Immigration fee increases

By On 16 April 2007 · 2 Comments · In Comment, News

A number of people seem to have come across this site while looking for information about the increased immigration fees, about which I have already written a post. I thought it would be instructive to post up the old immigration fees, the new ones and the percentage increase. As you can see below, there are some pretty hefty increases.

Application type

Old fee

New fee

%

increase

Visas

   Settlement visa

£260

£500

92%

   Work permit visa

£85

£200

135%

   Long term visa

£85

£200

135%

   Student visa

£85

£99

16%

   Visitor

£50

£63

26%

   Direct Airside Transit Visa

£30

£44

47%

Settlement/Nationality

   ILR

£335

£750

124%

   ILR Premium

£500

£950

90%

   Nationality – right of abode

£20

£135

575%

   Nationality – naturalisation

£200

£575

188%

   Nationality – adult registration

£120

£400

233%

   Nationality – minor single and multiple

£200

£400

100%

   Nationality – renunciation

£120

£385

221%

Work

   Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

£315

£400

27%

   HSMP Leave to Remain

£335

£350

4%

   Work permit

£153

£190

24%

   Work Permit Leave to Remain

£335

£350

4%

   Work Permit LTR Premium

£500

£550

10%

   Business case unit

£335

£750

124%

   Workers Registration Scheme

£70

£90

29%

   SAWS

£12

£12

0%

Leave to Remain Other

   LTR (non student)

£335

£395

18%

   LTR (non student) Premium

£500

£595

19%

   Certificate of Approval (to get married)

£135

£295

119%

   Transfer of conditions

£160

£160

0%

   Transfer of conditions Premium

£500

£500

0%

   Adult travel documents (CID)

£195

£210

8%

   Child travel documents (CID)

£115

£130

13%

   Adult Travel Documents (CTD)

£42

£66

57%

   Child Travel Documents (CDT)

£25

£45

80%

Students

   Student LTR

£250

£295

18%

   Student LTR Premium

£500

£500

0%

It is difficult to understand what the rationale for the specific fee increases actually is, assuming that there is a rationale. Some of the figures seem to be plucked from the air at random. The fee structure had been quite simple, but it has become far more complicated again. The various ‘Premium’ applications (which means a same day service in person at a Public Enquiry Office) used all to be £500 but are now £500, £550, £595 or £950 depending on what sort of application you are making.

The use of the word premium is quite entertaining. It makes it sound like business class travel or something similar. The idea of the Home Office being capable of providing any kind of service that can legitimately be descibed as premium is somewhat misguided. For them to charge £950 for it is, however, a joke in the very poorest taste.

 
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2 Responses to Immigration fee increases

  1. Immigration fee cheque bounces « Free Movement says:
    7 October 2008 at 6:44 pm

    [...] she still had current leave to remain: she was lawfully present. However, the cheque to pay the (outrageously high) fee bounced. The application was rejected purely on the grounds that the fee was unpaid, by which [...]

  2. Fee cheque bounces « Free Movement says:
    9 October 2008 at 8:09 am

    [...] had current leave to remain and was lawfully present in the UK. However, the cheque to pay the (outrageously high) fee bounced. The application was rejected by the Home Office purely on the grounds that the fee [...]