Today I’ve spent a long time explaining the various costs associated with an immigration application to a client. There were a lot of costs: the client was understandably unhappy about the dent that was being put in their bank account.

It wasn’t an unusual application. I’ve set down below a very generic set of calculations for anyone at the start of their road to the UK. This application is for a partner visa under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, but similar principles apply to other applications where renewal and settlement are possible in the UK.

Application for entry clearance (visa) for spouse and one non-British child, submitted in Pakistan

• Initial application
  • Main applicant fee: £956
  • Dependant applicant fee: £956
  • 2 x Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,200
• Second application
  • Main applicant fee £649
  • Dependant applicant fee: £649
  • 2 x Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,200
• Indefinite leave to remain application
  • Application fee £3,000 (based on current SET(M) fee)

Grand total: £8,610

This does not include the costs of TB tests, English language tests, the Life in the UK test, travel, postage, and the reams of copies without which the Home Office might keep your original documents (or it might keep them anyway, just because).

It also certainly doesn’t include legal costs if you decide to instruct a solicitor. I’ll come to those in another post.