Big increase in the cost of UK visas will hit South Africans hard
The UK Government has announced that it will double the current Immigration Health Surcharge from December 2018.
According to Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants, the new immigration health surcharge will also double the amount payable by all visa applicants.
“At present, the Immigration Health Surcharge payable by a person applying for a UK visa is £200 (R3,782) per year. All visa applicants, will thus henceforth pay £400 (R7,564) per year,” it explained.
“A client applying for a UK Ancestry Visa for a period of five-years will thus be liable to pay a very hefty £2,000 (R37,824) from December 2018.
“Applicants in the Student Visa and Youth Mobility Visa category pay a lower discounted surcharge. The surcharge for the discounted categories is £150 per year, per applicant. They will in from December 2018 pay £300 per year, per applicant,” it said.
Breytenbachs noted that persons applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and British Citizenship do not have to pay the immigration health surcharge.
In addition, vulnerable groups, such as slavery victims and asylum seekers are exempt while the Immigration Health Surcharge is also not payable by applicants for Visitor visas.
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