Last year the Government introduced a new strategic approach to charging for immigration and nationality services. This meant that we moved away from simple cost recovery fees in a number of areas, setting fees at levels that reflect the value of the service to the would-be migrant. Certain fees saw increases which will help contribute to the doubling of resource for enforcement activity over the next few years. As set out in the “Enforcement Strategy” published in March 2007, this resource will help to continue building on our success in strengthening our borders and to ensure and enforce compliance with the immigration laws by those who we allow to come to the UK.
The Government review fees for immigration and nationality services on a regular basis and make appropriate changes as necessary. We believe that significant increases are not necessary for 2008-09 but that we should continue to develop the strategic approach of setting fees on the basis of the value of the service.
Some fees will continue to be set at or below levels that reflect the administrative costs of the service. These fees must be set out in regulations before both Houses of Parliament and are subject to the negative procedure. Those fees that are set at levels above the normal administrative costs of the service—either to allow us to set certain fees below cost recovery or to contribute to the true end-to-end costs of the immigration system—must also be specified in regulations before both Houses, but are subject to the affirmative process.
Yesterday I laid regulations setting fees for certain areas of the immigration system, including the first parts of the new Points Based System to be implemented.
These regulations propose fees for applications for:
Tier 1- General leave to remain;
A licence to sponsor prospective migrants who will apply to come to the UK under Tier 2;
Certain existing entry clearance routes;
Certificates of entitlement of right of abode.
These fees are set above normal cost recovery levels.
Today I am announcing our proposals for all the immigration and nationality fees we intend to charge during 2008-09 in order that Parliament may consider fee regulations made yesterday in context.
We will make regulations setting out other proposed fees for appropriate scrutiny by Parliament shortly before implementation, including for the rest of the Points Based System and for biometric ID cards.
Fees for new services under the Points Based System are proposed at broadly the same level as their existing comparator services. We do not intend to make further changes in 2008-09 to fees charged for applications made in the UK, including where a biometric ID card is to be issued to a successful applicant.
A full table of fees proposed for 2008-09 is set out below.
SERVICE 2007-08— fee £ Proposed fee £ Non-PBS Routes—Migrant Outside UK Work Permit visa 200 205 Visitor visa —long -term 200 205 Settlement visa 500 515 Other visa 200 205 Certificate of Entitlement 200 205 Visitor visa 63 65 Settlement visa 500 515 Direct Airside Transit Visa 44 45 Non- PBS Routes— Migrant Inside UK Travel Documents Adult 66 72 Travel Documents Child 45 46 Current Service Proposed New Service Current fee £ Proposed fee £ PBS Routes—Migrant outside UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme Approval Tl (General) 400 600 Long-term Visa Tl (General) 200 600 Long-term Visa Tl (transition) 200 200 PBS Routes—Migrant inside UK HSMP approval (switching) Tl (General)—Postal 400 750 HSMP LTR (switching) Tl (General)—Postal 350 750 HSMP LTR Tl (General)—Postal 350 750 N/A Tl (General)—PEO N/A 950 HSMP LTR Tl (transition)—Postal 350 350 PBS Sponsorship N/A T2 Sponsor licence—Small business / charity N/A 300 N/A T2 Sponsor licence—Medium/large Business N/A 1000 NB—These are indicative fees that we propose to charge but are subject to change until they are approved by Parliament.
SERVICE 2008-09 fee £ Student Visa 99 Permit free visa 99 ILR Postal 750 ILR PEO 950 Highly Skilled Migrant Programme approval 400 Business Case Unit LTR 750 Work Permit 190 Leave to remain Work Permit Postal 350 Leave to remain Work Permit PEO 550 Workers Registration Scheme 90 Leave to Remain Non Student Postal 395 Leave to Remain Non Student PEO 595 Leave to Remain Student Postal 295 Leave to Remain Student PEO 500 Certificate of Approval 295 Transfer of Conditions Postal 160 Transfer of Conditions PEO 500 Travel Documents Adult CID 210 Travel Documents Child CID 130 Nationality 6 (1) Single 575 Nationality 6 (1) Joint 575 Nationality 6 (2) Others 575 Nationality Registration Adult 400 Nationality Registration Single Minors 400 Nationality Registration Multiple Minors 400 Renunciation of Nationality 385 Nationality Right of Abode 135 Re-issued Certificates of Nationality 20
Current Service Proposed New Service 07/08 fee £ Proposed fee £ PBS RoutesMigrant outside UK Long-term Visa Tl (Innovators) 200 200 Long-term Visa Tl (Post Study) 200 205 Work Permit Visa T2 200 205 Student Visa T4 99 99 Performer, sports or voluntary worker visa T5 99-200 99 PBS Routes—Migrant inside UK Business Case Unit LTR Tl (Innovators) - Postal 750 750 N/A Tl (Innovators) - PEO N/A 950 Leave to Remain Non-Student Postal Tl (Post Study) - Postal 395 400 Leave to Remain Non-Student PEO Tl (Post Study) - PEO 595 600 Leave to Remain—WP employment Postal T2—Postal 350 400 Leave to Remain—WP employment PEO T2—PEO 550 600 Leave to Remain Student Postal T4—Postal 295 295 Leave to Remain Student PEO T4—PEO 500 500 Leave to Remain Non-Student Postal T5 - Postal 395 100 Leave to Remain Non-Student PEO T5—PEO 595 500 PBS Sponsorship N/A T4 Sponsor Licence N/A 400 N/A T5 Sponsor Licence N/A 400 N/A T2 & 4 Sponsor Licence—Small business N/A 400 N/A T2 & 4 Sponsor Licence—Medium/large Business N/A 1000 N/A T2 & 5 Sponsor Licence—Small business /charity N/A 400 N/A T2 & 5 Sponsor Licence —Medium/large business N/A 1000 N/A T4 & 5 Sponsor Licence N/A 400 N/A T2, 4 & 5 Sponsor Licence—Small business /charity N/A 400 N/A T2, 4 & 5 Licence—Medium/large business N/A 1000 Work Permit T2 Certificate of Sponsorship 190 170 N/A T4 Certificate of Sponsorship N/A 10 N/A T5 Certificate of Sponsorship N/A 10 New Services Biometric ID cards — £30 These are indicative fees that we propose to charge but are subject to change. Final proposed fees for each Tier, including sponsorship, will be set in subsequent regulations as the Points Based System is rolled out, and will not be final until they are approved by Parliament.