UK Standard Visitor visa fees
- Up to 6 months
- £135 1
- 2-year visa
- £506 1
- 5-year visa
- £903 1
- 10-year visa
- £1,128 1
- Last change
- 8 April 2026 2
- Priority / super priority
- £500 / £1,000 3
- Refund if refused
- No 4
Standard Visitor visa fees
Each long-term visa lets you stay up to 6 months on each visit 1. The table shows the fee before and after the 8 April 2026 change 2,3.
| Visa | Fee from 8 April 2026 | Fee before 8 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Visit visa up to 6 months | £135 1 | £127 2 |
| Long-term visit visa, 2 years | £506 1 | £475 2 |
| Long-term visit visa, 5 years | £903 1 | £848 2 |
| Long-term visit visa, 10 years | £1,128 1 | £1,059 2 |
| Visiting academic, up to 12 months | £234 1 | £220 2 |
| Visa for medical reasons, up to 11 months | £234 1 | Not listed in our sources |
Chinese nationals and other special rates
The Home Office fee table says the 2-year visit visa costs £135 for a Chinese national applying in mainland China under the Chinese visa scheme 3.
A landside transit visit visa costs £74.50 3. Visitors who do not need a visa may need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) instead, which costs £20 3.
Extra fees: biometrics and faster decisions
You book an appointment at a visa application centre as part of the online application. There you give your fingerprints and a photo. The centre may be in another country 1.
A decision usually comes within 3 weeks after you apply, prove your identity and send your documents 1.
If you want a faster decision, the Home Office fee table lists a priority visa service at £500 and a super priority service at £1,000 3. These are optional.
Refund rules
The Home Office refunds policy (version 13.0, 8 April 2026) sets these rules for applications made outside the UK 4:
- If the Home Office considers and refuses your application, the fee is not refunded.
- If you withdraw before you give your biometrics, you can get a refund.
- Once your biometrics are taken and the application goes on to be processed, the fee is not refunded.
- If you get a visa shorter than the one you paid for, you do not get money back.
- Priority fees are refunded in full if you are owed an application fee refund, if the application is void or invalid, or if a straightforward case misses its target through an official error. They are not refunded if the visa is refused.
Fee history and where to apply
The Home Office publishes a new fees table each time amounts change. Recent tables are dated 9 April 2025, 1 May 2025, 1 July 2025, 11 November 2025, 8 April 2026 and 8 October 2026 5. The visitor visa fees rose on 8 April 2026 and did not change in the 8 October 2026 table 2,3.
You apply and pay online through the official GOV.UK visa service 1.
Common questions
How much is a UK visitor visa in 2026?
£135 for a visit visa of up to 6 months 1.
Did UK visa fees go up in October 2026?
No. The Home Office table for 8 October 2026 shows the visitor visa fees unchanged 3.
Can I get a refund if my UK visa is refused?
No. The Home Office does not refund the fee for an application it has considered and refused 4.
How much is UK priority visa processing?
£500 for priority and £1,000 for super priority 3.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor, apply for a Standard Visitor visa (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Home Office: Immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 (fees table)
- Home Office: Immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 (fees table)
- Home Office: Immigration and nationality refunds policy, version 13.0 (8 April 2026)
- GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees (list of fee tables)
Related
- Visitor visa fees by country
Standard short-stay visitor visa fees for the US, Schengen, UK, Canada, Australia, China, India, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Türkiye.
- Schengen short-stay visa fee
The Schengen short-stay visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Reduced fees, waivers, the €45 service fee cap and refunds.
- United States visitor visa fee (B1/B2)
The US B1/B2 visitor visa fee is US$185. Status of the US$250 visa integrity fee, ESTA cost for comparison, and refund rules.
- Canada visitor visa and biometrics fees
A Canada visitor visa costs CAN$100 per person, plus CAN$85 for biometrics. Family maximums, eTA cost, payment methods and refunds.