UK Visa Cost From USA 2026: Full Fees, ETA vs Visa, Application Centres

TL;DR

Most US citizens visiting the UK for under six months now use the £16 Electronic Travel Authorisation rather than a visa, but Skilled Worker, Student, and Family route applicants from the USA still pay the full visa schedule, with a three-year Skilled Worker total of around £3,900 including IHS. TLScontact operates application centres in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and Washington DC, no TB test is required for US applicants, and processing typically runs two to four weeks. The section below covers when an ETA suffices, when a full visa is required, and a worked household budget.

Last reviewed: 31 May 2026

ETA vs full visa - when each applies for US citizens

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme, introduced in 2024 and extended to US passport holders in January 2025, allows US citizens to travel to the UK for tourism, family visits, short business activities and transit for stays of up to six months without applying for a separate visa. The ETA costs £16 per applicant, is valid for two years (or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner), and is applied for through the gov.uk online portal. For US citizens whose UK visit fits within the ETA-eligible categories the ETA replaces the previous visa-free entry regime entirely, but the cost and process is far lower than any full visa route. Applicants comparing the ETA and visa routes can read the dedicated comparison at UK visa vs ETA, the country-comparison view at UK visa fees by country and model the visa total at the UK visa fee calculator.

For US applicants outside the ETA-eligible categories a full visa application is required. The main categories where US citizens still apply for a visa are: Skilled Worker (employer-sponsored work for more than six months), Health and Care Worker, Student (educational programme of more than six months), Family route (joining a UK spouse, partner or parent), Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain after qualifying time on a route), and any visit category exceeding six months such as the Standard Visitor long-validity options for academics. The Home Office fee schedule applies identically to US applicants as to applicants from any other country: a Skilled Worker outside-UK application up to three years is £719, more than three years is £1,420, and the IHS adds £1,035 per year for adults.

Application centre network - TLScontact in major US cities

UK Visas and Immigration uses TLScontact as the commercial partner for the US market rather than VFS Global. TLScontact operates six visa application centres: New York (Madison Avenue), San Francisco (Pine Street), Chicago (West Wacker Drive), Los Angeles (West 7th Street), Houston (Travis Street) and Washington DC (K Street NW). All six centres accept the full range of UK visa categories including Skilled Worker, Student, Family and Settlement. The TLScontact standard service fee in the US is typically bundled into the standard appointment at no additional cost, in contrast to the VFS Global model in most other markets where the service fee is itemised separately. Optional add-ons are available for priority slots, premium lounge access, mobile biometric collection and weekend appointments, each priced per centre.

The TLScontact network is generally less geographically dense than the VFS networks in larger source countries like India and Nigeria. Applicants from US states without a TLScontact centre (such as Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and Washington State) travel to the nearest accepting centre, which can be a multi-state journey. Travel costs are not part of the Home Office fee or the TLScontact service fee but should be factored into the realistic household budget, particularly for families travelling together for concurrent biometric appointments.

No TB test required for US applicants

The US is not on the Home Office list of countries from which applicants must present a tuberculosis test certificate. US-resident applicants for any UK visa category therefore skip the TB test requirement entirely, saving the £55 to £150 per person that applies in listed countries. The exemption applies based on the country of long-term residence (twelve months or more) rather than nationality, so a US citizen who has been resident in a listed country for more than twelve months would still need a TB test, and a citizen of a listed country who has been long-term resident in the US would not. The gov.uk TB test page sets out the residence rules in detail.

The exemption is a meaningful cost saving for family applications because it applies per person. A US-resident family of four applying together saves £220 to £600 against a family from a listed country, without any difference in Home Office fees or IHS. The exemption also simplifies the application pack: there is no certificate to obtain ahead of the biometric appointment and no extra clinic visit to schedule in the run-up to filing.

Skilled Worker cost and salary considerations for US applicants

The Skilled Worker route requires a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer with an A-rated sponsor licence, a role on the Standard Occupational Classification list of eligible occupations, and a salary at or above the going rate for the role and at or above the general threshold (£38,700 for 2026 standard cases, with discounts for new entrants and Immigration Salary List occupations). US applicants tend to apply at salary levels well above the threshold because the route is concentrated in technology, finance, life sciences and creative industries where the going rates for US-recruited talent typically exceed the Home Office minima.

The full upfront Skilled Worker cost from the US on a three-year grant is structured as follows: Home Office application fee £719, IHS £3,105 (three years adult), TLScontact service fee included in standard appointment, no TB test, biometric enrolment £19.20, and optional courier return £25. The total runs to approximately £3,870 before any priority service add-on. Adding priority service at £500 or super priority at £1,000 lifts the bill correspondingly. The total is at the lower end of the global range for the Skilled Worker route because the country-layer extras are minimal and the TB test is not required.

Worked example budget - single Skilled Worker applicant from New York, three-year grant

The realistic cash budget for a single Skilled Worker applicant filing from New York on a three-year grant breaks down as follows:

Home Office application fee (outside UK, up to 3 years, standard occupation): £719
Immigration Health Surcharge (3 years adult): £3,105
TLScontact service fee (standard tier, New York centre): included in appointment
Biometric enrolment: £19.20
Courier return of passport: £25
USD to GBP transfer fee and FX margin: £20 to £40 depending on payment method

Total realistic upfront cost: roughly £3,890 for a single applicant on a three-year grant. Adding a spouse on the same application (£719 fee, £3,105 IHS, £19.20 biometric) adds approximately £3,860. Adding two children at the under-18 IHS rate (£719 fee per child, £2,328 IHS per child, plus biometric per child) adds approximately £3,070 per child. A US family of four therefore lands at approximately £13,880 in upfront Home Office and country-layer charges before any solicitor fees or priority service.

The US family total runs approximately £400 to £800 lower than an equivalent family from a listed country, driven by the TB test exemption (saving roughly £220 to £600 across the family) and the bundled TLScontact service fee (saving roughly £120 to £160 against the typical VFS itemised fee). The saving is modest relative to the underlying Home Office bill but consistent across household sizes.

Frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a UK visa for tourism?

No. Since the Electronic Travel Authorisation was extended to US passport holders in January 2025, US citizens travelling to the UK for tourism, family visits, short business activities or transit for stays of up to six months use the £16 ETA rather than a visa. The ETA is valid for two years (or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner) and is applied for through the gov.uk online portal.

When does an American applicant need a full visa rather than an ETA?

A full visa is required when the visit exceeds six months, when the activity falls outside ETA-eligible categories (such as paid work in the UK, study on a course of more than six months, joining a UK family member long-term), or when the applicant is moving to the UK on a route like Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Student or Family. The full visa categories carry the standard Home Office fee schedule, the IHS, and a biometric appointment at a TLScontact centre.

Where are the UK visa application centres in the USA?

TLScontact operates six UK visa application centres in the US: New York (Madison Avenue), San Francisco (Pine Street), Chicago (West Wacker Drive), Los Angeles (West 7th Street), Houston (Travis Street) and Washington DC (K Street NW). All six accept the full range of UK visa categories. Applicants from states without a TLScontact centre travel to the nearest accepting centre, which can be a multi-state journey.

Is there a TB test requirement for applicants from the USA?

No. The US is not on the Home Office list of countries from which applicants must present a tuberculosis test certificate. US-resident applicants for any UK visa category skip the TB test entirely. The exemption applies based on country of long-term residence, so a US citizen who has been resident in a listed country for more than twelve months would still need a test.

What are typical processing times for a UK Skilled Worker visa from the USA?

Standard processing for Skilled Worker applications from the US runs two to four weeks from biometric submission at a TLScontact centre. Priority service compresses the decision to five working days for a £500 add-on, and super priority to next working day for a £1,000 add-on. Student and Visitor visas typically decide within two to three weeks. The shorter timings reflect lower application volumes than from India and well-established TLScontact operations across the six US cities.

Sources

Disclaimer: The figures on this page are estimates based on the Home Office fee schedule and TLScontact US price list current at the date shown. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, or the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide immigration advice. For application-specific advice consult a regulated immigration adviser. Verify current fees against gov.uk before applying.