UK Immigration Fee Changes April 2026: What You Need to Know

Overview

The Home Office has confirmed a new round of immigration and nationality fee increases taking effect from 8 April 2026. Most visa application fees, sponsor licence fees, and settlement application fees are rising by approximately 6 to 7 percent. While none of the increases are dramatic individually, they add meaningful cost pressure for applicants and employers already dealing with higher thresholds and previous fee hikes.

This guide breaks down the key changes for spouse visa applicants, skilled worker visa applicants, and employers with or applying for a sponsor licence. It also covers what is not changing, because some of the largest costs in the immigration system remain unchanged this round.

Spouse and Family Visa Fees

The spouse visa (formally the family "route to settlement" visa) is one of the most commonly applied-for immigration routes, and the fee increase will affect thousands of applicants.

Entry Clearance (Applying From Outside the UK)

This is the application fee alone. On top of this, applicants must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £1,035 per year for the duration of the visa. For an initial spouse visa of 33 months, the IHS alone adds approximately £2,850 to £3,105.

Total Cost for a New Spouse Visa Application (From Outside the UK)

This does not include costs for English language testing, tuberculosis testing (where required), document translation, or biometric enrolment fees at visa application centres.

Extension (FLR(M), Applying From Inside the UK)

After 30 months on the initial spouse visa, applicants must apply for an extension (Further Leave to Remain). This fee is also increasing:

The IHS is also payable again for the extension period (30 months, approximately £2,588).

Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement)

After five years on the spouse route, applicants can apply for permanent settlement (ILR). This fee is increasing significantly:

What This Means for Spouse Visa Applicants

The total cost of the spouse route from initial application through to settlement continues to climb. When you combine the initial visa fee, IHS for five years, one extension, and the final ILR application, the total government fees for a single applicant now exceed £12,000 over the five-year route.

The financial requirement itself (the £29,000 minimum income threshold) is not changing in this fee round. But the increasing costs make it even more important to understand whether you meet the requirement before committing to an application.

Skilled Worker Visa Fees

Skilled worker visa fees vary depending on whether the application is made from outside or inside the UK, and whether the visa is for three years or less, or more than three years.

Applications From Outside the UK

Applications From Inside the UK (Extensions and Switches)

Health and Care Visa in-country fees follow the same reduced rates as out-of-country applications (£324 and £628 respectively).

These fees apply per applicant. Dependants applying at the same time pay the same rate as the main applicant.

What Is Not Changing for Skilled Workers

Some of the largest employer-side costs in the skilled worker route are not affected by this fee round:

• Immigration Skills Charge: Unchanged at £1,320 per year for medium and large sponsors, £480 for small sponsors. (This was increased by 32% in December 2025.)
• Certificate of Sponsorship fee: Unchanged at £525 per worker.
• Immigration Health Surcharge: Unchanged at £1,035 per year for most adult applicants.
• Salary thresholds: The general threshold of £41,700 and SOC-specific going rates are not affected by the fee changes.

Total Employer Cost for One Skilled Worker (3-Year Visa, Medium or Large Sponsor)

The ISC is calculated as £1,320 for the first 12 months, plus £660 for each additional six-month period. For a three-year visa, that is £1,320 + (4 x £660) = £3,960.

The worker pays their own visa application fee (£819 from outside the UK for up to 3 years) and IHS (£1,035 per year, approximately £3,105 for three years) separately.

Sponsor Licence Fees

Employers applying for a new sponsor licence or upgrading an existing one will pay more from 8 April.

What Is Not Changing for Sponsors

• Certificate of Sponsorship fee: £525 (unchanged)
• Immigration Skills Charge: £1,320/year large, £480/year small (unchanged, already increased December 2025)
• Priority sponsor licence processing: £750 for a decision within 10 working days (unchanged)

Employers who are planning to apply for a sponsor licence or assign new Certificates of Sponsorship should factor the updated fees into their 2026/27 budgets. While the visa application fees are paid by the worker, the sponsor licence fee, CoS fee, and ISC are all employer costs that cannot be passed on to the worker.

What Is Not Changing in This Fee Round

Several significant costs in the immigration system are staying the same, which is worth noting because some of these are among the largest individual expenses:

The IHS and ISC are reviewed separately from the main fee round. The ISC was last increased in December 2025 (by 32%). The IHS was last increased in February 2024.

Practical Steps Before 8 April

If you are planning an immigration application in the coming weeks, there are practical steps that could save you money:

For Individuals

If your spouse visa, skilled worker visa, or ILR application is ready to submit, doing so before 8 April means you pay the current lower fees. The key date is when you submit the application and pay online, not when you attend a biometric appointment or when the decision is made.

This is particularly relevant for ILR applications, where the fee increase is £197 per person. A family of four applying for ILR would save nearly £800 by submitting before the deadline.

For Employers

If you have assigned Certificates of Sponsorship but the worker has not yet submitted their visa application, flagging the 8 April deadline is worth doing. The visa fee is typically paid by the worker, but the timing of submission determines which fee applies.

If you are considering applying for a sponsor licence, the fee difference is relatively modest (£37 for small sponsors, £103 for large), but if the application is ready, there is no advantage in waiting.

How AssessNow Can Help

With immigration costs increasing, understanding your eligibility position before committing to an application is more important than ever. An unsuccessful application means lost fees with no refund.

AssessNow's assessments check your specific circumstances against current Home Office guidance and give you a personalised report in under five minutes. Whether you are checking the spouse visa financial requirement (£12.99), confirming a skilled worker salary meets the threshold for your SOC code (£9.99), or assessing your business's readiness for a sponsor licence (£24.99), the assessment gives you clarity on where you stand before you spend on application fees.

Fee figures sourced from the Home Office policy paper "Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026" published on GOV.UK on 18 March 2026. Immigration Skills Charge rates effective from 16 December 2025.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules are complex and individual circumstances vary. For formal immigration advice, consult a qualified immigration solicitor or adviser regulated by the SRA or IAA.