Visit visa to the United Kingdom for less than six months will now cost £115 (about N111,878.28 ) as opposed to £15 (14,592.70) effective October 4, the UK Home Office has announced.
This translates to about 667 per cent increment, Saturday PUNCH can confirm.
Student visa fee has also been increased from £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59); representing a 286 per cent increment.
The increase, the government said, would enable it to pay for ‘vital services and allow more funding to be prioritised for public sector pay rises’, adding that the review would take effect on October 4.
The UK government made this known in a statement, ‘New visa fees set to come into effect next month’ published on its website, gov.uk, on Friday, following legislation being laid in parliament on Friday.
“The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 (N14,592.70) to £115 (N111,878.28 ), while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 (N123,537.58) to £490 (N476,677.59), to equal the amount charged for in-country applications,” the statement partly read.
In July, the government announced a 15 per cent increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and an increase of at least 20 per cent in the cost of priority visas, study visas and certificates of sponsorship.