New Immigration Fees Anounced

[kg1983]

New immigration fees announced
30 January 2008

Increased immigration charges, which will fund sweeping changes to border security, have been announced.

While most fees will increase only slightly, and some (such as student visa fees) will not increase at all, others - such as fees for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme - are set to increase substantially.

Sample fee changes include:

work permit visas for someone outside the UK increases from £200 to £205
settlement visas for someone outside the UK increases from £500 to £515
highly skilled migrant programme approval for someone living outside the UK increases from £400 to £600
long-term visa for someone living outside the UK increases from £200 to £600
Some new fees were also introduced, including a fee for businesses sponsoring someone to enter the UK for work. Small businesses will now pay £300 for each person sponsored, while larger companies will pay £1000 for each person sponsored.

Charges are in line with those in other countries
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said it was fair that those who benefit most from using the immigration system should fund it.

'We welcome the contribution that legal immigrants make to the economy and cultural life in the UK, and we have ensured that these fees, which will usher in the biggest reforms to the immigration system in a generation, are at levels that will not damage our international competitiveness.

'We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so.'

Fees will fund improvements to immigration system
The announcement of fee increases just precedes the start of a new points-based system for managing UK migration.

The system will help ensure that only workers with skills that can benefit Britain's economy are allowed to come to the UK. The new system will also include a first-ever licensing system for companies that recruit workers from overseas.

The changes are all part of a challenging programme of immigration reform.

Ultimately, this system will also include:

on-the-spot fines for employers who don’t ensure their workers are here legally
a single border force with police-like powers
compulsory ID cards for foreign national UK residents
Already a system of fingerprint checks has been rolled out globally for those applying for visas to come to the UK.

Taken together, these measures represent the biggest shake-up of the country's immigration system in its history. The new system is designed to allow the UK to continue to reap the benefits of migration, while also preventing fraud and illegal immigration.

Learn more
A full list of the new fees, and further information about the new points-based system, will be posted on the Border and Immigration website (new window).

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/n ... tion-fees1

[Dawie]

'We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so.'

What the hell do other countries' immigration fees have to do with the UK when the stated purpose of increasing the fees was to recover the costs of administering the system?

Using other countries' immigration fees as a benchmark for setting prices is a tacit admission that the Home Office plans to increase fees as much as it can get away with before people think of emmigrating to an alternative country.

Hardly a sound way of pricing a public service.

[RobinLondon]

'We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so.'

What the hell do other countries' immigration fees have to do with the UK when the stated purpose of increasing the fees was to recover the costs of administering the system?

The policy of "increasing the fees to recover the costs of administering the system" was their OLD policy, now officially recanted. Their NEW policy (now explicitly stated) is more, how shall we say, economically driven...

And the statement of being comparable to other countries is absolute bollocks. From strictly an immigration fees perspective, the UK has become by far the most expensive country for the average person to migrate to (from initial entry to naturalisation) in the EU, if not the whole world. I invite you to investigate that yourself. Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Germany (for example) do not separate you from your dosh as expertly and unctuously as this country does.

[Markie]

The full list of fees proposed by HO can be found
here.

'We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so.'

What the hell do other countries' immigration fees have to do with the UK when the stated purpose of increasing the fees was to recover the costs of administering the system?

The policy of "increasing the fees to recover the costs of administering the system" was their OLD policy, now officially recanted. Their NEW policy (now explicitly stated) is more, how shall we say, economically driven...

And the statement of being comparable to other countries is absolute bollocks. From strictly an immigration fees perspective, the UK has become by far the most expensive country for the average person to migrate to (from initial entry to naturalisation) in the EU, if not the whole world. I invite you to investigate that yourself. Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Germany (for example) do not separate you from your dosh as expertly and unctuously as this country does.

[ashishashah]

for FLR they r going to increase from 350 to 750???Cannot believe it..
I will have 2 FLR before my ILR

[rg1]

Link isn't working!

FLR increase from £350 to £750? Oh my God.

When from this new fee will be applicable? I need to get my FLR before that.

[ashishashah]

Link is working now..Can some1 pl. confirm the FLR fees for Tier 1??There are too many FLRs (with HSMP and Tier 1 ) so i might be wrong..

Looks like Immigration to UK and FLR/ILR are going to be very expensive!!!

[sunny9675]

still people r crzy to come

all the best

[thirdwave]

From what I can see,the increased fee only applies to FLR under the new points system..Does that mean that people currently on HSMP would be included under the transitional arrangements and would therefore pay lower fees?

I think this latest move is absolutely atrocious..It appears that the HO, not content with changing the goalposts for immigration every April, has taken to treating all legal migrants in this country as walking cash points! Anyone contemplating a move to the UK should seriously consider another country where they would be treated with a bit more respect...

[thirdwave]

The Home Office is at it again!!!!!Looks like the new points based system could turn out to be a real cash cow for the govt

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... A&refer=uk

Perhaps this explains it all...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7217412.stm

[thirdwave]

New immigration fees announced
30 January 2008

Increased immigration charges, which will fund sweeping changes to border security, have been announced.

While most fees will increase only slightly, and some (such as student visa fees) will not increase at all, others - such as fees for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme - are set to increase substantially.

Sample fee changes include:

work permit visas for someone outside the UK increases from £200 to £205
settlement visas for someone outside the UK increases from £500 to £515
highly skilled migrant programme approval for someone living outside the UK increases from £400 to £600
long-term visa for someone living outside the UK increases from £200 to £600
Some new fees were also introduced, including a fee for businesses sponsoring someone to enter the UK for work. Small businesses will now pay £300 for each person sponsored, while larger companies will pay £1000 for each person sponsored.

Charges are in line with those in other countries
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said it was fair that those who benefit most from using the immigration system should fund it.

'We welcome the contribution that legal immigrants make to the economy and cultural life in the UK, and we have ensured that these fees, which will usher in the biggest reforms to the immigration system in a generation, are at levels that will not damage our international competitiveness.

'We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so.'

Fees will fund improvements to immigration system
The announcement of fee increases just precedes the start of a new points-based system for managing UK migration.

The system will help ensure that only workers with skills that can benefit Britain's economy are allowed to come to the UK. The new system will also include a first-ever licensing system for companies that recruit workers from overseas.

The changes are all part of a challenging programme of immigration reform.

Ultimately, this system will also include:

on-the-spot fines for employers who don’t ensure their workers are here legally
a single border force with police-like powers
compulsory ID cards for foreign national UK residents
Already a system of fingerprint checks has been rolled out globally for those applying for visas to come to the UK.

Taken together, these measures represent the biggest shake-up of the country's immigration system in its history. The new system is designed to allow the UK to continue to reap the benefits of migration, while also preventing fraud and illegal immigration.

Learn more
A full list of the new fees, and further information about the new points-based system, will be posted on the Border and Immigration website (new window).

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/n ... tion-fees1

How disingenuous!!!! The Citizenship fee in Australia is $240 (around £ 110)-compare that to the exorbitant charges in this country (ILR+ AN in the region of £ 1600)!!! Having said that, what else do you expect from a lying and thieving Nulab govt??

[Emma84]

Are you kidding me? I was just granted ILR this morning, having paid on Monday (I had to make two trips to the PEO to get mine approved), and I could just about afford the £950 it cost. I'm sick to death of them raising the fees.

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

The Home Office is at it again!!!!!Looks like the new points based system could turn out to be a real cash cow for the govt

They will probably start to charge people for the visa based on the number of points they have. :-)

[AlexCh]

ome new fees were also introduced, including a fee for businesses sponsoring someone to enter the UK for work. Small businesses will now pay £300 for each person sponsored, while larger companies will pay £1000 for each person sponsored.

I read the price list - where exactly does it say that employers will have to pay 1000 PER EACH PERSON? I got an impression that it was 1000 per license. Do they (employers) need a separate license for each non-EU employee?

And as always - all these costs affect only legal immigrants while most problems are coming from illegals.

[paulp]

Are you kidding me? I was just granted ILR this morning, having paid on Monday (I had to make two trips to the PEO to get mine approved), and I could just about afford the £950 it cost. I'm sick to death of them raising the fees.

Congrats Emma. Now, there's only the naturalisation fees to look forward to.

[John]

for FLR they r going to increase from 350 to 750???Cannot believe it..

I can't believe it! I can't believe it .... because I don't think it is true! Well that is my reading of the table of fees.

Currently for HSMP you pay £400 for the HSMP renewal and then £350 for the subsequent visa? And now you will pay £750 .... effectively for one combined application. Surely better ...... except in one regard ..... if the HSMP renewal gets rejected, you have lost £750 rather than "just" £400.

In case I am misreading the table of proposed fees, other comments very welcome.

Likewise, new HSMP application outside the UK ... instead of HSMP fee of £400 then visa fee of £200, just one fee of £600 .... which sounds like there will be no one getting the HSMP and then failing the EC ..... surely this is better!

[ashishashah]

John,

So currently you have to pay 400 +350 for FLR??I thought only 350 for FLR (and Visa)

Ashish

[thirdwave]

John,

So currently you have to pay 400 +350 for FLR??I thought only 350 for FLR (and Visa)

Ashish

Ashish, I can see where John's coming from..His take on the changes is that the charge for initial approval(£400) has been amalgamated with the visa fee (£ 350) into a single fee (£750) for Tier 1. Its plausible as WorkpermitsUK has been wound down and merged with BIA although, given HO's track record, I suspect there is a catch in this somewhere (like John said, applicants might lose the entire amount if their HSMP applications are rejected)

[John]

His take on the changes is that the charge for initial approval(£400) has been amalgamated with the visa fee (£ 350) into a single fee (£750) for Tier 1

Exactly, I think that is the only way to read the table of new fees.

[vinny]

if the HSMP renewal gets rejected, you have lost £750 rather than "just" £400.

In case I am misreading the table of proposed fees, other comments very welcome.

Likewise, new HSMP application outside the UK ... instead of HSMP fee of £400 then visa fee of £200, just one fee of £600 .... which sounds like there will be no one getting the HSMP and then failing the EC ..... surely this is better!

More expensive for the people who fail?

[thirdwave]

if the HSMP renewal gets rejected, you have lost £750 rather than "just" £400.

In case I am misreading the table of proposed fees, other comments very welcome.

Likewise, new HSMP application outside the UK ... instead of HSMP fee of £400 then visa fee of £200, just one fee of £600 .... which sounds like there will be no one getting the HSMP and then failing the EC ..... surely this is better!

More expensive for the people who fail?

= more initial refusals? Given their money grabbing ways, I wouldn`t put it past the HO..

[ashishashah]

Hi,

I was referring to FLR fees which is 350 for HSMP and now it will becoe 750 for Tier 1(HSMP)

Fees for further leave to remain under the Tier 1 GHSM sub-category will increase to GBP 750 from the current HSMP fee of GBP 350. .

That is more then double,and you didnt need a 'visa' for FLR..Both Extention application and stamping/visa was one process...So this is shocking..

For Initial application i can understand that they have clubbed 2 processes (HSMP+EC),but for FLR it was only ONE step and they have increased the price for that..

[PASS]

There will be a ID card fee on top of this!!

[thirdwave]

Hi,

I was referring to FLR fees which is 350 for HSMP and now it will becoe 750 for Tier 1(HSMP)

Fees for further leave to remain under the Tier 1 GHSM sub-category will increase to GBP 750 from the current HSMP fee of GBP 350. .

That is more then double,and you didnt need a 'visa' for FLR..Both Extention application and stamping/visa was one process...So this is shocking..

For Initial application i can understand that they have clubbed 2 processes (HSMP+EC),but for FLR it was only ONE step and they have increased the price for that..

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought one had to reapply for HSMP following the initial 2 year period?

[ashishashah]

Yes,you need to REAPPLY...But both HSMP and EC is one step..Along with HSMP (Tier 1) form,you send your passports as well..So if your HSMP FLR is successful, your passport will be stamped as well..There are no sepearte steps /seperate fees for that..
Ashish