UK visas are about to get a lot more expensive for South Africans
Visa fees for those outside of the UK, including South Africans, will be significantly increased due to public sector wage increases in the country.
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has recently been put under pressure following a call to increase the pay of teachers, police, doctors and other public sector workers. This resulted in Sunak confirming the UK would hike public sector wages by between 5% and 7% across the board.
However, in a media briefing on Thursday (13 July), Sunak said the money needed to fund this increase would not come from the country’s already cash-strapped citizens, nor would the government borrow more money in fear of raising inflation.
Alternatively, the Prime Minister said that he would find the money needed through two other avenues, which included a substantial increase in the cost of UK visas for foreign visitors.
“We (the UK) are going to increase the charges that we have for migrants who are coming to this country when they apply for visas and indeed something called the immigration health surcharge (IHS), which is the levy that they pay to access the country’s National Health Service (NHS),” he said.
He further noted that these increases would raise over £1 billion, “so across the board visa application fees are going to go up significantly and similarly for the IHS“.
Sunak added that this was “entirely right” as these fees have not been increased in recent years, and the government believes it is appropriate given that the administrative costs have risen since the last hike.
While he failed to provide details on when the hikes would come and by how much the fees for visas would increase, this will undoubtedly impact South Africans’ decisions regarding whether or not to visit the UK – given that these fees are already expensive due to the weakness of the rand.
To give you an idea of what the cost of a UK visa is, the current prices for various visas in 2023 are given in the table below, as outlined by Sable International.
It must be noted that the rand conversions of the current prices are accurate as of 14 July 2023.
| Visa type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Ancestry visa | £531 (R12,563) |
| Partner/spouse visa | £1,538 (R36,388) |
| Innovator Founder visa | £1,036 (R24,510) |
| Senior or Specialist Worker visa (more than 3 years) | £1,235 (R29,219) |
| Senior or Specialist Worker visa (less than 3 years) | £625 (R14,786) |
| Skilled Worker visa – shortage occupation (less than 3 years) | £479 (R11,333) |
| Skilled Worker visa – shortage occupation (more than 3 years) | £943 (R22,310) |
| Health and Care visa (less than 3 years) | £247 (R5,844) |
| Health and Care visa (more than 3 years) | £479 (R11,333) |
| Student visa | £490 (R11,593) |
| Youth Mobility Scheme visa | £259 (R6,128) |
| Visitor visa (6 months) | £100 (R2,366) |
| Visitor visa (2 years) | £376 (R8,896) |
According to Sable International, the IHS surcharge applies for those visiting the UK for more than six months and paying this surcharge gives you access to free basic medical care while you are in the UK.
The IHS is an upfront fee that is paid in full along with your visa application. The amount you’ll have to pay depends on which visa you are applying for and how long you’ll be staying in the UK.
The current fee is £624 (R14,763). If you’re applying for an Ancestry visa which is valid for five years, you’ll have to pay £3,120 (R73,816) upfront as part of your application.
The IHS surcharges for other common visas are as follows:
- Spouse visa – £1,560 (R36,908)
- Spousal extension – £1,560 (R36,908)
- Youth Mobility Scheme – £1,240 (R29,337)
- Student visa – £470 (R11,120) per year.
Read: Big visa change could make it easier for South Africans to get work in Germany
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