UK to increase immigration fee

Home Office proposes fee hikes to reduce reliance on taxpayer funding.

UK Flag | Representational image | Commons

New Delhi: The UK Home Office announced plans to increase the maximum fees for various immigration and nationality products and services, including Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs), certificates of sponsorship, and naturalization applications. The proposed changes, laid out in Parliament Thursday, aim to reduce the migration and borders system’s reliance on taxpayer funding, a UK government release stated.

 

If approved, the new fees would see the ETA fee rise to £16, the certificate of sponsorship fee to £525, and the naturalization fee for British citizenship to £1,605. The fee for naturalization as a British overseas territories citizen would increase to £1,070, the release added.

The government estimates that the changes to ETAs, certificates of sponsorship, and nationality products will generate an additional £269 million annually. The move is part of the government’s “Plan for Change,” which aims to create a more streamlined, digital immigration system.

The introduction of ETAs, similar to systems in place in the U.S. and Australia, is intended to enhance border security and improve the experience for millions of travelers passing through the U.K. border each year. However, in response to feedback from the aviation industry, a temporary exemption has been granted for passengers who transit airside and do not pass through U.K. border control, the release said. This exemption will primarily benefit Heathrow and Manchester airports, the only U.K. airports currently offering transit facilities.