Table Of Contents:
- What is a UK Visa Fee Waiver Application
- Who can apply for a UK Visa Fee Waiver
- Applying to enter the UK
- Applying to Remain in the UK
- How to Achieve Success for Fee Waiver Applications
- What Happens After the UK Visa Fee Waiver Request Is Approved
- Summary
Many foreign nationals in the UK consider applying for permission to remain in the UK. However, due to the recent increase in UK immigration applications, many families are finding it hard to take the step to move. This has caused many families either remain separated or forget the prospects of immigration. However, these families need to know that the UK provides a “Fee Waiver” option. The UK visa fee waiver allows you to have the visa fees required for applications for leave to remain in the UK waived, should you qualify. However, you will need to meet very strict requirements for this type of application.
What is a UK Visa Fee Waiver Application?
If you are applying for leave to remain in the UK, you will be required to pay the immigration application fee. Additionally, you may also be required to pay the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) for yourself and any dependants. However, if you and your sponsor cannot afford to pay the fee and/or IHS, you may be able to apply for a UK visa fee waiver. This means if you are granted a fee waiver, you will not be required to pay a visa application fee or immigration health surcharge, or both.
A UK visa fee waiver request is an application you can make if you are unable to pay the UK immigration fees or Immigration Health Surcharge, or both. If you do pay the fees, it will be incompatible with your human rights.
Who can apply for a UK Visa Fee Waiver?
A fee waiver can help you in case you cannot afford the costs (application cost, immigration health surcharge, and others) associated with specific immigration applications. The Home Office may typically grant you fee waivers for immigration applications where financial hardship could prevent your access to essential immigration rights, particularly those based on human rights claims.
There are specific types of applications eligible for a fee waiver. This includes applications made to enter or remain in the UK. However, fee waiver applications are mostly made for leave to remain applications.
Applying to enter the UK
You may qualify for a fee waiver if you are applying from overseas to come to the UK based on the right to family or private life under Article 8 of the ECHR. This covers routes such as:
• Family members under Appendix FM where your sponsor is a British citizen or present and settled in the UK
• Partner or a child of a member of HM Armed Forces
• Individuals with refugee or humanitarian protection status in the UK
Applying to Remain in the UK
You may qualify for a fee waiver when seeking permission to stay in the UK under the following conditions:
• You’re a partner, parent, or dependant child of someone who is a family visa holder or holds permission to stay in the UK on the basis of their private life
• You’ve got LOTR (Leave outside the Immigration Rules) or Discretionary Leave on human rights grounds, where you were refused refugee status or humanitarian protection
• You have permission to stay in the UK because you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking
Your family members (e.g., a spouse/partner, civil partner, unmarried partner, or dependent children) must also be included in your fee waiver request if you are applying with them and they are part of the same application for permission to stay.
How to Achieve Success for Fee Waiver Applications?
Please note that the criteria for a fee waiver are very hard to meet and prove. You will need to provide extensive documentation to qualify and achieve success.
Here are some crucial points to remember to achieve success in a UK visa fee waiver request.
1. Apply Well in Time
You must apply and receive a decision on the UK visa fee waiver request before you apply for your visa extension. There is no set timeframe within which the Home Office may respond to your fee waiver application. Your fee waiver request can take months for a decision to come through. Therefore, you should apply for the fee waiver well in advance.
Please note that, if you have applied for a fee waiver before your existing visa expires, you will usually be allowed to continue to remain in the UK with retaining all previous rights, until you receive a decision on your application, even if your visa expires during this time.
2. Meet the Affordability Test
You will need to prove to the Home Office that you cannot afford to pay the fee because you and your sponsor:
• Neither have a place to live in the UK nor can you afford one
• Have a place to live in the UK but cannot afford essential living costs such as food, heating, or utilities, such as rent, bills, etc.
• Have a very low income, and if you pay the fee, it would harm your child’s well-being
3. Provide Evidence in Support of Your Claim
You should provide as much evidence as possible to support your claim. When you apply for a visa fee waiver, you’ll need to show detailed evidence of your financial situation. So, it’s a good idea to gather all documents before you start the process.
Providing the following documents will ensure you achieve success in your application.
a. Your identity documents, such as your passport, national identity card, and BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) – you can use it for 18 months after the expiry date printed on the card. All BRPs have now expired and have been replaced by eVisas.
b. Evidence of your financial situation, such as the following:
• Bank statements for the last 6 months
• Payslips for the last six months or tax return, if employed
• Letters from local authorities or family members showing that you get financial support
• Evidence to show you get public benefits
• Evidence of your household earnings, for example, payslips
• Evidence of your household expenses, for example, how much rent you pay
The Home Office may also ask you to provide additional evidence about the financial situation of your partner or dependants.
4. Be Honest and Accurate in Your Application
To apply for a UK visa fee waiver, be honest and accurate in your application by clearly stating your circumstances and providing strong supporting documentation. Explain truthfully why you need the waiver, referencing eligibility criteria such as specific immigration statuses, financial hardship, or refugee status. Prepare yourself to present the necessary evidence to support your claims
5. Contact a Specialist for Help
Even if you are eligible for a fee waiver, apply in time, and provide enough evidence, navigating the UK visa fee waiver process still can be daunting. However, by taking a specialist’s guidance, your chances of achieving success are maximised.
What Happens After the UK Visa Fee Waiver Request Is Approved?
If your fee waiver application is successful, you will receive, from the Home Office, a decision email or letter containing personalised waiver code (called a ‘token’). You’ll then need to apply, within 28 days of getting your decision email or letter, for your main visa and give your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo). If you fail to apply within the 28-day window, your waiver may become invalid, and you’d need to make a new fee waiver request before proceeding.
Summary
UK visa fee waiver allows you to get a UK visa for free, provided you are eligible and successfully prove to the Home Office that you cannot afford to pay the visa cost. You may apply for a fee waiver of the visa application or Immigration Health Surcharge, or both.
It is important to plan ahead for your UK visa fee waiver request, as well as your application for leave to remain. It is a good idea to start preparing for your fee waiver application a few weeks before your existing leave to remain expires. It is also advised to start collecting documentation and evidence well ahead of your fee waiver application.
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