UK Visit Visas to Cost £15 More, Student Visas £127 More Starting Today

The British government has implemented a visa fee increase impacting travellers worldwide, including many Kenyan visitors.

Visa seekers wishing to enter the United Kingdom should brace themselves for steeper charges in light of new fee adjustments. The adjustments include an additional charge of £15 imposed upon visit visas which only last for less than six months. Also, student visas are currently £127 more expensive than before with visit visas costing £115 and student visas £490. The Home Office, in defence of this decision, emphasizes the importance of financing essential public services and contributing to the public sector payroll. This fee increase announcement follows the declaration made by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in July, regarding a significant rise in fees and health surcharges paid by visa applicants.

In response to a rise in salaries in the public sector, additional charges are being put in place to assist the state-funded National Health Service (NHS). Migrants attempting to gain visas and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) are the target of these heightened fees which are predicted to generate more than GBP 1 billion mainly via a significant increase in visa application and IHS fees. An assortment of visa categories will be affected by the Home Office’s recent fee modification. Work and visit visas, for example, will incur an additional fee increase of 15%, while priority visas, study visas, and sponsorship certificates can expect a hike of 20% or more.

The likelihood of an increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) appears to exacerbate an already challenging economic climate. Authorities and opposition express polar views concerning the recently implemented fees for immigrants. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants refutes attempts to hike prices, stating that raising visa fees for individuals settling in the UK is unjust, divisive, and risky. Consequently, the additional fees have caused concerns considering many families already find it grueling to make ends meet and rely on their weekly paychecks to save up for visas.