The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has recently undertaken a review of the fees charged for visa and consular services, both in the UK and Overseas. On 18 March 2009 Her Majesty in Council approved the Consular Fees Order 2009. This revokes and replaces the Consular Fees Order 2008. The Government are today announcing changes to the consular fees to be charged under this order with effect from 9 April 2009.
Fees for passport applications made in the United Kingdom remain at current levels whereas the fees for passport applications made abroad including applications for temporary and emergency passports have increased. A new emergency travel document is also being introduced during 2009-10 and is priced at £89. This is a more secure and internationally acceptable document than the emergency and temporary passports currently used and is correspondingly more expensive. Most travel insurance policies permit recovery of expenditure incurred in relation to the loss of a passport and all British nationals should ensure their policy includes this form of cover.
The fees for both standard and premium legalisation services have increased in line with inflation, and a new fee of £37 is to be introduced for legalisation services requested overseas, where the processing is carried out in whole or in part in the United Kingdom. A new fee for translating passport details into Arabic as part of the entry requirements for Libya is being introduced.
Fees for receiving applications for entry clearance to Commonwealth countries, British overseas territories and Crown dependencies continue to be charged in the order and have increased since last year. The fees for entry clearance for visitors to the Crown dependencies have been amended to reflect the longer periods for which such entry clearances can now be obtained.
Other consular fees, representing a range of services performed at posts abroad, are also set to increase.
It is right that those who benefit from consular services should meet the cost of them, rather than the UK taxpayer. The new fees represent the full economic cost of what we do, and will ensure that British missions continue to provide a high standard of service to consular customers.
The new fees are included in the attached table.
Legalisation Fee £ 1. Attesting or legalising a signature or seal except where— (a) the signature or seal is on a certificate or survey of foreign passenger ships running to or from the United Kingdom, or (b) the signature or seal is on a document required for the deposit or withdrawal of money in or from any British Post Office or other Government Savings Bank, or (c) the signature or seal is in connection with stocks or bonds on the registers of the Post Office, with Savings Bank annuities or with annuities granted direct by the National Debt Commissioners— (i) Standard service, unless fee 1 (ii) applies (in addition to direct costs if any) 28.00 (ii) Standard service where the request for the service is made outside of the United Kingdom but processing is carried out in whole or in part within the United Kingdom (in addition to direct costs if any) 37.00 (iii) Premium service (in addition to direct costs if any) 69.00 2. Obtaining a legalisation or other certification from another authority upon any document (in addition to direct costs if any) 45.00
Notarial and Related Matters Fee £ 3. Preparing any certificate, declaration, legitimation or document not listed elsewhere in this Schedule— (a) in standard form, for every copy 36.00 (b) not in standard form, for every 100 words— (i) in English 45.00 (ii) in any other language 71.00 4. Preparing or signing, or both, a declaration of existence— 17.00 Except in connection with pay or pensions payable by a Department of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, or the Government of any other Commonwealth country 5. Administering an oath or attesting the signature on a declaration or affirmation except where— 53.00 (a) the oath, declaration or affirmation is made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 or in connection with the loss of a passport (b) fee 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 31, 34, 40, 46, or 47 is to be taken 6. Supplying witnesses, for each witness 21.00 7. Initialling alterations in any document not prepared by the consular officer or marking exhibits, for each initialling or marking 11.00 8. Making or verifying (including certifying when necessary) a copy of a document— (a) in typescript, for each page 36.00 (b) reproduced by electronic means outside the consular premises, for each page 36.00 (c) reproduced by electronic means within the consular premises, for each page (with a minimum charge of £25) 5.00 9. Uniting documents and sealing the fastening (except where fee 47 is applicable) 21.00 10. Affixing a photograph to a document not prepared by the consular officer, and if necessary, certifying it (except where fee 16,17, or 18 is applicable) 21.00 11. Supplying certified copies of documents which form part of the records of a court which is, or was formerly, established under the Foreign Jurisdiction Acts 1890 and 1913, for each page 63.00 12. Making or verifying (including certifying when necessary) a written translation, for every 100 words or characters written in the foreign language (except where fee 33, 34 or 49 is to be taken)— (a) from or into Amharic, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean (three Japanese Kana count as one character when used independently) 71.00 (b) from or into any other language 45.00 13. Translating and interpreting viva voce except when performing official duties, for every 15 minutes 32.00
Passport Applications Made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Fee £ 14. Administering an application made abroad, including applications for replacing an expired passport, replacing a passport of restricted validity with a new passport of full validity, issuing a new passport with amended personal details and replacing a lost or stolen passport and, if the application is successful, providing a 32 page passport— (a) where the applicant is aged 16 years or over (in addition to direct costs if any) 124.00 (b) where the applicant is under 16 years old (for a passport valid for 5 years) (in addition to direct costs if any) 79.00 15. Administering an application made abroad, including applications for replacing an expired passport, replacing a passport of restricted validity with a new passport of full validity, issuing a new passport with amended personal details and replacing a lost or stolen passport and, if the application is successful, providing a 48 page passport (in addition to direct costs if any) 150.00 16. Administering an application made abroad and, if the application is successful, providing an Emergency Passport 69.00 17. Administering an application made abroad and, if the application is successful, providing a Temporary Passport valid for not more than one year 89.00 18. Administering an application made abroad and, if the application is successful providing an Emergency Travel Document 89.00
Passport Applications Made in the United Kingdom Fee £ 19. Administering an application made in the United Kingdom, including applications for replacing an expired passport, replacing a passport of restricted validity with a new passport of full validity, issuing a new passport with amended personal details and replacing a lost or stolen passport and, if the application is successful, issuing a 32 page passport— (a) for applications made by post— (i) where the applicant is aged 16 years and over 72.00 (ii) where the applicant is under 16 years old (for a passport valid for 5 years) 46.00 (b) for applications made in person— (i) where the applicant is aged 16 years or over using the fast-track service 97.00 (ii) where the applicant is under 16 years old (for a passport valid for 5 years) using the fast-track service 81.00 (iii) where the applicant is aged 16 years or over using the fast-track collect service 109.00 (iv) where the applicant is under 16 years old (for a passport valid for 5 years) using the fast-track collect service 91.00 (v) where the applicant is aged 16 years or over using the premium service 114.00 (vi) where the applicant is under 16 years old (for a passport valid for 5 years) using the premium service 94.00 20. Administering an application made in the United Kingdom, including applications for replacing an expired passport, replacing a passport of restricted validity with a new passport of full validity, issuing a new passport with amended personal details and replacing a lost and stolen passport and, if the application is successful, issuing a 48 page passport— (a) for applications made by post 85.00 (b) for applications made in person— (i) using the fast-track service 105.00 (ii) using the fast-track collect service 109.00 (iii) using the premium service 123.00 21. Administering an application made in the United Kingdom and, if the application is successful, issuing a collective passport— (a) for applications made by post 39.00 (b) for applications made in person 54.00
Other Documents Relating to Travel or Entry into the UK, Commonwealth, Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and Libya Fee £ 22. Preparing or forwarding, or both, any letter, certificate, declaration or other document which may be required by an authority in any country or territory in connection with an application for or the issue or renewal of an entry clearance (for a country or territory for which the consular officer does not himself have authority to issue entry clearance), a residence permit or identity card or forwarding any other certificate or document (except a Home Office travel document and applications for registration and naturalisation) 63.00 23. Renewing a Travel Certificate, a certificate of identity or other travel document on behalf of a Commonwealth country or of a dependency of a Commonwealth country (except where fee 25 is to be taken) 63.00 24. Renewing a Travel Certificate, a certificate of identity or other travel document on behalf of a Crown Dependency or a British overseas territory (except where fee 25 is to be taken) 63.00 25. Revalidating or renewing a Seaman's Certificate of Nationality and Identity or a Seaman's Identity Book (in addition to fee 22 where applicable) 63.00 26. Providing a passport stamp setting out the format of an Arabic transcript of the passport's details page, as required by the Libyan authorities for entry into Libya 11.00 27. Receiving an application for entry clearance to a Commonwealth country or British overseas territory 47.00 28. Receiving, outside the United Kingdom, an application for— (a) entry clearance to the Crown Dependencies— (i) as a visitor, in each case for single, double and multiple entries valid— (aa) for up to six months from the date of issue 67.00 (bb) for between six months and up to two years from the date of issue 215.00 (cc) for between two years and up to five years from the date of issue 400.00 (dd) for between five years and up to ten years from the date of issue 500.00 (ii) for settlement 585.00 (iii) as a student 145.00 (iv) outside the Immigration Rules on an application by entertainers in accordance with Chapter 17 Section 3 of the Home Office Immigration Directorate's Instructions 67.00 (v) outside the Immigration Rules on an application by sportsmen and women in accordance with Chapter 17 Section 8 of the Home Office Immigration Directorate's Instructions 67.00 (vi) outside the Immigration Rules on an application by voluntary workers in accordance with Chapter 17 Section 9 of the Home Office Immigration Directorate’s Instructions 125.00 (vii) For any purpose other than those listed sub-paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) listed above 215.00 (b) a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the Crown Dependencies 215.00
Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships Fee £ 29. Receiving notice of an intended marriage, civil partnership or overseas relationship, including an application for a Nulla Osta 63.00 30. Solemnising or attending a marriage under the Foreign Marriage Acts 1892 and 1947: administering oaths to the parties and registering the marriage 134.00 31. Registering a civil partnership under the Civil Partnership (Registration Abroad and Certificates) Order 2005 134.00 32. Issuing in English or in the local language a certificate that no impediment to an intended marriage or civil partnership has been shown to exist or issuing a “certificate de coutume” or a Nulla Osta for an intended marriage or intended overseas relationship in accordance with local law 63.00 33. Forwarding a record of a marriage under the local law to the appropriate Registrar General in accordance with the Foreign Marriage Order 1970, including the provision of any necessary certification 36.00 34. Forwarding a record of an overseas relationship to the appropriate Registrar General in accordance with the Civil Partnership (Registration Abroad and Certificates) Order 2005, including the provision of any necessary certification 36.00 35. Administering an application for the registry of a birth or a death (in addition to fee 37 where applicable) 98.00 36. Making an addition to or correction in the consular register of births, deaths, marriages or civil partnerships at the request of the parties concerned 36.00 37. Issuing a certified copy of an entry in the consular register of births, deaths, marriages or civil partnerships (in addition to fee 38 or 35 where applicable) 63.00
Searches Fee £ 38. Making a search in (in addition to fee 3(a) and 37 where applicable)— (a) the consular registers of births, deaths, marriages or civil partnerships where the number or date of entry is not provided 63.00 (b) the records of the Identity and Passport Service where the request originates in the United Kingdom 15.00 (c) any other records or archives of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom 109.00 (d) naturalisation, registration or renunciation records kept by a consular officer 76.00 39. Having a search made for, or attempting to obtain copies of, or both, entries in the local registers or records of local authorities responsible for births, marriages or overseas relationships or any other document, irrespective of whether an entry or record or any other document is found or obtained after a period of 18 months (in addition to direct costs exceeding £5.00 if any) 128.00
Nationality and Registration Fee £ 40. Administering an oath of British Citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981 at a citizenship ceremony 80.00 41. Preparing or forwarding, or both, an application for registration, naturalisation or renunciation to the Home Office 63.00 42. Preparing or forwarding, or both, any other application requested by any Department of Her Majesty’s Government 63.00 43. Supervising a knowledge of life test for naturalisation under the British Nationality Act 1981 in consular premises 128.00
Estates Fee £ 44. Administering fully or partly, safeguarding, or arranging the transmission of all or part of the personal effects and other estate of a deceased person or if sold, the proceeds, except for the wages and personal effects of a seaman. Except where the gross current market value is less than £1,000; charge based on the amount of the gross current market value 2% rounded to the nearest £10.00 However where a local lawyer is employed and consular officer’s actions are nominal 81.00
Attendances Fee £ 45. Attending (except in connection with trade and investment enquiries) for each hour or part hour. The time taken will include reasonable travelling time from the consular premises and return or out of office hours to the consular or other premises and return— (a) at the consular premises or elsewhere during office hours except when attending to supervise an examination for two or more persons sitting examinations at the same time when the fee may be apportioned between them 128.00 (b) at the consular premises or elsewhere outside office hours 128.00 up to a maximum in any 24 hour period for each consular officer of 922.00
Matters Relating to Legal Proceedings Fee £ 46. Presiding at the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a Court, including any action by the consular officer as examiner— (a) for up to two hours on the first day 255.00 (b) for each additional hour or part hour 128.00 47. Providing evidence of service or attempted service (in addition to fee 45 or 48) 128.00 48. Providing the services of a consular officer or consular employee— (a) to assist the consular officer in the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a Court, for each such person— for each hour or part hour 128.00 (b) to affect or endeavour to affect service of a document, for each hour or part hour outside the consular premises— during office hours 128.00 outside office hours 160.00 49. Forwarding a request to a local authority for the taking of evidence or the service of a document, where necessary, certifying the accuracy of a translation accompanying the document 128.00
Repatriation and Financial Assistance Fee £ 50. Arranging the repatriation of a person or members of the same family travelling together 128.00 51. Arranging, in exceptional circumstances, for currency to be made available against the deposit of funds with Her Majesty’s Government by any means (in addition to fee 45 where payable). The applicable fee will depend on the value of the sums being deposited as follows: (a) £0-£50 8.00 (b) £51-£100 16.00 (c) £101-£500 32.00 (d) £501-£1500 74.00 (e) >£1500 90.00
Shipping, Seamen and Related Matters Fee £ 52. Granting or considering whether to grant a provisional certificate of registry, whether the owner is a private individual or body corporate 373.00 53. Receiving a return of the birth or death of any person on board a ship and endorsing the agreement with the crew accordingly 54.00 54. Examining or arranging for the examination of provisions or water, payable by the party who proves to be in default (in addition to any cost of a survey) 54.00 55. Noting a marine protest and furnishing one certified copy if required and for each further copy 45.00 56. Extending a marine protest, filing the original and furnishing one certified copy if required (in addition to fee 1 and 3 where applicable)— (a) for up to 200 words, excluding the declaratory clause 107.00 (b) for every subsequent 100 words or less 45.00 57. Making a request, or issuing or arranging for the issue of a document, in connection with a survey of a ship (in addition to fee 8 where applicable)— (a) for the purposes of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) or of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by its Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL) 71.00 (b) for any other purpose 128.00 58. Issuing a bill of health 45.00 59. Preparing or signing, or both, any document, whether required by the Merchant Shipping Acts or by the local authorities, relating to the master or the members of the crew of a ship, to their numbers, names or other details, or to their engagement, discharge, desertion or death (except where fee 53 is taken in addition to fee 45, or a death inquiry is held under section 271 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995) 71.00 60. Signing and, if required, sealing any documents at the request of the master of the ship (except where this is required under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, or fee 59 is taken) 71.00 61. Inspecting— (a) a ship’s papers when required to enable a consular officer to do any matter or thing in respect of a ship (except where fee 59 is taken in addition to fee 45) 53.00 (b) the marking of a ship, irrespective of the number of visits (in addition to fee 45) 53.00
Payments Using Credit Cards Fee £ 62. Receiving payments by credit card on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government where no other fee is chargeable under this Order. The applicable fee will be equal to the credit card charges incurred