New fees come into force for applications made on or after the 8th October. These fees usually increase every April, and this is the first time I can remember a mid year increase.

 

The changes for the most popular applications from members here follow.

 

Applications made outside the UK:

• 6 month visit visa, £89 to £93.
• Initial settlement visa, £1464 to £1523.

Remember in Thailand these have to be paid in USD at an exchange rate of UKVI's choosing; so add around 5% onto these figures!

 

In UK applications:

• FLR, £993 to £1033 (surcharge of £610 for applying in person for a same day decision remains unchanged).
• ILR, £2297 to 2389 (surcharge of £610 for applying in person for a same day decision remains unchanged).
• Biometric enrolment for BRP remains the same at £19.20.
• Naturalisation of an adult, £1282 to £1330 (includes £80 fee for citizenship ceremony).
• Registration as British of a child under 18, £973 to £1012 (additional £80 fee for citizenship ceremony will be requested if applicant reaches 18 whilst application is being processed).

 

For the full details of all the changes to all categories, see Home Office immigration and nationality fees 8 October 2018

 

Note this is a policy paper; which means the new fees are recommendations which have to be approved by Parliament. This will be by means of a statutory instrument; unless an MP puts down a motion that the SI should be annulled in which case it will be debated and voted upon.

 

In the 18 plus years I have taken an interest in these matters, that has never happened to a SI increasing visa and LTR fees..

16 hours ago, 7by7 said:

Remember in Thailand these have to be paid in USD at an exchange rate of UKVI's choosing; so add around 5% onto these figures!

So, if we have to pay these fees in USD, why the heck can't UKVI price them in that particular currency??

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

So, if we have to pay these fees in USD, why the heck can't UKVI price them in that particular currency??

Might be interesting to note in this connection that the Embassy seem able to price their various consular services in THB based on standard GBP fees without any difficulty:-

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737925/Consular_Fee_Table_Order_September_2018.pdf

 

All the more of a mystery (to me, at any rate), therefore, as to why UKVI cannot do something similar in expressing GBP visa fees in USD.

Edited September 17, 20187 yr by OJAS

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

So, if we have to pay these fees in USD, why the heck can't UKVI price them in that particular currency??

 

Visa and LTR fees are set by Parliament in Sterling. UKVI then decide whether to charge in the local currency or USD!

 

When they started doing this I wrote to the then Immigration Minister. I said i understood why they wanted to charge in one currency for all out of UK applications, and asked why they charged in USD and not Sterling; three months later I got the attached reply; which is nonsense. 

 

They try to blame their service provider, WorldPay, who are an international company who will process payments in almost any currency the customer chooses. They wouldn't say which currencies they wont touch, but assured me that they were happy to process payments inn Sterling.

 

The simple answer seems to be that UKVI charge in USD because they can and the Home Office let them as it's a nice little earner for them.

 

BTW, consular fees are managed by the Foreign Office and paid to the embassy; fees for out of UK visa applications are managed by UKVI and paid directly to them.

 

BTW, in June 2018 I submitted evidence to the Independent Chief Inspector's enquiry into the Home Office approach to charging for services; that submission is also attached. It's still ongoing, and I await the results of that enquiry with interest. I'll post them on this forum when they are published.

 

 

Visa fees in USD.doc

Home Office approach to charging for services 2018 enquiry.docx

Ooops!!!

 

I was given that link by a third party; and it is, or rather was, out of date as under 'current fee' it showed the fee before April and under 'new fee from 8th October 2018' it showed the current fee which has been charged since April!

 

This has now been corrected by the Home Office, and you will see that there has in fact been no increase, or decrease, of any of the fees!

 

Many, many apologies for my error; I posted it in haste without checking properly; but that is no excuse as I should have checked, or at least noticed that the fees hadn't actually changed!

 

But they doubtless will next April!

Edited September 17, 20187 yr by 7by7
Addendum

On 9/17/2018 at 6:23 PM, 7by7 said:

BTW, in June 2018 I submitted evidence to the Independent Chief Inspector's enquiry into the Home Office approach to charging for services; that submission is also attached. It's still ongoing, and I await the results of that enquiry with interest. I'll post them on this forum when they are published.

Good stuff 7by7 - also looking forward to the response!  I can not help but think it's a scam when the fee is 10x the actual cost of processing.  Unfortunately I don't hold out much hope that this will change any time soon.

 

On 9/18/2018 at 12:23 AM, 7by7 said:

BTW, in June 2018 I submitted evidence to the Independent Chief Inspector's enquiry into the Home Office approach to charging for services; that submission is also attached. It's still ongoing, and I await the results of that enquiry with interest. I'll post them on this forum when they are published.

I'm aware that a number of regular Forum members submitted their views to the Inspector following his call for views, it will indeed be interesting to read his report in due course.

Your headline states the new fees are from 8th October. I completed an online application for FLR(M) extension on 17th September and the fee was already £1033.

1 hour ago, NCFC said:

Your headline states the new fees are from 8th October. I completed an online application for FLR(M) extension on 17th September and the fee was already £1033.

Yes, I know. Hence my subsequent post

 

On 9/17/2018 at 6:31 PM, 7by7 said:

Ooops!!!

 

I was given that link by a third party; and it is, or rather was, out of date as under 'current fee' it showed the fee before April and under 'new fee from 8th October 2018' it showed the current fee which has been charged since April!

 

This has now been corrected by the Home Office, and you will see that there has in fact been no increase, or decrease, of any of the fees!

 

Many, many apologies for my error; I posted it in haste without checking properly; but that is no excuse as I should have checked, or at least noticed that the fees hadn't actually changed!

 

But they doubtless will next April!

 

Again, apologies for my error and any confusion. 

8 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

Yes, I know. Hence my subsequent post

 

 

Again, apologies for my error and any confusion. 

Mybad for not reading the thread in full. I nearly sent off a steaming missive to my MP, lol!

I'll close this thread to stop any more uneccessary concerns.