21st September 2023 – (London) U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously announced plans to increase visa fees for immigrants, and the Home Office recently updated the visa fee schedule, which will take effect on the 4th of next month. The fees for the 2.5-year and 5-year BN(O) visas, which are available for Hong Kong residents relocating to the UK, remain unchanged at £180 (approximately HK$1,747) and £250 (approximately HK$2,427) respectively. However, the cost of applying for permanent residency has increased by 20% from £2,404 (approximately HK$23,300) to £2,885 (approximately HK$28,000).
In addition, visa fees for students and investors seeking to study or invest in the UK have also seen an increase. The application fee for investor visas has risen from £1,638 (approximately HK$15,900) to £1,884 (approximately HK$18,300), while the cost of applying for a student visa from overseas has increased from £363 (approximately HK$3,524) to £490 (approximately HK$4,756).