UK Visa Fees 2026: Full Fee Table for Every Major Route

Last reviewed: 14 May 2026 | Chandraketu Tripathi, finance editor

The 2026 UK visa fee schedule is a layered structure: a base application fee that varies by route and duration, the Immigration Health Surcharge that applies to most leave-to-remain routes, and optional priority services that change processing speed but not outcome. Family applications multiply the structure across each applicant; a family of four entering on a Skilled Worker route faces four base fees plus four IHS bills plus optional priority charges, before translation, TB testing, biometric centre add-ons or any in-country variation. This page is the consolidated 2026 fee reference for the major routes, with the figures locked at the published 2026 schedule. It is the table that the cost-breakdown, IHS, priority and processing-time articles in this cluster link back to as the canonical reference.

What this means for UK visa applicants in 2026

The headline fee figures are higher than they were 5 years ago and substantially higher than 10 years ago. The 2024 reform cycle drove a step-change in route fees and in the IHS rate; 2026 has held the post-reform figures stable. The total cost of any UK visa journey in 2026 is therefore a sum of the route fee, the IHS at the relevant rate multiplied by the leave duration, any priority service, and any in-country variation later in the route.

For an individual applicant, the most consequential fees in 2026 are the Skilled Worker fee on a 5-year application (1,519 pounds plus 5,175 pounds IHS plus optional 500 pounds Priority), the Spouse Visa fee from outside the UK on a 33-month initial grant (1,938 pounds plus around 2,846.25 pounds IHS plus optional priority), and the ILR fee at 3,029 pounds. Citizenship for an adult adds 1,630 pounds at the end of the route. Across a 5-year residency journey ending in ILR and citizenship, an individual applicant on the Skilled Worker route pays approximately 11,000 to 13,000 pounds in UKVI fees and IHS, before any priority spend.

For family applications, the fee multiplication is structural. Each dependant submits a separate application file with a separate fee and a separate IHS. A family of four (two adults, two children) on a 5-year Skilled Worker route faces approximately 22,000 to 26,000 pounds of UKVI fees and IHS before priority. The Skilled Worker route's Immigration Skills Charge is paid by the sponsor in addition.

For applicants comparing routes, the IHS is often the largest single cost. The IHS at 1,035 pounds per year is paid up-front for the full duration of leave granted; a 5-year Skilled Worker route generates 5,175 pounds of IHS before the visa fee is added. The Health and Care Worker exemption from IHS is the most consequential cost-driver in the 2026 fee landscape: a Health and Care Worker applicant pays the route fee but no IHS, saving the same 5,175 pounds.

How it works: the 2026 fee architecture

The fee architecture has four operational layers.

Layer one is the application fee. Every UK visa application has an application fee paid to the Home Office at the GOV.UK checkout. The fee is set by route and by duration; longer leave durations attract higher fees on most routes. The application fee is non-refundable in most circumstances once the application has been submitted and biometrics enrolled.

Layer two is the Immigration Health Surcharge. The IHS applies to most leave-to-remain routes (Skilled Worker, Spouse Visa, Student, Family routes, Youth Mobility) and is paid up-front at the GOV.UK checkout alongside the application fee. The IHS rate is 1,035 pounds per year of leave granted at the standard rate and 776 pounds per year at the discounted rate for Students and Youth Mobility. The IHS does not apply to settlement applications (ILR), citizenship applications or Visitor visas, and Health and Care Worker holders and their dependants are exempt.

Layer three is the optional priority service. UKVI Priority Service is 500 pounds and Super Priority Service is 1,000 pounds where the route is eligible. These are processing-speed services that do not change the decision outcome. Eligibility varies by route; settlement and complex cases are commonly excluded from Super Priority.

Layer four is the centre-level commercial add-ons and other extras. These include translation costs (where documents need to be translated for the application), TB testing costs (for applicants from listed countries applying for visas over 6 months), centre add-ons (Prime Time, Premium Lounge, courier return), and biometric appointment costs where any apply. None of these is set by UKVI; they are commercial services priced separately.

The major-route fee table for 2026

Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK: 769 pounds for up to 3 years; 1,519 pounds for over 3 years. The Health and Care Worker sub-route has a separate (lower) fee schedule and an IHS exemption.

Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK (extension or switch): 885 pounds for up to 3 years; 1,751 pounds for over 3 years. Switching from another route to Skilled Worker uses the in-country fee.

Student visa from outside the UK: 524 pounds. In-country extension: 628 pounds. The Child Student visa has a separate fee schedule for under-16 applicants.

Visitor visa: 127 pounds for a Standard Visitor (6 months); 432 pounds for a 2-year long-term Visitor; 771 pounds for a 5-year long-term Visitor; 963 pounds for a 10-year long-term Visitor. Visitor visas do not attract IHS.

Spouse Visa or partner visa from outside the UK: 1,938 pounds. In-country (FLR(M) extension or initial in-country application): 1,321 pounds. Fiance visa: 1,938 pounds.

Family visa other categories: Parent of a British child 1,938 pounds from outside the UK; Adult Dependant Relative 3,250 pounds from outside the UK.

Global Talent visa: 716 pounds endorsement and application combined where the endorsement and application are paid together; 524 pounds endorsement plus 524 pounds application where paid separately. Total package can vary based on whether endorsement is paid separately.

High Potential Individual visa: 822 pounds from outside the UK; the route is two years for bachelor's and master's graduates, three years for PhD graduates from eligible universities.

Youth Mobility Scheme: 298 pounds. IHS at the discounted rate of 776 pounds per year applies for up to 2 years.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement): 3,029 pounds. No IHS applies; ILR is a settlement application.

British Citizenship for an adult: 1,630 pounds (naturalisation). British Citizenship for a child: 1,214 pounds (registration). The Citizenship ceremony fee of 80 pounds is paid to the local authority and is in addition.

UK Ancestry visa: 637 pounds from outside the UK. The route is for Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent who intend to work in the UK.

The Immigration Health Surcharge in detail for 2026

The IHS is 1,035 pounds per year at the standard rate, applied to most leave-to-remain routes. The total IHS bill is the rate multiplied by the leave duration in years, with part-years calculated proportionally where the leave is less than a whole number of years. A 33-month Spouse Visa grant attracts 33/12 multiplied by 1,035 equals approximately 2,846.25 pounds. A 5-year Skilled Worker grant attracts 5 multiplied by 1,035 equals 5,175 pounds.

The discounted IHS rate of 776 pounds per year applies to Students (including the Graduate route in some implementations) and Youth Mobility Scheme participants. A 1-year taught Master's Student attracts 776 pounds in IHS. A 2-year Youth Mobility participant attracts 1,552 pounds.

The IHS exemption applies to Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants. The exemption was introduced in 2020 in response to the NHS workforce position and has been maintained through 2026. A 5-year Health and Care Worker grant for a principal applicant and one spouse and two children saves 4 multiplied by 5,175 equals 20,700 pounds in IHS across the family.

Other exempt categories include applicants under specific short-term visit categories (Visitor visas do not pay IHS), some intra-corporate transfer routes, and certain bilateral exchange schemes. The current exemption list is published on the GOV.UK IHS guidance page.

The IHS is paid up-front at the GOV.UK checkout in a single transaction together with the application fee. Refunds are available where the application is refused or withdrawn before grant; partial refunds are available where less leave is granted than applied for.

Costs, timings and what to budget

For a single applicant on a 5-year Skilled Worker route in 2026: 1,519 pounds visa fee plus 5,175 pounds IHS plus optional 500 pounds Priority Service equals approximately 7,194 pounds. The Immigration Skills Charge is paid by the sponsor and is in addition. Centre commercial add-ons, translation costs and TB testing where applicable can add 100 to 500 pounds.

For a single applicant on a 33-month initial Spouse Visa: 1,938 pounds visa fee plus 2,846.25 pounds IHS plus optional 500 pounds Priority equals approximately 5,284.25 pounds. The 2.5-year extension at the 30-month mark adds 1,321 pounds fee plus 2,587.50 pounds IHS for the further 30 months equals 3,908.50 pounds. ILR at the 5-year point adds 3,029 pounds. The total Spouse route to ILR is approximately 12,221.75 pounds before any priority spend.

For a 1-year taught Master's Student: 524 pounds visa fee plus 776 pounds IHS equals 1,300 pounds. The Graduate route at completion (2 years post-study work) adds 822 pounds fee plus 1,552 pounds IHS at the standard rate equals 2,374 pounds.

For a Visitor on a Standard Visitor visa (6 months): 127 pounds visa fee, no IHS. Long-term Visitor at 5 years: 771 pounds, no IHS.

For a citizenship application after ILR: 1,630 pounds plus 80 pounds ceremony fee equals 1,710 pounds.

Timings: the visa fee and IHS are paid at the point of application; processing follows the published service standards (around 3 weeks overseas, 8 weeks in-country, 5 working days for Priority, end of next working day for Super Priority where eligible).

Worked example: A family of four on a 5-year Skilled Worker route

Consider Ahmed and Layla, both Egyptian nationals in Cairo, with two children aged 8 and 11. Ahmed has been offered a Skilled Worker role in London at 62,000 pounds per year on a 5-year Certificate of Sponsorship; Layla will apply as a Skilled Worker dependant. The family will all enter the UK together.

Ahmed's application: 1,519 pounds visa fee plus 5,175 pounds IHS equals 6,694 pounds. Layla's application as dependant: 1,519 pounds plus 5,175 pounds equals 6,694 pounds. Each child as dependant: 1,519 pounds plus 5,175 pounds equals 6,694 pounds, multiplied by two children equals 13,388 pounds. Family total before priority: 26,776 pounds.

The family chooses Priority Service for Ahmed only at 500 pounds, with the dependants on standard processing to reduce cost. Total with priority: 27,276 pounds in UKVI fees and IHS. TB testing for all four at IOM Cairo at approximately 150 pounds per adult and 75 pounds per child equals 450 pounds. Translation of Egyptian civil status documents at approximately 200 pounds total. Centre add-ons (Prime Time for the family appointment at TLS Cairo) at approximately 80 pounds. Total out-of-pocket: approximately 28,006 pounds before any centre commercial add-ons not listed.

The Immigration Skills Charge of 1,000 pounds per year for medium and large sponsors is paid by the UK employer; for Ahmed's 5-year role at a medium employer that adds 5,000 pounds to the sponsor's cost, paid at Certificate of Sponsorship assignment.

At the 5-year point, if the family applies for ILR, four ILR applications at 3,029 pounds each adds 12,116 pounds. Citizenship at the 6-year point for two adults at 1,630 pounds each plus two children at 1,214 pounds each adds 5,688 pounds plus ceremony fees of 320 pounds. The total UKVI cost across the family from initial Skilled Worker grant through ILR and citizenship is approximately 46,150 pounds before priority and centre add-ons.

Getting regulated help: OISC, IAA and SRA advisers

Fee calculations themselves do not require regulated advice. The figures are published on GOV.UK and are deterministic. Where regulated advice is appropriate is in cases where the route choice affects the fee structure (Skilled Worker versus Health and Care Worker, Spouse Visa versus Fiance Visa, ILR timing versus Skilled Worker extension), where fee waivers may be available, or where the applicant is weighing route options against budget.

A Level 1 adviser can confirm the route fee structure for a specific case. A Level 2 adviser handles cases where the route choice interacts with prior refusals, character issues or complex history. The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 framework applies; regulated immigration advice in the UK must come from an Immigration Advice Authority adviser, an SRA solicitor or a barrister.

Verify any adviser's current authorisation on the OISC register at oisc.gov.uk/register or the SRA register at sra.org.uk/consumers/register.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The fee landscape produces a set of avoidable budgeting errors. The first is forgetting the IHS in the total cost calculation. The IHS is the largest single cost on most routes and is paid up-front; applicants who budget only for the application fee are not budgeting for the actual UKVI bill. The fix is to add the IHS at the relevant rate multiplied by the leave duration to every cost estimate.

The second is not multiplying the fees across dependants. Each dependant is a separate application with a separate fee and a separate IHS. A family of four faces four parallel bills, not one. The fix is to model the family fee structure dependant by dependant.

The third is missing the Health and Care Worker IHS exemption. Applicants on the Health and Care Worker route do not pay IHS, and dependants of Health and Care Workers are also exempt. Some applicants pay IHS at the GOV.UK checkout out of habit and have to claim it back; UKVI processes the refund but the time and admin friction is avoidable. The fix is to confirm the exemption at the checkout and not to pay IHS where the route exempts.

The fourth is paying Priority Service where standard processing would clear the deadline. For an applicant with 8 weeks until UK arrival, standard overseas processing at 3 weeks lands comfortably; Priority at 500 pounds adds cost without adding benefit. The fix is to model the timeline before paying for priority.

The fifth is forgetting the cost of in-country extensions and ILR in the total route budget. The 5-year Skilled Worker route is rarely a single 5-year visa; it can involve an extension at the 3-year mark, which adds another fee and IHS. The ILR at 5 years is a separate 3,029 pound application. The fix is to model the full route, not just the initial visa.

The sixth is not factoring the Immigration Skills Charge into the sponsor's cost. On the Skilled Worker route, the sponsor pays the Immigration Skills Charge at Certificate of Sponsorship assignment. While this is not the applicant's direct cost, it can affect the sponsor's willingness to take on the application and can be negotiated into employment terms. The fix is to be aware of the sponsor-side cost when discussing terms.

How Kaeltripton verified this article

The application fees, Immigration Health Surcharge rates and route-specific fee figures in this article are drawn directly from the GOV.UK UK Visa Fees document and the related fee pages published on gov.uk. The Immigration Skills Charge figure for medium and large sponsors is drawn from the published Worker and Temporary Worker Sponsor Guidance. The IHS exemption for Health and Care Workers is drawn from the published IHS exemption guidance. ILR and citizenship fees are taken from the relevant fee pages. The OISC tier framework is drawn from the Immigration Advice Authority's Code of Standards.

No fee, exemption or fee multiplier on this page has been estimated. Every figure is the 2026 published rate; where rates change by statutory instrument, applicants are referred to the live UK Visa Fees document on gov.uk for current confirmation.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• GOV.UK - UK visa fees
• GOV.UK - Immigration Health Surcharge: how much you have to pay
• GOV.UK - Skilled Worker visa
• GOV.UK - UK Family Visa: Spouse and Fiance routes
• GOV.UK - Indefinite Leave to Remain
• GOV.UK - Apply for British citizenship by naturalisation
• GOV.UK - Student visa
• Immigration Advice Authority - Immigration Advice Authority (formerly OISC)