UK visa fees surge sharply! Renting may become increasingly difficult from May? New EU Entry/Exit System launches
- TBA
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
UK visa fees to increase by up to £222
A series of stricter new regulations introduced by the UK Home Office have now come into effect, alongside increases in a range of visa fees. From April 8, visa fees for traveling to, living in, studying, and working in the UK have risen by as much as £222.
This adjustment is seen as an important step in the UK’s tightening of immigration policies. Home Secretary Mahmood stated that due to a surge in asylum applications, restrictions have been imposed on student visas from countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan.
Comprehensive Increase in Visa Fees
Under the new rules, visa fees across various categories have generally increased, with rises of up to around 7%:
Short-term visit visa (up to 6 months): increased by £8 to £135
Long-term visit visas:
2-year visa: increased to £506
5-year visa: increased to £903
10-year visa: increased to £1,128
Naturalisation (citizenship) application fee: increased from £1,605 to £1,709
Settlement route visas (leading to permanent residency):
Standard application has exceeded £2,000 for the first time, rising to £2,064
Adult dependent relative visa increased by £222 to £3,635
Refugee family reunion visa increased to £452
Work and Study Visas Also Affected
Skilled Worker visa (up to 3 years): increased from £769 to £819
Long-term work visas: increased at similar rates
Student visa: increased by £34 to £558
Graduate Route visa: increased from £880 to £937
These increases apply to both main applicants and their dependents.
Passport Fees Also Increased
In addition to visa fees, UK passport fees have also risen:
Adult online application: from £94.50 to £102
Child passport: from £61.50 to £66.50
Additional Tightening Measures
Beyond fee increases, the new policies also include several stricter measures, such as:
Adjustments to refugee status determination rules
Offering up to £10,000 to unsuccessful asylum seekers to encourage voluntary departure
Removing access to taxpayer-funded accommodation for individuals working illegally
Analysts note that the combination of higher fees and tighter immigration policies is likely to raise the barrier to entry into the UK. This will place direct financial pressure on international students, skilled workers, and family reunification applicants, while also reflecting the government’s clear stance on controlling immigration levels.
New EU entry/exit system rolls out by 10 April
The European Union has fully launched its new Entry/Exit System (EES) on April 10. UK travellers heading to Europe for spring and summer holidays will now face new border control procedures.
Entry/Exit System (EES)
The EES began phased implementation on October 12, 2025, and is scheduled to be fully operational across all Schengen Area border crossings on April 10. The system replaces traditional passport stamping and applies to all non-EU citizens traveling to EU countries for short stays (i.e. no more than 90 days within any 180-day period), including UK travellers.
The system will cover 25 EU countries in the Schengen Area, as well as 4 non-EU Schengen countries—making a total of 29 countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Norway. Ireland and Cyprus are not included and will continue using manual passport stamping.
Under the new rules, the system will record travellers’ names, travel document details, biometric data (fingerprints and facial images), as well as the time and place of entry and exit. Children under 12 are not required to provide fingerprints but must still undergo facial scanning.
When entering participating countries for the first time, travellers must complete registration at automated terminals, usually upon arrival at airports or ports.
However, travellers departing via the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, or London St Pancras International station will need to complete these checks before leaving the UK. This means passengers may be required to disembark at Dover or the Eurotunnel terminal to register.
Implementation Challenges
In reality, the rollout has not gone smoothly. Travel experts describe the digital border system as “still in chaos.” Some countries, including France, are “far from ready,” and there are known issues with connecting to the central database—making it unrealistic to fully eliminate manual passport stamping by April 10.
Differences in implementation across member states have further complicated matters. For example, Luxembourg is only piloting the system at a single airport, while countries like France, Greece, Poland, and Spain—each with multiple airports, ports, and land borders—are progressing at very different speeds.
ETIAS May Be Delayed Again
At the same time, the rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), originally planned to complement EES, may face further delays. Although the EU has repeatedly pledged to move forward, industry insiders widely believe the system is “highly unlikely” to be operational before the end of this year.
Renters’ Rights Act brings big changes to UK property market
The UK’s Renters’ Rights Act, set to be implemented in May, is widely regarded as one of the most significant reforms to the residential property market in decades. While the new rules aim to enhance tenant security and protections, they have also raised concerns that landlords—feeling anxious—may impose stricter conditions on tenants, potentially making it harder to rent.
Under the new legislation, tenants will gain several important rights, including:
The ability to challenge “unreasonable” rent increases through an arbitration body
A ban on landlords or agents inflating rents through bidding wars
The abolition of “Section 21” evictions, meaning landlords can no longer evict tenants without providing a reason
Among these, the removal of Section 21 is seen as one of the most impactful changes.
Under the new rules, from May onward, landlords will only be able to evict tenants if they can provide valid grounds—such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or a need to move into the property themselves. This change has led to concerns among landlords that dealing with “problem tenants” will become more difficult and costly.
Landlord Action, a firm specializing in housing law, reported a 62% year-on-year increase in eviction instructions this year—equivalent to “hundreds” of additional notices. It is expected that once the new law takes effect, more cases will be referred to property tribunals or courts, further increasing pressure on the legal system.
In addition, under the Act, landlords may face fines of up to £7,000 if they fail to provide required information documents to tenants. They may also face additional penalties for not properly addressing issues such as mould or electrical safety in rental properties.
Although the reforms are intended to protect tenants, some industry experts believe that tenants may ultimately bear the greatest impact.
Industry insiders note that landlords may respond by raising rents to offset increased risks and costs. Many landlords are also choosing to sell, redevelop, or adjust rental terms in advance—seeking greater “security” by imposing stricter and more specific conditions, such as longer lease terms, higher income requirements for tenants, and more rigorous guarantor checks.
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