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Topic: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%  (Read 5430 times)

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Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« on: January 12, 2016, 12:07:56 PM »
Oooof. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-immigration-and-nationality-fees-for-2016-to-2017

In-person appointment fees and other premium-service fees also going up.

I think 'extortion' is an appropriate word to throw about.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2016, 12:30:33 PM »
I like how they are saying its to make border/immigration services "self funded by those who use it" as though natural born citizens do not benefit at all from border controls. What an absolute load of rubbish.


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April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2016, 12:33:33 PM »
They really don't want Brits who marry non-EU citizens to come back to the UK!
Married 1966, left UK 1969, returned 1998, left again 2000, returned June 2014 (husband on spousal visa) granted FLR(M) November 30th 2016  and ILR on  24th May, 2019. Yeah!


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2016, 12:50:02 PM »
It really is awful.

My next visa is ILR and it will almost be double what it cost to apply last year.

Alison, read this if you really want to hate the UKVI.  It answers what it cost to process a visa application in 2012.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/profit_on_marriage_visa_applicat


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2016, 12:52:11 PM »
Oooof. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-immigration-and-nationality-fees-for-2016-to-2017

In-person appointment fees and other premium-service fees also going up.

I think 'extortion' is an appropriate word to throw about.
Wow.

By my calculations, someone applying now for fiance visa - FLR(1) - FLR(2) - ILR can expect to pay £5,460 up to ILR, not counting citizenship and not paying for in-person appointments. Add on the IHS and there's another £1k, bringing the total to £6,460!

If someone earns the minimum salary to satisfy the financial requirement (£18,600), they'd take home £15,735. After 5.5 years of earning that and 5.5 years of the visa route above, they'll have paid over 7% of their take-home wages in visa fees (with the fees as they will be in April 2016, not taking into account the extortionate fee increases each year).
July 2012 - Fiancée Visa | Nov 2012 - Married
Dec 2012 - FLR | Nov 2014 - ILR | Dec 2015 - UK Citizen


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2016, 12:53:41 PM »
This has really set me off.  I'm in a fortunate position of having the money to pay the fees.  I don't like it, but I can.

There are a lot of couples out there that combined just qualify with the £18,600 requirement.  At £1,875 for ILR, that's more than 10% of their gross annual salary.  Seriously, it is all about money.  I bet there is a big rise in illegal overstays as a result...


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2016, 12:54:57 PM »
Wow.

By my calculations, someone applying now for fiance visa - FLR(1) - FLR(2) - ILR can expect to pay £5,460 up to ILR, not counting citizenship and not paying for in-person appointments. Add on the IHS and there's another £1k, bringing the total to £6,460!

If someone earns the minimum salary to satisfy the financial requirement (£18,600), they'd take home £15,735. After 5.5 years of earning that and 5.5 years of the visa route above, they'll have paid over 7% of their take-home wages in visa fees (with the fees as they will be in April 2016, not taking into account the extortionate fee increases each year).

That's some good math.  Wanna come work for me?!?   ;D


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2016, 12:58:15 PM »
That's some good math.  Wanna come work for me?!?   ;D

Only if I get to geek out on numbers all day! [smiley=smart.gif]
July 2012 - Fiancée Visa | Nov 2012 - Married
Dec 2012 - FLR | Nov 2014 - ILR | Dec 2015 - UK Citizen


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2016, 01:03:40 PM »
Ummm, yeah!  That's my world.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2016, 01:17:33 PM »
Are these fees that are going to go into effect now or someday in April. Around what date do you expect these fees will go into effect. Thanks.


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2016, 01:20:13 PM »

Are these fees that are going to go into effect now or someday in April. Around what date do you expect these fees will go into effect. Thanks.

They generally go in effect in April. Last year it was April 6 I believe. They are certainly not effective right this moment.


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April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2016, 01:23:37 PM »
This is incredible. I've seen the fees jump each year as we've been trying to get ourselves together to apply for the spouse visa, but knowing that they're making it a further uphill climb thereafter, it's terrible.


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Spouse Visa Granted: 20 January 2016 - Arrived in UK: 27 February 2016 - FLR(M) Granted: 12 November 2018 - LiTUK Test Passed: 6 March 2021 - ILR Application Submitted: 13 March 2021 - Biometrics: 10 April 2021 - ILR Approved 25 August 2021 - UK Citizenship Application Submitted: 20 September 2021 - Biometrics: 12 October 2021 - Email Invite to Citizenship Ceremony: 15 November 2021


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2016, 01:25:09 PM »

They generally go in effect in April. Last year it was April 6 I believe. They are certainly not effective right this moment.


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There is a document linked in the article that shows the proposed fees in numerical GBP values. It seems they will be in effect on/after April 6 if I understood properly, thought is 5:30am here in California and I'm groggy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Spouse Visa Granted: 20 January 2016 - Arrived in UK: 27 February 2016 - FLR(M) Granted: 12 November 2018 - LiTUK Test Passed: 6 March 2021 - ILR Application Submitted: 13 March 2021 - Biometrics: 10 April 2021 - ILR Approved 25 August 2021 - UK Citizenship Application Submitted: 20 September 2021 - Biometrics: 12 October 2021 - Email Invite to Citizenship Ceremony: 15 November 2021


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2016, 01:29:22 PM »

It really is awful.

My next visa is ILR and it will almost be double what it cost to apply last year.

Alison, read this if you really want to hate the UKVI.  It answers what it cost to process a visa application in 2012.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/profit_on_marriage_visa_applicat

I've seen this before and it makes my blood boil every time. It's even more frustrating because we have no voice/representation to influence these decisions. I am thankful that we are on track to be able to save for the fees when I come up for renewal in 2018. We barely squeaked by the income threshold back in October and our visa fees came out of our wedding budget. We both gotten new jobs/raises so now we will be earning a fair bit more than we were then. The whole situation is so incredibly infuriating.

I agree that this might trigger more overstays, particularly for those on the spousal track who are just making the financial requirement. It seems the government is funding far more that just our visas and the work that goes into processing them with our fees. We must also be funding Theresa May's personal salary or something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Settlement visa fees going up another 25%
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2016, 01:30:08 PM »
April 6th is the first day of the financial/tax year, so generally the new fee changes come into effect on April 6th each year.


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