Table Of Content
1. Spouse Visa Application Fee
2. Immigration Health Surcharge
3. Registration Of Biometric Fee
4. Priority (Premium) Visa Services Fee
5. Visa Immigration Lawyer Fees
6. Document Translations Cost
7. TB Test Cost
8. English Language Test Cost
9. Currency Conversion Fee
10. Miscellaneous costs
UK spouse visa is a visa route allowing a partner or spouse of a British citizen or a person settled in the UK to join them in the UK. You can apply for a fresh UK spouse visa from outside the UK or switch to a UK spouse visa from inside the UK. Though the purpose of a UK spouse visa is to unite married partners it comes at a cost. You need to pay visa application fees, immigration health surcharge, and various other fees making UK spouse visa application a costly affair.
Thus, it becomes important for you to know the various fees associated with a UK spouse visa before you proceed with an application. Here we are bringing you all those fees as things to know before applying.
Thus, we have brought you the top 10 FAQ about UK student visas and here are they
1. Spouse Visa Application Fee
The standard application fee to be paid to the Home Office if you apply from outside the UK is £1,846 and if you apply from inside the UK to switch to a UK spouse visa is £1,258.
The fee for dependents when applying from outside the UK is £1,846 per person and £1,258 per person when applying from inside the UK.
These fees are subject to change every year.
If you cannot pay the application fee you can fill in the fee waiver application form to get the fee waived for you.
2. Immigration Health Surcharge
UK offers National Health Service (NHS) which gives migrants access to the UK’s health system during their stay in the UK. For this visa, applicants need to pay a fee.
For a UK Spouse Visa, you need to pay an immigration health surcharge of £1,035 per year. So, if you are granted an initial leave of 2 years and 6 months the HIS that you would have to pay would be £2,587.50.
If you have a dependent child under 18 then the IHS for him/her is £776 per year making it £1,940 for an initial leave of 2 years 6 months.
3. Registration Of Biometric Fee
Registration of biometrics means you need to submit your fingerprints and photographs during the application process at a visa application center. If you submit your biometric in the UK the fee for it is £19.20.
If you submit your biometric information in your country the costs are included in the visa application center’s service fee.
4. Priority (Premium) Visa Services Fee
You can use this service if you are given an option for it to make a quick decision on your UK spouse visa application. You need to pay £500 for it in addition to the spouse visa application fee.
The spouse visa priority service is available for applicants applying from outside the UK only as of today.
When you avail priority visa service you can expect to get a decision on your application within 30 working days.
Alternatively, there is a super priority visa service also available for those who want quicker decisions. They need to pay for it and the amount to avail of super priority service is £1,000.
You can expect a decision by the end of the next working day or within 2 working days if your identity confirmation happens over a weekend or bank holiday.
5. Visa Immigration Lawyer Fees
This is not mandatory for applicants to seek an expert’s help and thus this cost does not apply to everyone applying for a UK spouse visa. But this is always in your best interest that you seek an expert immigration lawyer’s or advisor’s help before, during, and after the visa application. How much you need to pay for it depends on the case’s complexity, the number of applications, and the lawyer’s experience. However, you should budget for it from £500 to £2,500.
6. Document Translations Cost
All the documents required for a UK spouse visa must be in English or Welsh language. If one or more documents are not in either of these two languages, then documents must be translated in either English or Welsh language. Translated documents must be produced alongside a copy of the document in their original language.
The cost you need to pay for translation depends on the number of documents and number of pages in each document requiring translation and the service provider, but applicants should budget around £50 to £200 for translation services.
7. TB Test Cost
This cost does not apply to applicants applying from within the UK. This cost also does not apply to all UK spouse visa applicants applying from outside the UK. But if you come from a country where it is mandatory to take a TB test then it will incur a cost for you. The TB test fee can vary between £65 and £110 – depending on the specific TB test center.
8. English Language Test Cost
If you come from an English-speaking country, you don’t need to pass the English language requirement. But if you are applying from a non-English speaking country and you need to sit for a Secure English Language test (SELT) to meet the English language requirement it will incur extra costs for you. The test typically costs £150. This cost is for the one-time attempt. If you have to sit for another attempt due to failure in the first attempt, you will have to pay the same fee again.
9. Currency Conversion Fee
This is not applicable for those applying from inside the UK because they have to pay the fees in the local currency which is the British pound. But those applying from outside the UK usually have to pay in Euros, USD, or another currency instead of British pounds depending on the country they are applying from. So, they need to pay a currency exchange rate which can lead to paying 5% more or less in the local currency.
10. Miscellaneous Costs
There are other miscellaneous costs that a UK spouse visa applicant may have to pay. These costs include obtaining a marriage certificate, a police certificate, and travel costs to attend appointments.
Thus, it is clear that the total fee or cost for a UK spouse visa is not the same for all applicants. However, some mandatory fees apply to all applicants such as spouse visa application fee and spouse visa healthcare surcharge. There are other optional services for which you need to pay a fee such as availing spouse visa priority or super-priority service, taking an immigration lawyer’s advice, etc. Other costs depend on applicants’ circumstances such as whether they have to take an English language test, TB test, document translation service, etc.