UK Visa Fee Calculator

UK visa fees vary by category and are set by the Home Office. They include the application fee itself plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), currently £1,035 per year for most categories. Some visas also require biometric enrolment fees, priority processing charges and the cost of an English language test.

Common visa fees include: Skilled Worker visa from £719 (up to 3 years), Student visa from £490, Family visa from £1,846 (initial 2.5-year application) and Visit visa from £115 (6 months). Fees are higher when applying from within the UK (leave to remain) than from overseas in some categories.

This calculator totals the full cost for each visa type including IHS, priority options and typical third-party costs. It distinguishes between main applicant and dependent fees, as dependents have separate application and IHS charges.

UK visa fees 2026 — major categories. Skilled Worker visa: 3 years £719/£1,500 inside/outside UK; 5 years £1,420. Health & Care Worker (cheaper): 3 years £284/£551. Family/Spouse visa: £1,938 (out of country); £1,258 (in country); £1,033 priority. Visit visa: £127 (6 months); £476 (2 years); £956 (5 years); £1,193 (10 years). Student visa: £490 (out)/£490 (in country extension); £610 priority. Indefinite Leave to Remain: £3,029. British Citizenship: £1,630 + £80 ceremony. Each visa has IHS (NHS surcharge) on top — £1,035/year for adults, £776/year for under-18s and students.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) — significant cost. Adult IHS: £1,035/year. Children/students/dependents: £776/year. Paid upfront for entire visa duration. 5-year Skilled Worker: £5,175 IHS for adult + £3,880 per child = quickly £10,000+ for family. Workers from EEA exempt? No — same rules as everyone since Brexit. Health & Care Worker visa holders: IHS reimbursed by employer (NHS or social care employers). Researchers, ministers of religion: exempt from IHS. Australian, NZ subclass 462 visa types: reduced rates.

Application costs beyond visa fee. English test (IELTS Life Skills B1): £150-£200. Tuberculosis test (if from high-TB country): £80-£200. Biometrics: £19.20 in UK; embassy fees vary abroad. Translation of documents: £30-£100 per document. Solicitor fees: £1,000-£3,000+ (complex cases). Priority service: £500-£1,000 extra (24-hour processing). Super priority: £1,000-£1,500 (5-hour priority). Document courier: £150-£300. Travel to embassy: variable. Total real cost of UK visa application: £3,000-£15,000+ depending on category and family size.

Sponsorship and certificate of sponsorship. Skilled Worker visa requires sponsorship from UK employer with sponsor licence. Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): £239 fee paid by employer. Immigration Skills Charge: employer pays £364/year for small businesses; £1,000/year for medium/large. 5-year Skilled Worker sponsorship: £5,000+ employer cost. Some employers pass these costs to employee (technically allowed for IHS only, not CoS or ISC). Always negotiate: who pays the visa fees? Many UK employers cover full cost as relocation package.

Total cost — family of 4 moving to UK on Skilled Worker visa. Sponsor: £4,000 (CoS + ISC for 3 years). Main applicant 3-year Skilled Worker: £1,500 + IHS £3,105 = £4,605. Spouse dependant: £1,500 + IHS £3,105 = £4,605. 2 children dependants: £1,500 + £776 × 3 × 2 = £6,156. English tests × 2 adults: £400. Solicitor fees: £2,500. Priority service all 4 applications: £4,000. TOTAL: ~£26,000+ to relocate family of 4 for 3 years before flights, accommodation, etc. ILR after 5 years: another £15,000 family of 4.