Indians will now have to pay significantly more for UK, Australia visas: Here's what's changing

Starting April 1, Indians planning a trip to the United Kingdom or Australia will have to pay extra for their visas. In line with the visa fee hike by the United States of America, the UK and Australia have released a new visa fee structure for international applicants.

This hike in visa fees is reportedly almost 13 per cent more than the current rates.

Who will be affected?

This visa fee hike will be applicable for various visa categories, including standard visitor visas, student visas, and work-related visas.

It is expected to impact Indian students and professionals seeking opportunities in the UK and Australia.

New UK visa fee structure

According to the revised visa and immigration fee structure, the UK government will now charge:

• A six-month standard visitor visa will now cost approximately ₹14,000 (£127) from the previous £115 ( ₹12,700).
• Long-term visit visas
  – A two-year visa – will now cost ₹52,392 (£475), previously £432.
  – The five-year visas will now be ₹93,533 (£848), up from £771.
  – Those seeking ten-year visas will have to pay ₹116,806 (£1,059), up from £963.
• Student visa fees
  – Regular student visa fees will go up from £490 to ₹57,796 (£524). The exact rate is applicable to the Child Student visa.
  – Short-term study visas for English language courses between 6-11 months will rise from £200 to ₹23,604 (£214).

• Work-related visas
  — Skilled Worker visa fee for stays up to three years will increase to ₹84,820 (£769).
  — The Innovator Founder visa fee will now be ₹140,520 (£1,274).
• Sponsorship costs for employers
  — A Certificate of Sponsorship will now cost ₹57,907 (£525). This is more than double the current £239.
  — Sponsor licence fees for large companies will rise to ₹174,162 (£1,579).
  — Sponsor licence fees for small businesses and charities will now have to pay ₹63,311 (£574).

A new ₹1,765 (£16) fee has also been introduced for the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This will apply to visa-exempt travellers from countries like the US and EU. The current charge is £10.

Tuition fees

The UK government has allowed England universities to raise their tuition fees in view of the current inflation. This fee has been frozen since 2017.

The current cap of ₹10,20,265 (£9,250) per year will increase gradually to ₹11,58,139 (£10,500) over five years. This is expected to affect students starting in their academic year in 2025–26.

Several Australian universities have also increased their international tuition fees from 2025, with some courses jumping by over 7 per cent.

The University of Melbourne will charge AUD 56,480 (approximately ₹30.36 lakh) per year for engineering and AUD 112,832 (approximately ₹60.66 lakh) for clinical medicine.

At the University of New South Wales (UNSW), most courses will cost AUD 58,560 per year. “International students contribute a major portion of revenue and cost pressures have made adjustments necessary,” it said.