Immigration application fees

What are immigration application fees?

Most immigration and nationality applications require a fee to be paid to the Home Office. In many cases, applicants will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

Application fees can be significant. Family and private life applications often cost several thousand pounds once the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) are included.

For example, an application made by an adult under the family or private life rules, or outside the Immigration Rules on Article 8 family and private life grounds, currently costs £3,994.50 (£1,407 application fee and £2,587.50 Immigration Health Surcharge). A separate fee is usually payable for each family member included in an application.

Some applications are exempt from fees. In other cases, a person may be able to apply for a fee waiver if they cannot afford the cost of an application.
Immigration and nationality fees are reviewed regularly. Applicants should always check the current fees before making an application.

See the Home Office information on immigration and nationality fees.

Fee exemptions

Some applications are exempt from Home Office fees and can be made free of charge. This includes applications for:

asylum or protection under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights
a change of conditions application to remove an NRPF condition
the EU Settlement Scheme
leave to remain under the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC)
most applications made by children who are looked after by a local authority, including citizenship applications (this does not include children accommodated under section 17 of the Children Act 1989)
an initial grant of leave as a stateless person or as the family member of a stateless person under Part 14 of the Immigration Rules
an extension of stay under the EC Association Agreement with Turkey
leave to remain where the person has received a positive decision as a victim of trafficking or modern slavery

Fee waivers

A fee waiver allows a person to make an application without paying the application fee and, where applicable, the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Family and private life applications

A fee waiver may be available to a person applying for leave to remain on the basis of their family or private life in the UK.

This includes applications made under:

the 5 year partner route, where the applicant is not required to meet the minimum income requirement because their sponsor receives a qualifying benefit and must instead demonstrate adequate maintenance
the 5 year parent route
the 5 year private life route
the 10 year partner, parent or private life routes where the applicant relies on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
other applications based on rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights
extensions of discretionary leave granted following refusal of an asylum or humanitarian protection claim where further leave is sought on human rights grounds
extensions of leave granted to a victim of trafficking or modern slavery who has already accrued 30 months' leave on that basis

A fee waiver must be granted where the applicant demonstrates that:

they cannot afford the fee
they are destitute
they are at risk of imminent destitution
their income is insufficient to meet a child's particular and essential additional needs

A person or family receiving accommodation and financial support from adult social care or children's social care may qualify for a fee waiver. The local authority will need to provide evidence of any support being provided and may be contacted by the Home Office for further information.

For more information, see the Home Office guidance Fee waiver: Human Rights-based and other specified applications.

Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse

A person applying for leave to remain under Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse may qualify for a fee waiver where they are destitute.

See the Home Office guidance on Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse for more information.

Hong Kong BN(O)

A person applying for further leave under the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route may qualify for a fee waiver if they:

have had the NRPF restricted lifted
are receiving public funds
cannot afford the application fee or Immigration Health Surcharge

For more information, see the Home Office guidance on the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route.

Fee waivers for child citizenship applications

A child under 18 who is applying to register as a British citizen may qualify for a fee waiver.

A child will qualify for a fee waiver where the applicant and their parent or parents demonstrate that:

they cannot afford the fee
their income is insufficient to meet the child's essential needs

Children who are looked after by a local authority are exempt from paying the citizenship registration fee.

A family receiving accommodation and financial support from social care services may qualify for a fee waiver. The local authority will need to provide evidence of any support being provided and may be contacted by the Home Office for further information.

For more information, see the Home Office guidance Affordability fee waiver: Citizenship registration for individuals under the age of 18 and the Child citizenship fee waiver request form.