The United Kingdom is set to make visas more expensive, with new fees coming into effect from April 8.
The UK Home Office says some charges will go up by as much as £222. According to the government, this is part of a wider plan to reduce immigration and tighten existing rules on immigration.
But it’s not just about higher fees. The UK is also introducing stricter measures for migrants and asylum seekers. For example, failed asylum seekers could be offered up to £10,000 to leave the country voluntarily. Migrants found working illegally may also lose access to government-funded accommodation. 
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There’s also a new restriction on student visas. The government has placed what it calls an “emergency brake” on applications from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan, following a rise in asylum claims from people from these countries.
For travellers, the increases are relatively small at the lower end. A six-month visit visa will go up from £127 to £135. But longer-term visas will cost more. Two-year visas will rise to £506, five-year visas to £903, and ten-year visas to £1,128.
Other visa types are also affected. The cost of applying for British citizenship will increase from £1,605 to £1,709. Settlement visas, which allow people to live and work in the UK for a long time, will now cost £2,064.
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For people being cared for by relatives in the UK, the fee will rise to £3,635.
Skilled worker visas for up to three years will also increase to £819, while student visas will go up to £558. The graduate visa will now cost £937.
In simple terms, moving to or visiting the UK is about to get more expensive.
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