Checked against UK government pages on September 25, 2026. There is no single “UK visa fee.” A six-month Standard Visitor application currently costs £135, a Student visa application £558, and a standard Skilled Worker application from outside the UK starts at £819 for a stay of up to three years. Work and study applicants may also pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS); a short visitor applying from abroad for six months or less normally does not. These figures are from the Home Office fee table and should be rechecked before payment.
Common UK visa fees at a glance
| Application | Government application fee | Separate IHS? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor, up to six months | £135 | Usually no IHS for an application from abroad lasting six months or less |
| Student visa, inside or outside the UK | £558 | Usually yes; amount depends on visa length |
| Skilled Worker, outside UK, up to three years | £819 | Usually yes |
| Skilled Worker, outside UK, more than three years | £1,618 | Usually yes |
This is a comparison of three common routes, not a complete price list for all British visas. A different fee can apply to an in-country Skilled Worker application, a job on the Immigration Salary List, a Health and Care Worker application, a longer visitor visa or another route entirely. Check the route and duration before quoting a price to an employer or family member.
Application fee, IHS and financial evidence are different things
The application fee is paid to have the visa application considered. The IHS is a separate charge associated with many longer-term visas; it is generally paid as part of the application and often for the whole visa period upfront. Current annual rates are £1,035 for most adult work applicants and £776 for students and applicants under 18, subject to the government’s calculation rules. The exact amount can reflect extra time added to a visa beyond the course or employment dates. Check the official IHS calculation guidance.
Money that an applicant must show for living expenses is not necessarily money paid to the government. A Student applicant may need to evidence tuition and maintenance funds; a Skilled Worker applicant may need to show personal savings unless an exception or sponsor certification applies. Do not add the entire maintenance balance to a visa fee and call the result a government charge.
Two examples of a realistic payment estimate
Example 1 — short visitor: one applicant seeks a six-month Standard Visitor visa from overseas. The basic government application charge is £135; this example assumes no optional service or additional commercial appointment charge and no IHS. Flights and hotels are travel costs, not Home Office fees. For route requirements, see our Standard Visitor guide.
Example 2 — two-year Skilled Worker: an applicant outside the UK in an ordinary job, not on a discounted route, pays a £819 application fee. At the standard adult IHS rate, two full years would add £2,070, for a simplified £2,889 government payment. The actual IHS calculation and any dependants can change the total. The £1,270 maintenance figure often discussed for this route is a separate evidence requirement, not a further £1,270 Home Office fee.
What can change the final amount?
Route, location of application, intended visa duration, number and age of dependants, an eligible discounted category and optional faster-decision services can all affect the bill. Payment in a local currency can also differ from a simple exchange-rate conversion. A visa application centre may offer optional commercial extras; do not confuse them with mandatory government charges. If a third party quotes a total, ask for a line-by-line split between the official application fee, IHS and optional services.
The application fee does not buy an approval, and a lower headline fee does not mean the route is appropriate. Choose the immigration route for the real purpose of travel first, then price it. This independent article is an informational comparison and does not replace the live government checkout amount.