Increased immigration and nationality application fees announced

28 February 2011 Minister Damian Green has issued a written Ministerial Statement that proposes to increase immigration and nationality application fees for all those applying to study, visit, work or stay in the UK. The new proposed fees will not come into force untill they have been debated and approved in Parliament, but are due to take effect from 6 April 2011. "Under the current spending review, the Home Office is implementing a real terms reduction in budgets of up to a 20 per cent. The UK Border Agency is already seeking to offset this income gap with efficiency savings of approximately £500 million by reducing support costs, increasing efficiencies, boosting productivity and improving value for money from commercial suppliers. But these measures will not go far enough, and to address the funding shortfall the UK Border Agency will need to increase fees for financial year 2011/12" Article - Guardian 28 Feb Immigration fees rising sharply to pay for UK Border Agency cuts. Home Office ministers double price of student visas and increase cost of highly skilled immigrants' visas to £1,000 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/28/immigration-fees-pay-ukba-cuts?CMP=twt_fd

External Link: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/february/66-propose-fee-increases