Immigration and nationality fees will see increases from next month, following legislation being laid in the UK parliament on September 15.
The hike is aimed at paying for vital services, allowing more funding to be “prioritized for public sector pay”, according to the UK Home Office.
The UK visa changes mean the cost of a visit visa for less than six months will increase from GBP100 to GBP115 (around Dhs514). The fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by GBP127 to GBP490 (approximately Dhs2,186), to equal the amount charged for in-country applications.
In July, the government announced a 15 percent increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and an increase of at least 20 percent in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and certificates of sponsorship.
According to the Home Office:
“Careful consideration is given when setting fees to help reduce the funding contribution from British taxpayers, whilst continuing to provide a service that remains attractive to those wishing to work in the UK and support broader prosperity for all.”
UK Visa: Key changes
- Fees for up to six months, two, five, and 10-year visit visas
- The majority of fees for entry clearance and certain applications for leave to remain in the UK including those for work and study
- Fees for indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain
- Convention travel document and stateless person’s travel document
- Health and care visa
- Fees in relation to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies
- The in and out-of-country fee for the super-priority service and the out-of-country fee for the priority service. The settlement priority service will be reduced so it is aligned with the cost of using the priority service
- Applications to register and naturalize as a British citizen
- The fee for the User Pays Visa Application service
Subject to Parliamentary approval, the immigration and nationality fees will increase from October 4.
In other news, in April, the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Port Security (UAE ICP) revised the entry permit fees for foreigners applying for a 10-year Golden Visa.
The authority increased the cost of the six-month entry permit to Dhs1,250, which includes a variety of charges including Dhs1,000 for issuance, Dhs100 for the application, Dhs100 for smart services, Dhs28 for e-services and Dhs22 for Federal Authority fees.
News Source: Gulf Business
