UK visa and immigration statistics are published quarterly by the Home Office and annually by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This page collates the most recent verified figures across visa grants, net migration, asylum, and fees, updated June 2026.
The headline numbers
- 809,407 non-visit visas issued in the year ending December 2025 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
- Net migration fell to 171,000 in the year ending December 2025, down from 331,000 a year earlier (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
- 168,471 work visas granted to main applicants, 19% fewer than the previous year and 50% below the 2023 peak (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
- 406,824 sponsored study visas granted to main applicants, up 4% year-on-year (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
- 101,000 asylum claims lodged, with 135,151 initial decisions issued, the highest volume since 2002 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
Key facts
- Total long-term immigration: 813,000 in the year ending December 2025, down 20% from 1,012,000 the year before (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
- Non-EU+ nationals accounted for 627,000 of all immigration, or 77% of the total (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
- 2.2 million visitor visas were granted, the single largest visa category by volume (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
- 146,000 settlement grants were issued, a 10% decrease on the previous year (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
- The Immigration Health Surcharge stands at £1,035 per adult per year of leave (gov.uk, effective 9 April 2025).
Headline figures for 2026
The Home Office quarterly release covering the year ending December 2025 (published 26 February 2026) is the most recent comprehensive dataset (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025). Total non-visit, non-transit visas stood at 809,407, and the ONS revised net migration down to 171,000, the lowest since early 2021 (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
| Metric | Value (Source, Period) |
|---|---|
| Non-visit/transit visas | 809,407 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Visitor visas granted | 2,200,000 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Net migration (provisional) | 171,000 (ONS, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Total long-term immigration | 813,000 (ONS, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Settlement grants | 146,000 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| British citizenship grants | 236,000 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
Visas granted by category: work, study and family
Work visa volumes contracted sharply following policy reforms: main-applicant grants fell 19% to 168,471, with Health and Care Worker visas down 91% from their 2023 peak (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025). Study visas edged upward to 406,824 main applicants, a 4% rise, while family visas contracted 22% to 67,000 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
| Category | Main applicant grants | Year-on-year change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All work visas | 168,471 | -19% | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Health and Care Worker | 13,286 | -51% (-91% from 2023 peak) | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Seasonal Worker | 38,805 | +10% | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Sponsored study | 406,824 | +4% | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Family visas | 67,000 | -22% | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Partner visas | 41,000 | -27% | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
Application and visa fees
The current fee schedule took effect 1 July 2025 (gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025). Most grants of leave also attract the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per adult per year (gov.uk, effective 9 April 2025). Priority service costs an additional £500 and super-priority an additional £1,000 (gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025).
| Visa type | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor (up to 6 months) | £127 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
| Student visa | £524 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | £769 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | £1,519 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain | £3,029 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
| Naturalisation as British citizen | £1,605 | gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025 |
Net migration
The ONS provisional estimate for net migration in the year ending December 2025 stands at 171,000, driven by a 47% year-on-year decline in non-EU+ arrivals for work-related reasons (ONS, year ending Dec 2025). Non-EU+ nationals remain the dominant positive component at 350,000 net, down from 511,000 a year earlier (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
| Nationality group | Immigration | Emigration | Net migration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-EU+ nationals | 627,000 | 278,000 | +350,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| British nationals | 110,000 | 246,000 | -136,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| EU+ nationals | 76,000 | 118,000 | -42,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| All nationalities | 813,000 | 642,000 | +171,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
Asylum and small boat arrivals
In the year ending December 2025, 101,000 asylum claims were lodged, a 4% decrease, while 135,151 initial decisions were issued, the highest volume since 2002 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025). Of those decisions, 54,887 resulted in a grant of protection or other leave, an overall initial grant rate of 42% (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
Small boat crossings totalled 41,472, up 13% year-on-year but 9% below the 2022 peak of 45,774 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025). Since 2018, 95% of small boat arrivals have claimed asylum (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
| Metric | Figure (Source, Period) |
|---|---|
| Asylum claims lodged | 101,000 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Initial decisions issued | 135,151 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Protection/leave granted | 54,887; 42% grant rate (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Awaiting initial decision | 64,000, down 48% (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Small boat arrivals | 41,472, up 13% (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
| Enforced returns | 9,900, up 21% (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025) |
Trends over time
Net migration peaked in the year ending March 2023 following post-pandemic reopening, then fell steadily as policy tightened through 2024 and 2025 (ONS, year ending Dec 2025). The ONS cautions that estimates before and after June 2021 reflect a methodological change and are not fully comparable with earlier figures (ONS, November 2025 methodology note).
| Period | Net migration | Total immigration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending Dec 2025 | 171,000 | 813,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Year ending Dec 2024 | 331,000 | 1,012,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Year ending Mar 2023 (peak) | 944,000 | 1,469,000 | ONS, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Study visas, year ending Dec 2025 | n/a | 406,824 main applicants | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
Regional or nationality breakdown
For sponsored study, India supplied 95,231 main applicant visas (23% of total), China 89,019 (22%), Pakistan 30,781 and Nigeria 30,204 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025). For visitor visas, Indian nationals ranked first at 555,890 and Chinese nationals second at 472,510 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
| Nationality | Study visas (main applicants) | Visitor visas | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 95,231 | 555,890 | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| China | 89,019 | 472,510 | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Pakistan | 30,781 | n/a | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Nigeria | 30,204 | n/a | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
| Turkey | n/a | 234,385 | Home Office, year ending Dec 2025 |
All figures are drawn from official UK government primary sources: Home Office Immigration System Statistics (year ending December 2025, published 26 February 2026), ONS Long-term International Migration provisional bulletin (year ending December 2025, published 21 May 2026), and Home Office immigration and nationality fee schedules (gov.uk, effective dates as cited). Where a figure is shown as n/a, the source dataset had not published that value at the time of the last review. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Consult an OISC-registered adviser or solicitor for guidance on individual circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
How many visas does the UK grant each year?
In the year ending December 2025, the Home Office issued 809,407 non-visit, non-transit visas; adding approximately 2.2 million visitor visas gives a total of just over 3 million entry clearance grants (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
What is the current UK net migration figure?
The ONS provisional estimate for net migration in the year ending December 2025 is 171,000, down from 331,000 in the year ending December 2024 and a peak of 944,000 in the year ending March 2023 (ONS, year ending Dec 2025).
How much does a UK visa cost in 2026?
At the schedule effective 1 July 2025: a Standard Visitor visa costs £127; a Student visa £524; a Skilled Worker visa £769 (up to 3 years) or £1,519 (over 3 years); Indefinite Leave to Remain £3,029; and naturalisation £1,605 (gov.uk, effective 1 July 2025). Most grants also attract the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per adult per year (gov.uk, effective 9 April 2025).
How many people arrived on small boats in 2025?
In the year ending December 2025, 41,472 people were detected arriving on small boats, up 13% on the previous year but 9% below the 2022 peak of 45,774 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
How many asylum claims are made in the UK each year?
In the year ending December 2025, 101,000 asylum claims were lodged and 135,151 initial decisions issued, the highest volume since 2002, with 54,887 grants of protection or other leave (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
Which nationalities receive the most UK study visas?
India received the most sponsored study visas at 95,231 main applicant grants (23% of total), followed by China at 89,019 (22%), Pakistan at 30,781 and Nigeria at 30,204 (Home Office, year ending Dec 2025).
Sources
- Home Office: Immigration System Statistics, year ending December 2025 - Summary (published 26 February 2026)
- ONS: Long-term international migration, provisional, year ending December 2025 (published 21 May 2026)
- Home Office: Immigration and nationality fees, 1 July 2025 (gov.uk)
- Home Office: Immigration statistics quarterly release collection (gov.uk)