UK Visa Fees: Every Route, in One Price List
UK visa fees can be confusing. There are application fees, health surcharges, priority service fees, and more. This guide sets out the published cost for every major route, and says where GOV.UK publishes no figure.
- Section
- Costs, English & General
- Reading time
- 14 min
- Last checked
- 21 October 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- Most visa applicants must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £1,035 per year on top of their application fee. Visitors do not pay it.
- Skilled Worker visa fees range from £628 to £1,865 depending on duration, where you apply, and whether the job is on the Immigration Salary List. The Health and Care Worker visa costs £324 or £628.
- Priority processing costs £500 extra and super priority £1,000 extra, where they are offered for the application.
- Fee waivers exist in limited cases, including for partners, parents and children on family visas who cannot afford the fee.
- GOV.UK publishes no price for English language tests, tuberculosis test certificates or document translation.
This guide lists the Home Office fees for every major visa route in 2026 and explains the other charges that come with an application, including the Immigration Health Surcharge and the optional priority services. Where GOV.UK publishes no price, for example for English tests or legal help, the guide says so.
How UK Visa Fees Are Structured
Every UK visa application involves multiple fees. For a guide focused on costs that are not immediately obvious, see our hidden costs of immigration guide.
The main fee components are:
- Application fee: The main fee paid to the Home Office. This varies by visa route and application type (new application, extension, or switch).
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): A separate fee that gives you access to the NHS. See our IHS guide for full details.
- Biometrics: There is no fee for giving your fingerprints and photograph. See our biometrics fee guide.
- Priority processing (optional): Additional fees for faster decision times. See our priority services comparison.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) in 2026
The Immigration Health Surcharge is one of the largest costs in any UK visa application. It gives you access to NHS services on the same basis as a UK resident.
- Standard rate: £1,035 per year
- Student, Youth Mobility and under-18 rate: £776 per year
- Dependants: each dependant pays their own surcharge. GOV.UK says dependants aged 18 or over usually pay the same amount as the main applicant; anyone under 18 when they apply pays £776 a year.
The IHS must be paid upfront for the full duration of your visa. For a visa of 2 years and 6 months, you pay for 2.5 years (£2,587.50 at the standard rate); a visa of more than 6 months but under a year is charged as a full year. The amount is calculated automatically when you apply online.
If your visa application is refused, you will receive a full IHS refund. If you leave the UK before your visa expires, you do not get a refund of the unused period.
Work Visa Fees
Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker visa cost depends on the length of your visa, where you apply from, and whether your job is on the Immigration Salary List.
- Up to 3 years: £819 from outside the UK, or £943 to extend or switch from inside the UK
- More than 3 years: £1,618 from outside the UK, or £1,865 from inside the UK
- Jobs on the Immigration Salary List: £628 (up to 3 years) or £1,235 (more than 3 years)
- Health and Care Worker visa: reduced fee of £324 (up to 3 years) or £628 (more than 3 years)
Employers also pay a Certificate of Sponsorship fee (£525) and the Immigration Skills Charge (£480 for the first 12 months then £240 for each further 6 months for small or charitable sponsors; £1,320 then £660 for medium and large sponsors). The employer must pay these itself: GOV.UK says a sponsor's licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay them.
Graduate Route
The Graduate Route costs £937 for the application fee. You also pay the standard IHS rate. There is no sponsor fee. A Graduate visa lasts 2 years for applications made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027 (3 years with a PhD or other doctoral qualification). For a 2-year visa the total is £3,007 (£937 plus £2,070 IHS); for an 18-month visa GOV.UK gives the surcharge as £1,152.50, making £2,089.50. That surcharge is lower than the £1,552.50 the yearly rate and the half-year charging rule would give, and GOV.UK says you will be told the amount to pay when you apply. Read our full Graduate Route guide for more.
Global Talent Visa
The endorsement application costs £561. The visa application itself costs £205, making £766 in total. The IHS applies on top. The Immigration Skills Charge applies only to sponsored Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker visas, so it does not arise on Global Talent.
Scale-up Visa
The Scale-up visa costs £937, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. IHS applies on top.
Family and Spouse Visa Fees
For a detailed cost analysis, see our Spouse visa cost breakdown.
Spouse / Partner Visa
- Initial application (from outside UK): £2,064
- Extension (from inside UK): £1,407
- IHS: £1,035 per year (paid for the full duration)
A spouse visa is granted for 2 years and 9 months initially when you apply from outside the UK, then extended for another 2 years and 6 months. The two applications, their health surcharge and the settlement fee, with the £50 Life in the UK test, come to £12,439.50 (£2,064 + £3,105 + £1,407 + £2,587.50 + £3,226 + £50), before English tests, for which GOV.UK publishes no price.
Parent Visa
The parent route costs the same as the spouse route: £2,064 for an initial application and £1,407 for an extension. IHS applies on top.
Settlement and Citizenship Fees
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
ILR costs £3,226 per person. There is no IHS to pay because ILR holders have permanent access to the NHS. For a full cost breakdown, see our ILR cost breakdown guide.
British Citizenship (Naturalisation)
The citizenship application fee is £1,709 per person. There is an additional £130 ceremony fee, making £1,839 in total. For a full breakdown, see our citizenship fees guide.
The total cost from initial visa to citizenship can be very high. For example, a Skilled Worker visa holder going from initial entry to citizenship on a single 5-year visa pays £11,858 in Home Office fees alone (£1,618 visa, £5,175 IHS, £3,226 settlement, £1,709 citizenship, £130 ceremony), before any dependants, tests or legal help.
Student Visa Fees
- Student visa (from outside UK): £558
- Student visa (from inside UK): £558 to extend or switch
- Short-term study visa: £228, for English language courses of more than 6 months and up to 11 months. Courses of up to 6 months are done as a Standard Visitor (£135)
- IHS: £776 per year (student rate)
Tuition fees are separate from visa fees and are set by each university or college.
Visit Visa Fees
- Standard Visitor visa (6 months): £135
- Long-term visit visa (2 years): £506
- Long-term visit visa (5 years): £903
- Long-term visit visa (10 years): £1,128
- Transit visa: £41.50 (direct airside transit) or £74.50 (landside transit)
Visitors do not pay the IHS. GOV.UK says they pay for any NHS care at the point they use it, unless it is a service that is free.
Priority and Super Priority Processing Fees
If you need a faster decision, the Home Office offers priority processing services for some visa routes. For a detailed comparison, see our priority vs super priority guide.
- Priority service: £500. GOV.UK says you usually get a decision within 5 working days for most visa applications, and within 30 working days for settlement, citizenship, and family visa applications made from outside the UK.
- Super priority service: £1,000. Aims for a decision by the end of the next working day. Not available for citizenship applications.
GOV.UK says there is a limit on how many people can use a faster decision service, and that you are told when you apply whether one is available. It says you can apply for a faster decision on most visas from outside the UK. Inside the UK, GOV.UK publishes a table of which applications can use each service; family visa applications made in the UK can use only the super priority service.
Fee Waivers
In limited circumstances, you may be able to apply without paying the application fee. See our visa fee waiver guide for the published rules.
GOV.UK lists who may be able to apply for a fee waiver when applying to stay in the UK:
- Partners, parents and children of someone who has a family visa or has permission to stay on the basis of their private life
- People with discretionary leave or leave outside the Immigration Rules on human rights grounds, after a refused claim for refugee status or humanitarian protection
- People with permission to stay as victims of modern slavery or human trafficking
GOV.UK says the waiver is for people who cannot afford a place to live, cannot afford essential living costs such as food or heating, or have a very low income where paying the fee would harm their child's wellbeing. Work, study and Graduate visas are not on that list.
Immigration Solicitor Costs
Some applicants use an immigration solicitor or adviser. This is an additional cost on top of the official fees, and GOV.UK publishes no figure for it. GOV.UK says to check whether an adviser is registered, and whether they charge a fee, before using them. For more, see our immigration solicitor costs guide.
Always check that your solicitor or adviser is registered with the Immigration Advice Authority or a qualifying legal body. Unregistered advisers cannot legally provide immigration advice in the UK.
How to Budget for Your UK Visa
Our budgeting for immigration guide walks you through the process in detail. Here is a quick summary of what to include in your budget:
- Application fee for your visa route
- Immigration Health Surcharge for the full duration
- English language test fee, if a test is needed (set by the test provider; GOV.UK publishes no price)
- Tuberculosis test certificate, if required for your country (set by the clinic; GOV.UK publishes no price)
- Document translation and certification
- Priority processing (if you need a fast decision)
- Solicitor or adviser fees (if using professional help)
- Travel costs for visa application centre visits
Fee Changes and Refunds
The Home Office publishes its fees table on GOV.UK, showing the date from which each fee applies. Always check the official GOV.UK visa fees page for the most current figures.
Refund policy: GOV.UK says the visa application fee is only refunded if processing of the application has not started. The IHS is refunded if your application is refused or withdrawn before a decision, but not if you leave the UK before your visa expires. GOV.UK says you will not usually get a priority service fee back if the decision takes longer, but the Home Office may refund it if the delay was caused by something outside its control, such as a technical problem. Separate rules apply if you cancel the application.
Questions and answers
How much does a UK visa cost in 2026?
UK visa costs vary by route. A Skilled Worker visa costs £819 to £1,618 from outside the UK depending on duration. A Spouse visa costs £2,064 from outside the UK. A Student visa costs £558. Most routes also require the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year.
What is the Immigration Health Surcharge?
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee that gives visa holders access to the NHS. In 2026 it costs £1,035 per year for most applicants, or £776 per year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and anyone under 18 when they apply. It must be paid upfront for the full duration of your visa.
Can I get a refund on my visa fee if my application is refused?
No. GOV.UK says the application fee is only refunded if processing of the application has not started. The Immigration Health Surcharge is refunded in full if your visa is refused or you withdraw before a decision, and in part if you are granted less time than you paid for. It is not refunded if you leave the UK before your visa expires.
Are there any hidden costs with UK visa applications?
Beyond the application fee and IHS, an application can involve an English language test, a tuberculosis test certificate, document translation, a priority service fee, and fees for an immigration adviser. GOV.UK publishes the priority service fees, but no price for the tests, translation or advisers.
How much does the IHS cost for a 5-year visa?
For a 5-year visa at the standard rate of £1,035 per year, the IHS costs £5,175. This must be paid upfront when you submit your application.
Can I get help paying for my UK visa?
GOV.UK offers a fee waiver for some applications to stay in the UK: partners, parents and children of someone with a family visa or with permission to stay on the basis of private life, some people with discretionary leave or leave outside the rules on human rights grounds, and people with permission to stay as victims of modern slavery or human trafficking. It is for people who cannot afford a place to live or essential living costs, or whose very low income means paying would harm their child's wellbeing. Work, study and Graduate visas are not on that list.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.