The United Kingdom has announced substantial increases in visa fees set to take effect in 2025, affecting visitors, students, and workers seeking entry into the country.
According to an official report published on the UK government website, the revised fees will come into force on April 9, 2025, while Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) fees will be updated earlier, starting April 2, 2025.
Under the new pricing structure, the Standard Visitor Visa (valid for six months) will rise by 10 per cent, from £115 to £127. Long-term visitor visas will see even steeper hikes:
Two-year visa: From £432 to £475
Five-year visa: From £771 to £848
Ten-year visa: From £963 to £1,059
Additionally, travellers from visa-exempt countries who require an ETA will see fees surge by 60 per cent, jumping from $12 to $20 starting April 2, 2025.
International students will also bear the brunt of the new changes. The standard Student Visa fee—applicable to both main applicants and dependents—will increase from £490 to £524.
Child Student Visa applicants will face the same fee adjustment. Meanwhile, short-term English language courses (lasting six to eleven months) will now cost £214, up from £200.
Work visa categories are not spared from the hike either:
Health and Care Worker Visa: From £367 to £470 (28.2% increase)
Skilled Worker Visa (shortage occupations): 26.3% increase to £470
Innovator Founder Visa: £1,274, up from £1,191
Start-up Visa: £465, up from £435
These adjustments come amid rising migration demands, with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, previously acknowledging Nigeria’s significant presence in UK visa applications.
In December 2024, he revealed that over 300,000 visas had been granted to Nigerians in recent years, more than to any other country.