Cost of UK Visa From South Africa
South Africans need a valid visa to visit the UK as well as to live, work or study there. You will have to pay a processing fee to apply for any of the UK visas or immigration permissions.
How much one has to pay varies depending on their UK visa/permission type, the length of stay, and whether they are applying from within the UK or outside. For more information about the various UK visa fees, immigration health surcharge or other associated costs, how much you will have to pay for yourself and your dependants, or whether you can be exempt or eligible for a refund, speak with one of our expert immigration advisers on +44 (0) 3334149244 today or message us online.
What Is the UK Visa Cost From South Africa?
Visa-required country nationals are required to pay a processing fee as part of their UK visa/immigration application process. As South Africa is a visa-required country for the UK, you must pay the processing fee for both short stay and long stay visas to the UK.
Visa fees vary depending on your UK visa/permission type, the proposed length of your leave to remain, and where you are applying from (i.e., inside the UK or South Africa). There may also be associated costs over and above the processing fee and any applicable surcharges.
For example, if your original documents are not in English/Welsh, you will need to get certified translation copies for them which will cost you extra. Plus, if you want to opt for any premium services offered by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), they will come with an additional cost.
Keep in mind that the UK visa processing fee is non-refundable in nature, meaning even if the Home Office refuses your visa application, they will not refund you the fee. In addition to the processing fee, you may also have to pay an immigration health surcharge if you are applying for a long stay visa in the UK.
In certain cases, you may be exempt from paying the visa fees or surcharges, but the scope for it is quite limited.
Page Contents
- What Is the UK Visa Cost From South Africa?
- UK Visa Costs 2026
- If You Want to Visit the UK From South Africa
- If You Want to Work or Run a Business in the UK
- If You Want to Study in the UK
- If You Want to Join Your Eligible Family Member in the UK
- Other Visa Application Fees for the UK
- UK Nationality Application Fees
- Asylum/Tribunal Fees
- Premium Services Fees for Applications
- Sponsorship and Sponsor Licence Fees
- Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS)
- Other Associated Costs
- Who Can Be Exempt From Paying the UK Visa Fee/Surcharge?
- How IAS Can Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
UK Visa Costs 2026
The UK visa fees and surcharges increased significantly in 2023. The UK government announced a hike in visa application fees and the immigration health surcharge (IHS) reportedly to fund public sector pay rises. Certain visa fees increased by as much as 20 per cent following this announcement on 13 July 2023.
UK visa fees have continued to rise steadily since then. The application fees for most UK visas increased between 15-35% in 2023 and 2024, including settlement and citizenship application fees as well as cost to UK-based employers for assigning a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) to a foreign worker. From 8 April 2026, the latest increase in UK visa fees has come into effect. The Home Office has increased the fees for certain visas (such as visit visas, skilled worker visas, student visas, and settlement applications) by up to seven per cent.
This article provides the latest fees for every UK visa type, presented in a table format for your easy reference. If required, you can double-check the fee details here: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026.
If You Want to Visit the UK From South Africa
If you are coming to the UK from South Africa as a tourist, or to visit your family or friends settled here, for less than six months, you will need to apply for a UK visitor visa. You may also take a short-term study course, get medical treatment, or take part in certain business activities on a visit visa.
Regular visitors may also apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa that lasts two, five, or 10 years (you cannot stay in the UK for more than 180 days on each visit). All visit visas must be applied from outside the UK (i.e., South Africa in the present context).
| Visa Name | Fees |
|---|---|
| Visit visa – short up to six months | £135 |
| Visit visa – long up to two years | £506 |
| Visit visa – long up to five years | £903 |
| Visit visa – long up to 10 years | £1,128 |
If You Want to Work or Run a Business in the UK
The following table provides the fees you will have to pay to work (or set up and run your own business) in the UK. You may apply for these visas from South Africa, or switch to them (if permitted) from your current UK visa.
The first column in the table below specifies the work/business visa category, while the second and third columns provide the applicable fees when applying from within and outside the UK, respectively.
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Innovator Founder – main applicant and dependants | £1,693 | £1,357 |
| Endorsement fee under Innovator Founder route (payable to endorsing body) excluding VAT | £1,000 | £1,000 |
| Start-up – main applicant and dependants | £625 | £495 |
| Approval letter from a competent body in respect of an initial application for Global Talent | £561 | £561 |
| Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is required | £205 | £205 |
| Global Talent – main applicant – where Approval Letter is not required | £766 | £766 |
| Global Talent – dependants only | £766 | £766 |
| Graduate Route – main applicant and dependants | £937 | N/A |
| Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) – dependants only | £766 | £766 |
| Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – dependants only | £1,693 | £1,357 |
| Tier 1 (Investor) – main applicant and dependants | £2,000 | £2,000 |
| Skilled worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £943 | £819 |
| Skilled Worker, where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,865 | £1,618 |
| Skilled Worker – immigration skill list where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £628 | £628 |
| Skilled Worker, immigration skill list where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £1,235 | £1,235 |
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £324 | £324 |
| Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | £324 | £628 |
| Skilled Worker – a job on the Immigration Salary List – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants for the applications made with a Certificate of Sponsorship issued on or after 4 April 2024 | N/A | £324 |
| Skilled Worker – a job on the Immigration Salary List – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants for the applications made with a Certificate of Sponsorship issued on or after 4 April 2024 | N/A | £628 |
| Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation – Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less – main applicant and dependants | £324 | N/A |
| Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation –Health and Care Visa – where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years – main applicant and dependants | N/A | |
| T2 Minister of Religion – main applicant and dependants | £943 | £819 |
| International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for 12 months or less – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| International Sportsperson where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over 12 months – main applicant and dependants | £943 | £819 |
| Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement, Government Authorised Exchange and Youth Mobility Scheme – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| Representative of an overseas business – main applicant and dependants | £943 | £819 |
| Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – up to 3 years – main applicant and dependants | £943 | £819 |
| Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker – more than 3 years – main applicant and dependants | £1,865 | £1,618 |
| Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker – main applicant and dependants | £340 | £340 |
| Scale-up – main applicant and dependants | £937 | £937 |
| High Potential Individual – main applicant and dependants | £880 | £880 |
| Ecctis Qualification Verification (typically needed for HPI visa) | £210 | £252 |
If You Want to Study in the UK
If you are coming to the UK from South Africa on a Student or Child Student visa (or switching to the same within the UK), you will have to pay the following fees. The table also includes the fees you must pay if you are coming to study a course with less than six months’ duration:
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Student – main applicant and dependants | £558 | £558 |
| Child Student | £558 | £558 |
| Short term student studying English language for more than six months but not more than 11 months | N/A | £228 |
If You Want to Join Your Eligible Family Member in the UK
UK Family visa applicants are required to pay visa processing fees per the following:
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse visa (for spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner) | £1,321 | £2,064 |
Other Visa Application Fees for the UK
Fees for all other visa applications (barring the immigration and nationality ones), made from within and outside the UK, are as follows:
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Visiting academic – more than six months but no more than 12 months | N/A | £234 |
| Private medical treatment visa – more than six months but not more than 11 months | N/A | £234 |
| Transit visa (direct airside transit) | N/A | £41.50 |
| Transit visit visa (landside transit) | N/A | £74.50 |
| Visa for the purpose of joining a ship or aircraft as a member of the crew of that ship or aircraft | N/A | £74.50 |
| Electronic Visa Waiver | N/A | £30 |
| Single-entry visa to replace a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) | N/A | £154 |
| Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode | N/A | £589 |
| Transfer of Conditions (Vignette Transfer) application made overseas | N/A | £154 |
| Other visa (e.g., Offshore worker, Overseas domestic worker in a private household, or UK ancestry visa) | N/A | £726 |
| Route to Settlement (i.e., applications made from outside the UK for Spouse visa, unmarried partner visa, fiancé visa, accompanying dependent child or parent) | N/A | £2,064 |
| Route to Settlement – other dependant relative (adult dependent relative who is not a parent) | N/A | £3,635 |
| Route to Settlement – refugee dependant relative (adult dependent relative who is not a parent) | N/A | £452 |
| Indefinite leave to enter the UK as the dependant of a member of the armed forces under Appendix Armed Forces to the Immigration Rules | N/A | £3,226 |
| Indefinite leave to enter the UK as a foreign or Commonwealth citizen discharged from HM Forces under paragraph 13 of Appendix Armed Forces to the immigration rules | N/A | £3,226 |
| Administrative review | £80 | £80 |
| Visitor Extension – main applicant and dependants | £1,172 | N/A |
| Leave to enter for persons in the UK who are liable to immigration detention | £1,407 | N/A |
| Leave to remain – Other (for extension or switching visa purposes) | £1,407 | N/A |
| Processing an application which is subsequently rejected as invalid | £30 | N/A |
| Indefinite leave to remain – main applicants and dependants | £3,226 | N/A |
| UK Biometric Enrolment Fee | £19.20 | N/A |
| Replacement Biometric Residence Card (issued under the EU Settlement Scheme) which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed | £19 | N/A |
| Replacement Biometric Residence Permit which has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed | £19 | N/A |
| Travel Document – Certificate of travel – adult | £320 | N/A |
| Travel Document – Certificate of travel – child | £161 | N/A |
| Travel Document – Convention travel document – adult | £102 | N/A |
| Travel Document – Convention travel document – child | £66.50 | N/A |
| Life in the UK test | £50 | N/A |
UK Nationality Application Fees
If you are applying for British citizenship, you will need to pay the following fees:
| Cost Category | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Naturalisation (British citizenship) | £1,709 |
| Naturalisation British overseas territory citizens | £1,140 |
| Nationality registration as a British citizen – adult | £1,540 |
| Nationality registration as a British citizen – child | £1,000 |
| The arrangement of a citizenship ceremony (including the administration of a citizenship oath and pledge at the ceremony) | £130 |
| The administration of a citizenship oath, or oath and pledge where the oath, or oath and pledge, are not administered at a citizenship ceremony or by a justice of the peace | £5 |
| Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – adult | £1,027 |
| Nationality registration – British overseas territory citizen, British overseas citizens, British Subjects, British protected persons – child | £863 |
| Renunciation of nationality | £513 |
| Certificate of Entitlement Nationality Right of Abode (In the UK) | £589 |
| Nationality review | £513 |
| Status Letter (Nationality) | £489 |
| Non-acquisition Letter (Nationality) | £489 |
| Nationality correction to certificate | £456 |
| Nationality – supply of a certified copy of a notice, certificate, order or declaration | £456 |
| Nationality reissued Certificate | £456 |
| The citizenship ceremony fee added to the application fee | £130 |
| Additional fee per applicant required to cover the ceremony fee should the minor turn 18 during the application process. This will be requested at point of decision | £130 |
Asylum/Tribunal Fees
If you are applying for asylum in the UK or if your case has been referred to an asylum tribunal, you will have to pay the following fees:
| Visa Name | Cost Within the UK |
|---|---|
| First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Fees – decision without a hearing | £80 |
| First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Fees – decision with a hearing | £140 |
There are certain premium services offered by UKVI to visa applicants at an additional cost. They are optional in nature, meaning you will be required to pay the concerned fees only when you have explicitly opted for them.
For example, you may be able to pay an additional fee to get a faster decision on your visa application. Through the priority visa service, you will get a visa decision usually within five working days (or in case of family visas, within 30 working days). The ‘super priority service’ can be availed to get a decision by the end of the next working day. However, not all visas come with this option and there is a limit on the number of applicants who can apply for a faster decision.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of fees payable for priority and super priority services as well as other premium services offered by the UKVI:
| Visa/Category Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Expedited processing – Priority service | £500 | N/A |
| Priority Visa service – Settlement | N/A | £500 |
| Priority Visa service – Non-Settlement | N/A | £500 |
| Super Priority Visa service | £1000 | £1000 |
| User Pays Visa Application service | N/A | £76.50 |
| The provision of an immigration officer to provide any premium service relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom (per hour per officer) | N/A | £150 |
| International Contact Centre – Email Service (per query) | N/A | £2.74 |
| International Contact Centre – Telephone Helpline (per minute) | N/A | £0.69 |
| On-Demand service (Mobile Biometric Enrolment) (per hour per representative of the contractor providing the service) | £650 | N/A |
| The provision of an immigration officer to deliver any premium service, to a Government Department, relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom | £72.27 | N/A |
| Visa/Category Name | Cost Within the UK | Cost Outside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| The provision of an immigration officer to deliver any premium service, relating to entry into or transit through the United Kingdom (per hour per officer) | £150 | N/A |
| Premium status checks and advice – Administrative Officer (per minute) | £0.80 | N/A |
| Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute) | £0.88 | N/A |
| Premium status checks, advice or training – Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute) | £1.10 | N/A |
| Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (inside office hours) (per minute) | £0.97 | N/A |
| Premium status checks, advice or training – Higher Executive Officer (outside office hours) (per minute) | £1.23 | N/A |
UKVI also offers certain premium services at the UK border control points:
| Visa Name | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Registered Traveller (Adult) – Yearly Subscription (per year) | £50 |
| Registered Traveller (Child) – Yearly Subscription (per year) | £24 |
| Registered Traveller – Registration of New Documents | £20 |
| Fast Track – Heathrow | £10 |
| Fast Track – Other ports of entry | £10 |
Sponsorship and Sponsor Licence Fees
UK-based employers will need to pay certain fees to sponsor a South African national to come and work in the UK. They will also have to pay an additional immigration skills charge.
The following table provides a detailed breakup of all costs for a sponsoring employer:
| Cost Category | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – large sponsors | £25,000 |
| Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Worker sponsor and Temporary worker sponsor – small sponsors | £8,000 |
| Premium Sponsor Service (12 months) Student sponsors | £8,000 |
| The expedited processing of a sponsorship management request made by a Worker sponsor or Temporary worker sponsor | £200 |
| Priority service for expedited processing of sponsor licence applications | £500 |
| Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,682 |
| Worker sponsor licence (small sponsor) | £611 |
| Student sponsor licence | £611 |
| Temporary Worker sponsor licence | £611 |
| Worker and Temporary Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,682 |
| Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,682 |
| Cost Category | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Worker, Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence (large sponsor) | £1,682 |
| Temporary Worker and Student sponsor licence | £611 |
| Worker sponsor licence (large sponsor), where sponsor currently holds a Temporary Worker and/or Student Sponsor Licence | £1,071 |
| Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence (large business) | £1,005 |
| Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence (small business or charity) | 0 |
| Endorsement fee for a Scale-up sponsor licence under Endorsing Body Pathway (payable to the endorsing body) excluding VAT | £1,500 |
| Student sponsor basic compliance assessment | £574 |
| Sponsor action plan | £1,579 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker | £525 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) – Temporary Worker including Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier and Secondment Worker route, and Scale-up route | £55 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – Over 12 Months | £525 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for International Sportsperson route – Up to 12 months or less | £55 |
| Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) for student, child student | £55 |
| UK Immigration Skills Charge for small business | £364 |
| Immigration Skills Charge for large businesses | £1,000 |
| UK Immigration Skills Charge extension (for each additional six-month period) for large businesses | £500 |
| UK Immigration Skills Charge extension (for each additional six-month period) for small businesses | £182 |
Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS)
Most temporary migrants to the UK are required to pay the IHS to use the medical and emergency facilities offered by the public-funded National Health Service (NHS) in the country.
Standard Visitor visa holders or people applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK are not required to pay the IHS.
If you are a foreign national coming to the UK for more than six months to work, study, set up or run a business, or for family reunification purposes, in most scenarios you will be required to pay the IHS (in addition to your visa processing fees) for both yourself and your eligible dependent family members (if any) per the following:
| Visa Name | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa – per year | £776 |
| Student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa – two years | £1552 |
| Visa Name | Applicable Fees |
|---|---|
| Visa and immigration applicants who are under the age of 18 at time of application | £776 |
| All other visa and immigration applications – per year | £1035 |
| All other visa and immigration applications – five years | £5,175 |
| Six months or less – If you’re applying from inside the UK, you’ll have to pay half the yearly cost. Student, Youth Mobility Scheme or under-18 applications | £388 |
| Six months or less – If you’re applying from inside the UK, you’ll have to pay half the yearly cost. For any other application | £517.50 |
Other Associated Costs
Apart from the above mandatory visa processing and optional (i.e., for availing premium services) fees, there may also be certain additional costs which you must keep in mind while applying for your UK visa/immigration permission.
For example, South Africans coming to the UK are required to take a tuberculosis test and submit the certificate as part of their UK visa application. Get in touch with the British High Commission in Pretoria to understand what it will cost you.
VFS Global is the official third-party consular services provider for UK visas from South Africa. They also offer certain additional services which are optional in nature and come with a fee. You may check with any of their visa application centres located in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Johannesburg, or Port Elizabeth for detailed information. VFS Global also runs two premium application centres at Bloemfontein and Nelspruit – Protea Hotel in South Africa.
Who Can Be Exempt From Paying the UK Visa Fee/Surcharge?
You may be exempt from paying the UK visa fees in certain limited cases, such as if you have been a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, or if you are applying on human rights grounds and cannot afford to pay the fees and/or surcharges.
Family visa applicants may also apply for a fee waiver if they can prove that they are unable to pay the same because:
- They do not have, and cannot afford, a place to live in the UK
- They have a place to live but cannot afford essential living costs (e.g., food or heating)
- Their income is very low, and paying the fee will harm their child’s wellbeing
How Can IAS Help?
Our IAS team of expert immigration lawyers have helped many South Africans applying for a UK visa (or switching to a different visa category inside the UK). A crucial part of our support has been around helping them calculate how much money they will need to pay the required UK visa fees and immigration health surcharges for themselves and their dependants.
Likewise, we have helped many UK-based employers with finalising their budget for a sponsor licence application or for assigning a CoS to their South African hires. We have the required knowledge, experience, and empathy to assist you, regardless of your immigration circumstances.
If you are seeking overall advice with your UK visa fees, would like our immigration experts to guide you with the payment of visa fees and surcharges, or wish to know more about the cost of premium services or other associated expenses, we are happy to help. Call us today on +44 (0) 3334149244 or visit us online to speak with one of our team members.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on April 27th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
No, you will have to pay your applicable visa fees during your online UK visa application process using a credit or a debit card.
No. A UK visa/immigration fee is a one-time, non-refundable payment. The Home Office does not offer an instalment payment facility.
