How the Calculator Works

What the Calculator Does

The UK Visa Cost Calculator estimates the total government fees you are likely to pay when applying for a UK visa. It combines three main cost components:

1. The visa application fee — the fee paid to the Home Office to process your application.
2. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) — a separate upfront payment that gives you access to NHS services during your stay.
3. Optional service fees — such as Priority Service or Super Priority Service, if you choose to add them.

The calculator covers the main applicant and any dependants you add, and it applies the correct fee and IHS rate for each visa type.

Data Sources

All fee data used in this calculator is sourced from official UK government publications:

• Visa application fees: Home Office Immigration and Nationality Fees table (GOV.UK)
• Immigration Health Surcharge: GOV.UK IHS guidance
• Optional services: GOV.UK priority and super priority service guidance

Fee data was last reviewed in July 2025. UK visa fees are set by the Home Office and can change at any time, typically with effect from April each year. We review and update the data regularly, but we cannot guarantee it reflects the most recent changes at all times.

How the IHS Is Calculated

The Immigration Health Surcharge is calculated as follows:

The calculator applies the correct rate for each visa type:

The visa duration you enter is rounded up to the nearest whole year for IHS purposes. For example, a visa of 2 years and 6 months is treated as 3 years for IHS calculation. This matches the method used by the official GOV.UK IHS payment service.

Optional Services

The calculator includes three optional service fees that you can add to your estimate:

The calculator checks whether each optional service is available for the selected visa type and shows a warning if you select a service that is not available for that route.

What the Estimate Does NOT Include

The calculator focuses on the main government fees. The following costs are not included in the estimate and should be budgeted for separately:

• Immigration solicitor or adviser fees — these vary widely and are optional but often recommended.
• English language test fees — typically £150–£200 for an approved SELT.
• Biometric enrolment fees — charged at overseas visa application centres; varies by country.
• Document translation costs — required for documents not in English.
• Tuberculosis (TB) test fees — required for applicants from certain countries.
• Life in the UK test fee — £50 per attempt (required for ILR and citizenship).
• Citizenship ceremony fee — typically £80–£100, charged by local councils.
• Immigration Skills Charge — paid by the employer, not the applicant, for Skilled Worker visas.
• Global Talent / Innovator Founder endorsement fees — charged by endorsing bodies, separate from the visa fee.
• Maintenance funds — money you must hold in your bank account (not a fee, but a requirement).

Assumptions and Limitations

The calculator makes the following assumptions:

• Standard (non-new-entrant) rate for Skilled Worker: The calculator defaults to the standard rate. If you qualify as a new entrant (under 26, switching from a Student/Graduate visa, or working in certain roles), you can select the new entrant option to apply the lower rate.
• IHS rounded up to nearest year: This matches the official GOV.UK IHS payment service behaviour.
• Dependants pay the same visa fee as the main applicant for most visa types. Where dependants are not permitted (e.g. Youth Mobility Scheme), the calculator shows a warning and excludes dependant fees.
• Priority and Super Priority services are per application, not per person. The calculator adds these once regardless of the number of applicants.
• Fees are in GBP (£) and reflect the rates in force as of July 2025.

Important Disclaimer

Feedback and Corrections

If you notice a fee that appears to be out of date or incorrect, please contact us. We take accuracy seriously and will review and update the data as quickly as possible.