The UK Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to six months from 8 October 2026 1,2. Long-term visit visas cost £506 for two years, £903 for five years and £1,128 for ten years, but each visit is still limited to six months 1. A Student visa costs £558 2,3. Students normally pay the immigration health surcharge too, at £776 for each visa year, calculated from the visa length 4.
Six-month visitor visa
£135 1,2
Two-year visitor visa
£506 1
Five-year visitor visa
£903 1
Ten-year visitor visa
£1,128 1
Student visa
£558 2,3
Student health surcharge
£776 per visa year 4

Visitor visa fees

The Home Office's 8 October 2026 table keeps the short visit visa at £135 2. GOV.UK says the application is made online before travel and the applicant attends a visa application centre appointment 1.

Each family member files and pays separately 1. A refused application is not refunded.

Long-term does not mean a longer visit

The two, five and ten-year products allow repeated travel during their validity, but each visit remains capped at six months 1. UK Visas and Immigration can issue a shorter visa than requested without refunding the difference 1.

Choose a long-term visa only if repeated eligible visits justify the higher fee. It cannot be used to live in the UK through repeated long stays.

Student visa and health surcharge

The Student visa costs £558 from outside the UK 2,3. The applicant needs a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a licensed sponsor and pays the application fee for each dependant who can qualify.

The immigration health surcharge is £776 for each year of the visa for students and their dependants 4. The calculation uses visa length, which can be longer than the course dates. The full amount is paid during the application.

Short English courses use another route

An English-language course longer than six months and no longer than eleven months can use the short-term study visa. Its 2026 fee is £228, and GOV.UK says the health surcharge usually costs £776 5.

A course of six months or less can fall under the visitor route if all visitor conditions are met. The short-term study visa does not permit work and cannot be extended 5.

Budget beyond the application fee

Add the visa centre journey, any optional service, tuberculosis test where required, document translation, flights and accommodation. Optional priority services have their own published fees and do not promise approval 2.

Use the fee shown on GOV.UK when payment is due. The Home Office changed its main fee table twice in 2026, so an older screenshot can be wrong 2.

Common questions

How much is a six-month UK visitor visa?

£135 under the fee table effective 8 October 2026 1,2.

Can I stay two years on a two-year visitor visa?

No. Each visit is limited to six months 1.

How much is the UK Student visa?

£558 for an application from outside the UK 2,3.

How much is the student health surcharge?

£776 per visa year, calculated from the length granted 4.

Are refused visitor fees refunded?

No. GOV.UK states the application fee is not refunded after refusal 1.

Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked on this page before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK: Apply for a Standard Visitor visa (viewed 19 October 2026)
  2. UK Home Office: immigration and nationality fees from 8 October 2026
  3. GOV.UK: Student visa overview (viewed 19 October 2026)
  4. GOV.UK: immigration health surcharge amounts (viewed 19 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK: Short-term study visa for English language (viewed 19 October 2026)

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