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UNITED KINGDOM – Visa fee changes and airside transit ETA exemption.
January 20, 2025
By: Jaana Hennessy, Senior Manager, Immigration, Newland Chase
The UK government has announced that following a review of visa fees, a number of changes were laid before Parliament on January 16, 2025. These changes will provide flexibility to increase the maximum fee that can be charged on a range of immigration and nationality products and services.
The government has set out its intention to increase the following fees:
- The UK Electronic Travel Authorization fee will increase to £16;
- The Certificate of Sponsorship on work routes will increase to £525;
- The fee for Naturalisation as a British citizen will increase to £1,605;
- Fees for a range of nationality services will increase.
When approved by Parliament, the proposed new fees will be introduced by amending separate legislation—the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018—as soon as parliamentary time allows.
The UK Government keeps all fees under review. The migration and border system faces considerable funding challenges, with the government acting to reduce the level of taxpayer funding that would otherwise be required.
Airside transit ETA exemption effective from Thursday, January 16, 2025.
The government has agreed a temporary exemption from needing an ETA for passengers who transit airside without passing through the UK border. This move will primarily affect Heathrow and Manchester Airports as the only UK airports which currently offer transit facilities. The exemption will be kept under review.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.
