UK visa fees to be hiked
The UK Home Office recently announced that UK visa fees across multiple categories, including visitor, work, student, and electronic travel authorisation (ETA) applications, will increase from 9 April, 2025.
According to The Economic Times, the price increase varies by visa type, with student and visitor visas seeing a more notable hike.
For students, the fee for a student visa for both main applicants and dependents, will increase by 7% from the UK£490 (+/- R11 500) to UK£524 (+/- R12 300).
Visitors to the UK can also expect to pay more with visitor visa fees set to rise by 10%. The cost for a six-month visa will increase from UK£115 (+/- R2 700) to UK£127 (+/- R2 900). Long-term visit visas of two, five, and 10 years will also demand more from your pocket, with fees reaching UK£475 (+/- R11 100), UK£848 (+/- R19 900), and UK£1059 (+/- R24 900), respectively.
How much?
Here’s a look at how much some of the visas made outside of the UK will cost after 9 April:
| Visit visa – short up to 6 months | £115 | £127 | £12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit visa – long up to 2 years | £432 | £475 | £43 |
| Visit visa – long up to 5 years | £771 | £848 | £77 |
| Visit visa – long up to 10 years | £963 | £1059 | £96 |
| Visiting academic – more than 6 months but no more than 12 months | £200 | £220 | £20 |
| Private medical treatment visa – more than 6 months but not more than 11 months | £200 | £220 | £20 |
| Transit visa (direct airside transit) | £35 | £39 | £4 |
| Transit visit visa (landside transit) | £64 | £70 | £6 |
| Student – main applicant and dependants | £490 | £524 | £34 |
| Child Student | £490 | £524 | £34 |
Have you travelled to the UK?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
