UK Visa Fees 2026: Every Application Cost in One Place
A UK visa rarely costs just the application fee. Most applicants also pay a healthcare surcharge for every year of the visa, and some pay for a faster decision. This page lists the current fees for visit, study, work, family, settlement and citizenship applications, taken from the Home Office fees table dated 8 October 2026.
Quick answer
In October 2026 a UK Standard Visitor visa for up to 6 months costs £135. A Student visa costs £558. A Skilled Worker visa applied for from outside the UK costs £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for longer, and a Health and Care Worker visa costs £324 or £628. A family visa to join a partner, parent or child costs £2,064 from outside the UK. Indefinite leave to remain costs £3,226 and naturalisation as a British citizen costs £1,709. On top of most visas longer than 6 months you pay the healthcare surcharge: £1,035 a year, or £776 a year for students, Youth Mobility applicants and under-18s. A faster decision costs £500 (priority) or £1,000 (super priority).
The three costs of a UK visa
- The application fee. Paid per person, including each dependant. It depends on the route, the length of the visa and whether you apply from inside or outside the UK.
- The healthcare surcharge. Paid up front for the whole length of the visa. You do not pay it for a visa of 6 months or less applied for from outside the UK.
- Optional extras. A priority or super priority decision, and for some routes a qualification check by Ecctis.
The Home Office fees table of 8 October 2026 shows no change to any of the fees listed on this page.
Visit visa fees
| Visa | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard Visitor, up to 6 months | £135 |
| Long-term visit visa, up to 2 years | £506 |
| Long-term visit visa, up to 5 years | £903 |
| Long-term visit visa, up to 10 years | £1,128 |
| Direct airside transit visa | £41.50 |
| Landside transit visit visa | £74.50 |
| Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) | £20 |
Study visa fees
| Visa | Fee |
|---|---|
| Student, applying from inside or outside the UK | £558 |
| Child Student | £558 |
| Short-term student, English course of more than 6 and up to 11 months | £228 |
Students also pay the healthcare surcharge at the lower rate of £776 a year; a 2-year visa costs £1,552 in surcharge. Each dependant pays the same application fee. Our UK Student visa guide covers the money you must show as well.
Work visa fees
| Visa | Applying from outside the UK | Applying from inside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, up to 3 years | £819 | £943 |
| Skilled Worker, more than 3 years | £1,618 | £1,865 |
| Skilled Worker, job on the immigration salary list, up to 3 years | £628 | £628 |
| Skilled Worker, job on the immigration salary list, more than 3 years | £1,235 | £1,235 |
| Health and Care Worker, up to 3 years | £324 | £324 |
| Health and Care Worker, more than 3 years | £628 | £628 |
| Senior or Specialist Worker, up to 3 years | £819 | £943 |
| Senior or Specialist Worker, more than 3 years | £1,618 | £1,865 |
| Scale-up Worker | £937 | £937 |
| High Potential Individual | £880 | £880 |
| Graduate | Not available | £937 |
| Global Talent | £766 | £766 |
| Innovator Founder | £1,357 | £1,693 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme, Seasonal Worker and other temporary work routes | £340 | £340 |
Global Talent applicants who need an endorsement pay the £766 in two parts: £561 for the approval letter and £205 for the visa. Innovator Founder applicants also pay the endorsing body £1,000 for the endorsement and £500 for each contact point meeting, both excluding VAT. High Potential Individual applicants pay £252 for Ecctis to check their qualification. See our UK work visa guide for what each route requires.
Family, settlement and citizenship fees
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Family visa to join a partner, parent or child, from outside the UK | £2,064 per person |
| Family visa, applying from inside the UK | £1,407 per person |
| Adult dependent relative, from outside the UK | £3,635 |
| Indefinite leave to remain (settlement) | £3,226 per person |
| Life in the UK test | £50 |
| Naturalisation as a British citizen | £1,709 |
| Registration as a British citizen, adult | £1,540 |
| Registration as a British citizen, child | £1,000 |
| Citizenship ceremony | £130 |
GOV.UK advises telling your bank before you pay a large fee, because the bank may otherwise block the payment. If you cannot afford a family visa fee you may be eligible for a fee waiver in some circumstances.
The healthcare surcharge
The immigration health surcharge is what you pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application. You pay it when you apply, for the full length of the visa.
| Who | Cost per year |
|---|---|
| Students, their dependants, and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants | £776 |
| Applicants under 18 at the time of application | £776 |
| All other visa and immigration applications | £1,035 |
- 6 months or less: no surcharge if you apply from outside the UK. From inside the UK you pay half the yearly cost: £388 at the lower rate or £517.50 at the standard rate.
- More than 6 months but less than a year: you pay for a full year.
- A 3-year visa at the standard rate: £3,105.
- Health and Care Worker visa holders do not pay the surcharge.
Paying for a faster decision
| Service | Extra cost per person | Usual decision time |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | £500 | Within 5 working days for most visas; 30 working days for settlement, citizenship and family visas from outside the UK |
| Super priority | £1,000 | By the end of the next working day; not available for citizenship |
Not every route or location offers these services, and there is a limit on how many people can use them. You are told whether you can when you apply. If you apply with family, each person pays the extra fee. If a priority decision takes longer than promised you do not usually get the money back.
What your employer or university pays
Some costs fall on the sponsor, not on you, but they explain why employers think carefully before sponsoring. A certificate of sponsorship for a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker costs the employer £525, and £55 for temporary work routes and the Scale-up route. A sponsor licence costs £611 for a small sponsor or £1,682 for a large one. A university pays £55 for each Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.
A worked example
GOV.UK gives this example for a Skilled Worker visa: you apply from outside the UK for a 2-year visa and your job is not on the immigration salary list. The visa costs £819, plus £1,035 for each year of the healthcare surcharge, so you pay £2,889 in total when you apply. You must also show £1,270 in savings unless your employer covers your first month.
Other fees you may meet
- Administrative review of a refused application: £80.
- Ecctis assessment of an overseas qualification, including English level if requested: £210.
- Visitor extension from inside the UK: £1,172.
- An application rejected as invalid: £30 is kept for processing.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a UK visa in 2026?
It depends on the visa. A Standard Visitor visa for up to 6 months costs £135, a Student visa £558, and a Skilled Worker visa £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for longer when you apply from outside the UK. Most visas longer than 6 months also carry the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 a year, or £776 for students and under-18s.
How much is the UK immigration health surcharge?
£1,035 a year for most applicants, and £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and anyone under 18 when they apply. You pay it up front for the whole visa: £3,105 for a 3-year visa at the standard rate.
Do I pay the health surcharge for a short stay?
No. You do not pay the surcharge if you apply from outside the UK for a visa of 6 months or less. Health and Care Worker visa holders do not pay it either.
How much does a UK spouse or family visa cost?
£2,064 per person if you apply from outside the UK to join a partner, parent or child, and £1,407 per person if you apply from inside the UK. Each dependant added to the application pays the same fee, and the healthcare surcharge is on top.
How much does it cost to settle in the UK and become a citizen?
Indefinite leave to remain costs £3,226 per person. Naturalisation as a British citizen costs £1,709, and the citizenship ceremony costs £130. The Life in the UK test costs £50.
How much does it cost to get a UK visa decision faster?
The priority service costs £500 on top of the application fee and usually gives a decision within 5 working days for most visas. The super priority service costs £1,000 and usually gives a decision by the end of the next working day. Each family member applying pays the extra fee too.
Are UK visa fees refundable?
Your application fee is refunded only if UK Visas and Immigration has not started processing the application. If an application is rejected as invalid, £30 is kept.
Sources (official only)
- Home Office — Immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026
- GOV.UK — Healthcare surcharge: how much you have to pay
- GOV.UK — Get a faster decision on your visa, settlement or citizenship application
- GOV.UK — Family visas: apply, extend or switch
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs
- GOV.UK — Visa processing times: applications outside the UK
All fees verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. The Home Office revises fees several times a year, so check the fees table before you pay. Information, not legal advice.