for and then follow the guidance for the particular visa type you require.
The fees consist of three main elements: the application fee, the health surcharge fee, and a priority service fee if opted for. Some visa applications can be fast-tracked. As long as you follow the guidance listed above, you won’t experience any unexpected surprises when it comes to making your application.