Applying for a UK visa involves more than one payment. Alongside the Home Office application fee, most applicants also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), and some pay a Certificate of Sponsorship or optional priority-processing charge. The total can differ by thousands of pounds depending on the route and how long the visa lasts.
This guide sets out the current UK visa and immigration fees for every main route — work, family, study, visit, settlement and citizenship — using the fees that took effect on 8 April 2026. It is written for individuals planning an application and for employers budgeting to sponsor a worker.
Table of contents
- How much does a UK visa cost in 2026?
- Work visa fees
- Sponsorship fees for employers
- Family and spouse visa fees
- Student visa fees
- Visit visa fees
- Settlement and citizenship fees
- The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
- Priority and super priority service fees
- Do you also pay for a solicitor?
- How can we help?
- FAQ
How much does a UK visa cost in 2026?
There is no single UK visa fee — the cost depends on the route, the length of the visa, and whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. As a guide, the Home Office application fee for the most common routes ranges from £135 for a short visit visa to £3,226 for settlement, with work and family routes in between.
Two costs sit alongside the application fee for most applicants. The first is the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives access to the National Health Service and is charged for every year of the visa. The second, for sponsored workers, is the Certificate of Sponsorship and any share of the employer’s sponsor licence costs. Adding these together is essential, because the surcharge alone can exceed the visa fee.
The figures below are the Home Office fees in force from 8 April 2026. They do not include the IHS, biometric enrolment, document translation, or legal fees, which we cover separately.
Work visa fees
The Skilled Worker route remains the main employer-sponsored work visa. The fee depends on whether the visa is for up to three years or more than three years, and on where you apply from. Health and Care Worker applicants pay a reduced fee and are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
| Work route | From outside the UK | From inside the UK |
| Skilled Worker — up to 3 years | £819 | £943 |
| Skilled Worker — over 3 years | £1,618 | £1,865 |
| Health and Care Worker — up to 3 years | £324 | £324 |
| Health and Care Worker — over 3 years | £628 | £628 |
| Global Talent — endorsement stage | £561 | £561 |
| Global Talent — visa stage | £205 | £205 |
The Global Talent visa is charged in two parts: an endorsement application of £561 and a visa application of £205, giving a Home Office total of £766 where an endorsement is required. Some applicants who hold an eligible award or fellowship can apply in a single stage. For sponsored roles, the Skilled Worker visa fee sits on top of the sponsorship costs paid by the employer.
Sponsorship fees for employers
Employers who sponsor a worker pay their own set of fees, separate from the worker’s visa. A sponsor licence is required before a business can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship, and most Skilled Worker sponsors also pay the Immigration Skills Charge, which is set separately from the fees below.
| Sponsorship item | Fee |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (Skilled Worker) | £525 |
| Sponsor licence — small or charitable sponsor | £611 |
| Sponsor licence — medium or large sponsor | £1,682 |
If your business is applying for the first time or renewing, our team can guide you through the sponsor licence process and help you avoid the compliance errors that lead to refusal or suspension.
Family and spouse visa fees
A partner or spouse visa costs £2,064 when applied for from outside the UK and £1,407 to extend from inside the UK. Fiancé applications are charged at the same £2,064 entry-clearance rate. These figures are the Home Office fee only; the Immigration Health Surcharge is charged on top and is a large part of the total for family routes.
| Family route | Fee |
| Partner or spouse visa (from outside the UK) | £2,064 |
| Partner or spouse extension in the UK (FLR-M) | £1,407 |
| Fiancé visa (entry clearance) | £2,064 |
Because a partner visa is normally granted for 33 months at a time, the IHS alone adds around £3,105 for an initial application from abroad.
Student visa fees
A Student visa costs £558, whether you apply from outside or from inside the UK. Students benefit from a reduced Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year rather than the standard £1,035.
Visit visa fees
A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to six months. Long-term visit visas, which allow repeated visits over a fixed period, cost more but do not extend how long you can stay on any single trip (usually up to six months at a time).
| Visit visa | Fee |
| Up to 6 months | £135 |
| Up to 2 years | £506 |
| Up to 5 years | £903 |
| Up to 10 years | £1,128 |
Settlement and citizenship fees
Indefinite leave to remain — the main form of settlement — costs £3,226 per person. Naturalising as a British citizen afterwards costs £1,709, to which the citizenship ceremony fee is added.
| Settlement and citizenship | Fee |
| Indefinite leave to remain (settlement) | £3,226 |
| Naturalisation as a British citizen | £1,709 |
| Registration as a British citizen (adult) | £1,540 |
Settlement and citizenship are the final steps of most immigration journeys, so it is worth planning the cost early.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
The Immigration Health Surcharge is a compulsory payment that gives visa holders access to the National Health Service. It is £1,035 per year for most applicants and £776 per year for students, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and anyone under 18. It is charged for the whole length of the visa and paid up front, so a five-year visa attracts five years of surcharge in one payment.
For many applicants the surcharge is larger than the visa fee itself. A skilled worker granted five years, for example, pays £5,175 in surcharge on top of the £1,618 application fee. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt from the surcharge.
Priority and super priority service fees
Faster processing is optional and charged on top of the visa fee. The priority service costs £500 and aims for a decision within about five working days; the super priority service costs £1,000 and aims for a decision by the end of the next working day. Availability varies by route and location.
Do you also pay for a solicitor?
Legal fees are separate from Home Office fees and are not compulsory — you can apply without a lawyer. Many applicants use a solicitor for complex cases, refusals, or high-value sponsorship, where a mistake is expensive to correct. Costs vary with the work involved.
How can we help?
Sterling Law is a London-based firm advising individuals, families and businesses across the full range of UK immigration matters, from a first visa to settlement and citizenship. We help clients choose the right route, budget accurately for every cost, and submit an application that is right the first time.
Our work can include:
- advising on the correct visa route and the total cost of applying;
- preparing and checking Skilled Worker, Global Talent and other work applications;
- guiding employers through sponsor licence applications and compliance;
- preparing spouse, partner and family visa applications and meeting the financial requirement;
- advising students and graduates on switching into work routes;
- preparing indefinite leave to remain and naturalisation applications;
- arranging priority and super priority processing where it helps;
- responding to refusals, administrative reviews and appeals;
- reviewing eligibility before you commit to a fee.
If you would like your route and budget checked before you apply, contact our immigration team for tailored advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a UK visa cost in 2026?
It depends on the route, from £135 for a short visit visa to £3,226 for settlement, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year for most applicants.
Do I have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as well as the visa fee?
Yes, for most routes. It is £1,035 per year (£776 for students and under-18s), paid up front for the full length of the visa. Health and Care Worker applicants are exempt.
How much is a Skilled Worker visa?
From £819 for up to three years applied for from outside the UK, or £1,618 for more than three years, before the surcharge and sponsorship costs.
How much is a spouse or partner visa?
£2,064 from outside the UK, or £1,407 to extend from inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge.
How much does indefinite leave to remain cost?
£3,226 per person under the fees in force from 8 April 2026.
How much is the Global Talent visa?
£561 for the endorsement stage and £205 for the visa stage, giving a Home Office total of £766 where an endorsement is required.
Why did UK visa fees go up in 2026?
The Home Office raised most immigration and nationality fees from 8 April 2026, continuing annual increases that also took effect in October 2023 and April 2025.
Can I pay for a faster decision?
Yes. The priority service costs £500 (around five working days) and the super priority service costs £1,000 (by the next working day), where available.
Are UK visa fees refundable if my application is refused?
The visa fee is generally not refunded if an application is refused, though the Immigration Health Surcharge is refunded for the period not used. Check the rules for your route before applying.
