Proposed Changes to UK Immigration Fees in 2025: What You Need to Know

On 16 January 2025, the UK government proposed a series of immigration fee increases under the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025. These changes aim to reduce taxpayer funding for the UK's migration system by increasing the financial contributions required from visa applicants, sponsors, and migrants applying for citizenship.

The proposed increases affect several key areas, including visa sponsorship, naturalisation, and the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Employers, visa applicants, and individuals applying for British citizenship should review these changes to understand how they may impact immigration costs.

For a breakdown of the current government fees, use our visa fees calculator.

Proposed Immigration Fee Increases for 2025

The key proposed fee increases under the 2025 amendment order include:

• Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): Increasing from £10 to £16 per application.
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Rising from £239 to £525, significantly increasing costs for UK employers sponsoring skilled workers.
• Naturalisation as a British Citizen: Increasing from £1,500 to £1,605, making the path to UK citizenship more expensive.
• Naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories Citizen: Rising from £1,000 to £1,070.

These fee changes will impact individuals applying for British citizenship, employers sponsoring workers, and travellers using the new ETA system.

If you are an employer, you can explore the sponsor management system (SMS) to understand your obligations and costs.

Impact on UK Employers Sponsoring Skilled Workers

Employers who rely on sponsored workers under the skilled worker visa route will see a significant increase in sponsorship costs. The increase in the certificate of sponsorship (CoS) fee will make hiring overseas talent more expensive.

Employers should also consider the following additional costs associated with sponsorship:

• Sponsor licence application fees
• Sponsor licence fees for small and large companies
• Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) paid per sponsored worker

To plan ahead, employers should check how long a sponsor licence takes and consider using the Sponsor Licence Priority Service for faster processing.

ETA Fee Increase: Impact on Visitors to the UK

The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system requires visa-exempt nationals to obtain pre-travel authorisation before entering the UK. This system is similar to the US ESTA and the EU ETIAS.

The ETA fee is increasing from £10 to £16, which will affect visitors from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Passengers transiting through Heathrow or Manchester airports will be temporarily exempt from the ETA requirement if they do not pass through UK border control. This decision follows feedback from the aviation industry and will be reviewed periodically.

For UK-bound travellers, these changes make it crucial to check the visa fees calculator before applying.

Next Steps: Parliamentary Approval and Implementation

The proposed immigration fee changes must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before they can take effect. If approved, the new fees will be introduced through amendments to the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018.

The UK government has not yet announced an official implementation date, but these fee changes could take effect as early as April 2025. Employers, visa applicants, and sponsors should prepare for increased costs accordingly.

For businesses hiring overseas workers, compliance with sponsor licence duties remains essential to avoid sponsor licence revocation.

How These Changes Affect Your Immigration Plans

For Employers

• Higher certificate of sponsorship fees mean an increased cost for hiring skilled workers.
• Sponsor licence costs will be a bigger financial consideration for businesses.
• Employers may need to reassess recruitment budgets and factor in the Immigration Skills Charge when hiring non-UK workers.

For Visa Applicants

• Higher naturalisation fees mean individuals applying for British citizenship should prepare for increased costs.
• Those applying for a health and care worker visa will face higher sponsorship costs.
• Travellers from visa-exempt countries will need to pay the higher ETA fee before visiting the UK.

To calculate the impact of these changes on your visa or sponsorship application, check our visa fees calculator.

Conclusion

The proposed 2025 UK immigration fee increases will significantly affect visa applicants, UK employers, and visitors. Businesses that sponsor workers should prepare for higher sponsorship costs, and individuals applying for British citizenship or travel authorisations should budget for increased government fees.

What You Can Do Next

• Employers: Review your hiring plans and ensure compliance with sponsor licence duties.
• Visa Applicants: Consider submitting applications before the new fee structure takes effect.
• Travellers: Check if your country requires an ETA before your trip to avoid any surprises.

If you need assistance navigating these changes, get in touch with our UK immigration experts today.

For further details, visit the official UK government announcement on immigration fees here.