The UK Home Office has announced an upward review of visa, residency and citizenship application fees, with the new rates set to take effect from April 8, 2026.
The adjustment, which cuts across nearly all immigration categories, will impact Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking entry into the United Kingdom for visits, studies, employment or permanent settlement.
Details of the revised charges show a consistent increase across visit visas, student visas, work permits, settlement applications and naturalisation processes. Nigeria, which remains one of the largest sources of applicants to the UK, is expected to be significantly affected by the new fee regime.
Under the new structure, the cost of a short-term visit visa (up to six months) rises from £127 to £135, while the student visa fee increases from £524 to £558. Similarly, applicants seeking indefinite leave to remain will now pay £3,226, up from £3,029.
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The fee for naturalisation as a British citizen has also been raised from £1,605 to £1,709.
Long-term visit visas have not been spared. The two-year visa increases from £475 to £506, the five-year visa from £848 to £903, and the 10-year visa from £1,059 to £1,128.
Work-related visas recorded notable increments as well. The Skilled Worker visa for up to three years rises from £769 to £819, while applications exceeding three years move from £1,519 to £1,618. Health and Care visa applicants will now pay £324 for up to three years, up from £304.
Other categories, including Innovator Founder, Start-up, Scale-up and Graduate Route visas, also witnessed moderate increases.
However, in a rare deviation from the general upward trend, the fee for registering a child as a British citizen has been reduced from £1,214 to £1,000.
Some visa types remain unchanged. These include the High Potential Individual visa, which stays at £880, and the Tier 1 (Investor) visa at £2,000.
Settlement-related applications have also been adjusted. The standard route to settlement now costs £2,064, up from £1,938, while applications for dependent relatives rise to £3,635.
The latest hike comes amid sustained demand from Nigerians seeking opportunities in the UK, particularly in education and skilled employment sectors, despite rising migration costs and stricter immigration policies.
The new fees will apply to all applications submitted on or after April 8.
