UK - Immigration Service Fees set to increase

08 September 2004

The Home Office has announced that fees for work permit and other leave to remain applications will be increased beginning April 2005 in order to save UK taxpayers approximately Ł100 million in 2005-06.

The Government has been in consultation with businesses on whether or not to include fees for appeals and enforcement procedures in the overall fee for a particular immigration service. This would mean that migrants would be responsible for the costs of delivering these services, rather than the taxpayers. Last year over Ł70 million in fees for immigration services have been raised to cover costs that would have otherwise been borne by UK taxpayers.

The government is considering increasing fee for the following immigration applications:

Work permit extension charge may increase from Ł121 to between Ł265 and Ł300.
Further Leave to Remain (FLR) fees for people like students and spouses may rise also from Ł250 for a premium service to between Ł430 and Ł495.
Fees for the Sectors Based Scheme (SBS), targeted at recruitment in the hospitality and food processing sectors, may rise from Ł153 to between Ł230 and Ł270;
Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) fees may rise from Ł150 to between Ł320 and Ł375;

The Government has stated that although it is in the interest of the country to welcome foreign students and workers who will contribute to the economy, those who reap the benefits of stay in the UK should cover the costs of providing such services. The Home Office Minister believes that the proposed fees are fair and required to ensure an efficient 'self-financing migration programme.'

Further proposals from the consultations include:

Introducing a new payment method for customers;
Introducing fees for foreign nationals who are in the UK for a limited period to transfer their limited LTR stamp into a new passport or travel document;
Introducing separate travel documents for children who have been granted refugee status

Apply for HSMP or make a fast UK visa application now and beat the government fees increase!