UK Border Agency - Fee Increases - 6th April 2013

The UK Border Agency has announced another hike in fees for immigration applications. The new fees come into force on 6th April 2013, and therefore anybody making an application should be aware of this impending change.

This increase seems to be yet another turn of the screw to prevent applicants from being able to afford making legitimate applications.

Significant changes include the following:

1. The introduction for the first time of a charge for applications under the European Regulations. Applications for residence certificates, residence cards, derivative residence cards, and documents certifying permanent residence will be charged at a level of £55. It remains to be seen whether or not this is the thin end of the wedge, and is the first step towards charging even more significant fees, and also whether or not there is a legal challenge to the introduction of this fee.

2. The other notable development is the whopping increase in the fees for dependents on standard ILR applications. The pre-06 April 2013 fee is £496, and the new fee, which will be introduced on 06 April 2013, is £788 - an increase of almost £300! This would mean that a principal applicant with a wife and two child dependents will post-06 April 2013 have a fee for making their application of £3,415.

This is outrageous, and there can simply be absolutely no justification for this on cost alone.