Uk Visa Fees To Increase!

[7by7]

Once again this current government is increasing fees for both out of UK and in UK applications from their already unreasonable level.

See Written Ministerial Statement - Charging for immigration and nationality services 2009/10 for the details.

May I urge all UK members to write to their MPs, of whichever party, to complain about these increases.

If your MP is not Labour ask what they and their party intend to do about these wholly unjustifiable fees should they win the next general election.

If your MP is Labour, then tell them that these unjustifiable fees will ensure that your vote will be going elsewhere at the next general election unless the government bring them down to a more reasonable level.

I have no quarrel with the principle that those using the visa and immigration service should pay for it, but the level of these fees and the huge increases imposed by this government over the last few years is way above the actual cost of processing applications.

If all we do is moan about these fees then nothing will happen. If enough people kick up enough of a stink then maybe something will be done.

[ShugNorris]

Very true. considering they are already overcharging for what I believe is a sub-standard service. We still haven't heard back from the Settlement Application that we submitted on 30th December! The whole point in dating it for 1st March was so we could get everything organised (flight booked etc) and then they just put it to the bottom of the pile. If it gets rejected I'll be all the more furious !!

Anyway, yeah, inflation definately isn't the issue with raising prices!

Perhaps they have been raised due to the likely long term drop in value of the pound?

Spending more to sustain their embassies overseas... goodness only knows but one thing is for sure, it's BS.

Letter to the MP, well, futile in my opinion but I'll knock one up and send it anyways. (In fact, mine is SNP. That's not a good thing.)

- Shug

Edited February 18, 2009 by ShugNorris

[Merangue]

Once again this government hits us with yet even more charges.

I could not see when these proposed charge (Gouging) increases were to take place. Was there anything i missed or can i simply assume it will be from the beginning of the new tax year?

Oh............. Email will be sent to my MP ( Frank Field )

[Mossfinn]

If your MP is Labour, then tell them that these unjustifiable fees will ensure that your vote will be going elsewhere at the next general election unless the government bring them down to a more reasonable level.

Even if you believe there is no viable alternative and the fact you are deciding your vote on a one item agenda.

The economy is in free fall

The banks are bankrupt

Gov't borrowing is outrageous

Fighting a war on two fronts

etc etc

but no, forget everything else, the price of a visa has gone up again, lets vote for another party, UKIP anyone?

I might be being a bit cranky here, but deciding your choice of Gov't on a single agenda, no matter how you rail against certain individual policies, appear a little short sighted to me.

Moss

Edited February 20, 2009 by Mossfinn

[stevehaigh]

it looks like the visitors visa short term has gone from 65 to 67 pounds. already expensive i guess but the extra 2 quid isn't going to break the bank.

[theoldgit]

If you look how much the longer term visas are going to be increased I don't know how they can justify it.

The fees are supposed to reflect the cost of the work involved in processing a visa, for the life of me I don't know how they can say there is more cost to UK Visas in processing applications for 2, 3 or 5 years visas.

[patklang]

I paid 100 gbp for my new multi o last october,so are you saying its gone up again.

[patklang]

1/ multi 0 = 100 gbp

2/ 5 x 2,500 baht 90 day visa runs

total = 17,500 baht

15 month stay = 1166 baht per month to stay in Thailand

is that unreasonable or not????

[theoldgit]

But this thread is about the increased cost of a visa to The UK.

[madmitch]

I would have thought that if you apply and pay overseas then given the current value of the pound then they should be cheaper in local currency!

But they may have fixed the rate at the highest point so it becomes even more expensive.

Anyone know the current price in THB, which should be more meaningful to many on this board.

[theoldgit]

The current rates are on the VFS website and seem to equate to 52 Baht to the GBP, they review the local price fairly regularly. It's a bit overpriced at the moment, but not by too much, I suppose they could and should change it daily like airlines do.

http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/visafees.aspx

[MJo]

I can enter UK without visa. I thought citizens/UKpassport holders can get in free as well ?

[madmitch]

I can enter UK without visa. I thought citizens/UKpassport holders can get in free as well ?

So can I. I am a UK citizen.

This thread is about visa fees for those that can't enter free of charge, particularly Thais.

[torrenova]

Raising taxes on an insignificant minority is always viable. It raises little and creates no political noise. Do it over many areas and it mounts up but the voices of dissent remain near silent.

[ubonjoe]

Off topic post and a reply to it deleted.

[DC1066]

If you look how much the longer term visas are going to be increased I don't know how they can justify it.

The fees are supposed to reflect the cost of the work involved in processing a visa, for the life of me I don't know how they can say there is more cost to UK Visas in processing applications for 2, 3 or 5 years visas.

It's simple really......

Storage costs

Your application will sit on a desk, untouched, gathering dust for 4 months. Someone has to pay for that valuable piece of real estate.

[PhilHarries]

If you look how much the longer term visas are going to be increased I don't know how they can justify it.

The fees are supposed to reflect the cost of the work involved in processing a visa, for the life of me I don't know how they can say there is more cost to UK Visas in processing applications for 2, 3 or 5 years visas.

Since when has the cost of anything had any relation to it's production cost? The cost of goods and services are what the market will pay. That's why your Nike trainers that cost about two quid to manufacture in a Bangladesh sweatshop are on the shelves in the UK for 70. Because there are plenty of mugs that will pay that price.

The cost of the visa reflects the desirability of living in the UK. Well it must be one of the most desirable places on Earth or all you people wouldn't be trying to take your partners back there with you. After all, who would take their loved one back to a country that's less desirable than Thailand?

[theoldgit]

If you look how much the longer term visas are going to be increased I don't know how they can justify it.

The fees are supposed to reflect the cost of the work involved in processing a visa, for the life of me I don't know how they can say there is more cost to UK Visas in processing applications for 2, 3 or 5 years visas.

Since when has the cost of anything had any relation to it's production cost? The cost of goods and services are what the market will pay. That's why your Nike trainers that cost about two quid to manufacture in a Bangladesh sweatshop are on the shelves in the UK for 70. Because there are plenty of mugs that will pay that price.

The cost of the visa reflects the desirability of living in the UK. Well it must be one of the most desirable places on Earth or all you people wouldn't be trying to take your partners back there with you. After all, who would take their loved one back to a country that's less desirable than Thailand?

Visa fees are set centrally and are supposed to reflect the cost of the work involved, they are the same whichever country in the world the application is made. The policy is that the work of considering applications for visas to the UK should be cost neutral to the UK taxpayer.

[7by7]

The policy is that the work of considering applications for visas to the UK should be cost neutral to the UK taxpayer.

Almost; the actual policy is that the BIA should be cost neutral to the UK taxpayer.

The BIA is responsible for visa applications worldwide and in UK applications, such as ILR. These are charged for.

It is also responsible for EEA applications and asylum applications, both of which are free to applicants. Plus all the immigration officers at all the UK ports of entry.

The cost of these is borne not by the taxpayer, but by visa and LTR applicants. Which is why the fee charged is often way above what the government calculate to be the actual unit cost.

For example, the government calculate the unit cost of a postal ILR application to be £318 but the new fee is £820! The unit cost of a personal ILR application is actually less than a postal one at £278, yet the new fee for this is a whopping £1020! (See Ministerial statement linked to in my OP.)

As said before, I believe that those using this service should pay for it, but not for all the EEA applicants and asylum seekers as well! If EEA treaties and international law means that these applicants cannot be charged a fee, then the cost should be borne, IMHO, by the general taxpayer.

[mrbojangles]

If EEA treaties and international law means that these applicants cannot be charged a fee, then the cost should be borne, IMHO, by the general taxpayer.

Absolutely. And then the Gov't should be able to claim the fees back from the obese amount of money it pays annually, into the EU coffers.

[PhilHarries]

If EEA treaties and international law means that these applicants cannot be charged a fee, then the cost should be borne, IMHO, by the general taxpayer.

Absolutely. And then the Gov't should be able to claim the fees back from the obese amount of money it pays annually, into the EU coffers.

Obese or obscene? No matter it's the same. I'll refrain from further comment on the subject (didn't realise how the visa fee money was dispensed with).