Understanding the Changes in UK Immigration and Nationality Fees: What You Need to Know

In the latest legislative update, the Home Office has introduced the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025, which proposes adjustments to several immigration-related fees. This move is set to impact various applications, from travel authorisations to citizenship services. Here’s a simplified breakdown of what these changes entail and why they matter.

What’s Changing?

1. Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA):

   • The ETA, a mandatory electronic permission linked to an individual's passport, is essential for those traveling to the UK without a visa or existing immigration status. The fee for an ETA is set to rise from £10 to £16, aiming to generate an estimated £140 million in additional income by 2025/2026. This scheme will be fully operational by Spring 2025.

2. Sponsorship Fees for Work Visas:

   • Employers sponsoring workers via the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) will see an increase in fees. The fee for skilled workers is proposed to rise from £239 to £525, while the fee for temporary workers will increase from £25 to £55. This adjustment is expected to bring in around £111 million in 2025/2026.

3. Naturalisation Fees:

   • For those applying for British citizenship, the fee will increase from £1,500 to £1,605. The fee for British Overseas Territories citizenship remains within the existing maxima but will rise to £1,070. These changes are projected to add about £18 million in revenue.

4. Nationality-Related Services:

   • Various nationality services, such as renunciation of citizenship and amendment of certificates, will see fee increases. For instance, the fee for renouncing British citizenship will go from £450 to £482, while the cost of a document confirming the right of abode will increase from £550 to £589.

5. Removal of Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) Fees:

   • With the EVW system replaced by the ETA for certain countries, the related fee provision has been removed as a technical update.

Why These Changes?

The primary goal of these fee increases is to shift more of the financial burden of the UK’s migration and borders system away from taxpayers and onto the end-users of these services. This approach supports the Home Office's strategy of generating sufficient income to maintain and improve immigration services without relying heavily on public funds.

Impact and Considerations

While there is no direct economic impact from the legislation itself, the potential fee increases could theoretically generate up to £270 million per year. The Home Office has ensured that these changes comply with human rights standards and have minimal impact on businesses and charities.

Monitoring and Future Changes

The Home Office will continue to monitor these fees, which are typically reviewed annually. Although there was no specific public consultation for these changes, they are informed by past consultations and are part of a broader strategy to align fees with the costs and benefits of the services provided.

As these adjustments await further legislative time to come into full effect, keep an eye on updates from the Home Office for when these changes will be officially implemented.