The government has announced proposed changes to the visa fees and immigration and nationality applications.
The proposal covers changes for the year 2016-2017 which are likely to be introduced from April 2016, as well as sets a tentative upper limit for increase of fees in the next four years, up to the year 2020.
The Table of further details of indicative fees for 2016-2017 is not easy to make sense of, and some figures in the table are clearly wrong (the table quotes current naturalisation application fee as £925 whereas it has been £1005 since the last fees increase in 2015).
Here is a very brief digest of the changes that will have the widest impact:
Extension of leave to remain, currently charged at £649 is to increase to £811 with the proposed maximum of £1000.
Applications for indefinite leave to remain currently charged £1500 will cost £1875 with the proposed maximum of £3250.
Other Dependent Relatives (a nominal category for dependants in most dire conditions) currently charged at £2140 will increase to £2676.
The least affected appear to be Tier 1 Investors for whom the fee increase will be only £30, from the current £1500 to £1530.
However, fees for entry clearance for overseas domestic workers will rise from £324 to £405.
Fiances and partners of British citizens and persons settled in the UK will be charged entry clearance fee of £1195 in comparison to the current £956.
Entry clearance fee for dependants of refugees is to go down from the current £592 to the proposed £472. However, the proposed maximum for this category is to increase to £2000.
Registration of a child as a British citizen will increase to £936 as compared to the current £749.
Naturalisation applications will be charged at £1156 with the proposed maximum of £1500.
Vignette transfer fee is to increase to £189 from the current £122, and NTL applications (applications for confirmation of indefinite leave to remain where the vignette or the biometric residence permit expires or has to be replaced) will be charged at £308 rather than £260 with the proposed maximum of £550.
Applications by premium service for same day processing at PEO, currently charged £400, will be charged £500 with the proposed maximum of £1000.
Our advice is to apply as early as possible and book PEO appointments in advance as they are likely to be scarce for the period before April 2016. If you are not certain about the earliest time you can apply or need help with the application, give us a call and we will be happy to assist.
