The United Kingdom government will raise fees for numerous visas, residency applications, and citizenship processes starting April 8, 2026.
The increase will affect Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking to visit, study, work, or settle in the UK.
The updated fee schedule, published by the UK Home Office on Thursday, indicates higher charges across nearly all visa categories, both for applications made inside and outside the UK.
This includes visit, student, and work visas, as well as settlement applications and naturalisation fees.
The fee increases, set to take effect in less than two weeks, come as Nigeria continues to be one of the largest sources of UK visa applications, with hundreds of thousands of Nigerians applying annually for visit, student, and work visas.
Under the new rates, a short-term visit visa will rise from £127 to £135, while a student visa will increase from £524 to £558.
Nigerians applying for permanent residency will now pay £3,226, up from £3,029, and those seeking British citizenship through naturalisation will pay £1,709, up from £1,605.
In a rare exception to the general fee hikes, the cost of registering a child as a British citizen is being reduced from £1,214 to £1,000, a decrease of £214. All other fees are either increasing or remaining the same.
Certain categories, such as the Tier 1 (Investor) visa and the High Potential Individual visa, remain unchanged at £2,000 and £880, respectively.
Short-term (up to 6 months): Old: £127, New: £135
Long-term (up to 2 years): Old: £475, New: £506
Long-term (up to 5 years): Old: £848, New: £903
Long-term (up to 10 years): Old: £1,059, New: £1,128
Visiting academic (more than 6 months, up to 12 months): Old: £220, New: £234
Private medical treatment (more than 6 months, up to 11 months): Old: £220, New: £234
Direct airside transit visa: Old: £39, New: £41.50.
Landside transit visit visa: Old: £70, New: £74.50
STUDENT VISAS
Student (main applicant and dependants): Old: £524, New: £558
Child Student: Old: £524, New: £558
Short-term student (English language, over 6 months up to 11 months): Old: £214, New: £228
WORK VISAS
Skilled Worker – up to 3 years: Old: £769, New: £819.
Skilled Worker – over 3 years: Old: £1,519, New: £1,618
Skilled Worker (Immigration Salary List) – up to 3 years: Old: £590, New: £628
Skilled Worker (Immigration Salary List) – over 3 years: Old: £1,160, New: £1,235
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – up to 3 years: Old: £304, New: £324
Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – over 3 years: Old: £590, New: £628
Innovator Founder: Old: £1,274, New: £1,357
Start-up: Old: £465, New: £495
Scale-up: Old: £880, New: £937
High Potential Individual: Old: £880, New: £880 (unchanged)
Graduate Route: Old: £880, New: £937
T2 Minister of Religion: Old: £769, New: £819
International Sportsperson – up to 12 months: Old: £319, New: £340
International Sportsperson – over 12 months: Old: £769, New: £819
Temporary Work (Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement, Government Authorised Exchange, Youth Mobility Scheme, India Young Professionals Scheme): Old: £319, New: £340
Representative of an overseas business: Old: £769, New: £819
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker (up to 3 years): Old: £769, New: £819
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker (over 3 years): Old: £1,519, New: £1,618
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee: Old: £319, New: £340
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier: Old: £319, New: £340
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker: Old: £319, New: £340
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker: Old: £319, New: £340
