The UK Home Office has announced a fresh increase in visa application fees across several categories, with the new rates set to take effect from April 8, 2026.
The adjustment will impact thousands of Nigerians and other foreign nationals planning to travel, study, work, or settle in the United Kingdom.
Under the revised structure, the cost of a short-term visit visa — widely used by many Nigerians — will rise from £127 to £135, an equivalent of about ₦249,000. Long-term visit visas have also seen upward reviews, with the two-year option now pegged at £506, while five-year and ten-year visas will cost £903 and £1,128 respectively.
Student visa applicants are not left out of the increase, as the fee moves from £524 to £558 for both main applicants and dependants.
Similarly, short-term English language students will now pay £228, up from £214, reflecting the broader adjustment across study routes.
Work-related visas have also been affected. Applicants under the skilled worker category will now pay £819 for permits lasting up to three years, while those exceeding three years will cost £1,618. The Health and Care visa has increased slightly to £324, while fees for the Graduate route and Scale-up visa now stand at £937.
For individuals seeking long-term residency, the cost of Indefinite Leave to Remain has risen to £3,226 from £3,029.
Applications under the route to settlement have also increased to £2,064, alongside in-country visitor extensions now fixed at £1,172.
In the citizenship category, naturalisation for adults will now cost £1,709, while registration fees for adults have climbed to £1,540. However, there is a slight relief for families, as the fee for registering a child as a British citizen has been reduced to £1,000, down from £1,214.
The updated fee schedule shows that nearly all application categories, whether submitted within or outside the UK, have been reviewed upward. Only a few, such as the High Potential Individual visa, remain unchanged at £880.
Officials say the changes are part of routine adjustments to visa charges, but the increase is expected to place additional financial pressure on applicants, particularly from countries like Nigeria where demand for UK travel opportunities remains high.
