By John Ikani
The United Kingdom has unveiled plans to adjust the fees for student and tourist visas, aiming to bolster resources allocated to the public sector.
The UK’s Home Office revealed on Friday that the cost of a visit visa, valid for less than six months, will be increased by £15, reaching £115.
Similarly, the fee for a student visa will see a £127 increase, raising it to £490.
The Home Office explained that these adjustments in visa costs are essential to enable the government to allocate more funding to support the public sector.
The fees collected play a crucial role in sustaining the functionality of the Home Office’s immigration and nationality system, as stated in their announcement.
These modifications come shortly after the UK’s prior announcement, less than six months ago, regarding an upsurge in visa application fees and health surcharges.
In July, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the necessity of seeking alternative funding sources to raise public sector workers’ salaries, without resorting to tax hikes or increased borrowing, which could worsen inflation.
These changes will also affect most of the fees related to entry clearance and specific applications for staying in the UK, including those for work and study purposes, among others.
The statement clarified that the alterations introduced at this time do not encompass the planned increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is scheduled to be implemented later in the autumn.
Subject to parliamentary approval, these fee adjustments will come into effect on October 4th.
