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The fees for many UK visas will rise on 6th April. Most rises are modest (4%) but the removal of a 25% discount for the dependent relatives of main applicants for visas under the UK's points-based visa system applying from within the UK means that these applicants will face massive increases.
If you are
- Planning to apply for Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 4 or Tier 5 UK visa
- Planning to bring your dependent family with you
- Planning to apply from within the UK
You should apply now. If you leave it until after 6th April, your visas will cost 4% more each and you will lose the 25% discount on the visas for your spouse and dependent children.
You will therefore have to pay 4% more for your visa and nearly 40% (38.7%) more for visas for your dependant family's visas after 6th April 2014.
But PLEASE NOTE
If you are intending to apply for a Tier 2 visa to allow you to travel to work in the UK in a shortage occupation, you should wait until after 6th April. The visa fees for those working in shortage occupations will be REDUCED by 26% after April 6th.
Sanwar Ali of workpermit.com said 'Do not get caught out by these fee changes. The new fees mean that you could save yourself hundreds of pounds by applying on the right side of 6th April'.
Table of some popular visa fees and new fees after 6th April
| Visa | Old fee | New fee | Percentage change |
| Applications made in UK | |||
| Tier 1 –Entrepreneur, Investor, Exceptional Talent –main applicants | £1,051 | £1,093 | +4 |
| Tier 1 –Entrepreneur, Investor, Exceptional Talent – all dependents | £788 | £1,093 | +38.7 |
| Tier 1 – Graduate Entrepreneur – main applicant | £406 | £422 | +4 |
| Tier 1 – Graduate Entrepreneur – dependants | £305 | £422 | +38.4 |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (new visa lasts up to 5 years) main applicant | - | £1,093 | - |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (new visa lasts up to 5 years) dependants | - | £1,093 | - |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (lasts up to 3 years) main applicant | £578 | £601 | +4 |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (lasts up to 3 years) dependants | £434 | £601 | +38.5 |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 3 years) main applicants | £578 | £428 | -26 |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 3 years) – dependants | £434 | 428 | -11.1 |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 5 years) – main applicants and dependants | - | £856 | - |
| Tier 4 student visas – main applicants | £406 | £422 | +4 |
| Tier 4 student visas – dependants | £305 | £422 | +38.4 |
| Tier 5 | £200 | £208 | +4 |
| Tier 5 – dependants | £150 | £208 | +38.7 |
| Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) – main applicant | £1,051 | £1,093 | +4 |
| Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) - dependants | £788 | £1,093 | +38.7 |
| Applications made outside the UK | |||
| Tier 1 –Entrepreneur, Investor, Exceptional Talent –main applicants | £840 | £874 | +4 |
| Tier 1 –Entrepreneur, Investor, Exceptional Talent – all dependents | £840 | £874 | +4 |
| Tier 1 – Graduate Entrepreneur – main applicant and dependants | £298 | £310 | +4 |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (new visa lasts up to 5 years) main applicant | - | £856 | - |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (new visa lasts up to 5 years) dependants | - | £856 | - |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (lasts up to 3 years) main applicant | - | £1,028 | - |
| Tier 2 (General, Intra Company Transfer) – Long term staff (lasts up to 3 years) dependants | - | £1,028 | - |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 3 years) main applicants | £494 | £428 | -13.6 |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 3 years) – dependants | £494 | 428 | -13.6 |
| Tier 2 – Shortage occupations (lasts up to 5 years) – main applicants and dependants | - | £856 | - |
| Tier 4 student visas – main applicants | £298 | £310 | +4 |
| Tier 4 student visas – dependants | £298 | £310 | +4 |
| Tier 5 | £200 | £208 | +4 |
| Tier 5 – dependants | £200 | £208 | +4 |
