Proposed fee levels for visas and sponsor licences in 2009/10

The Government has today announced its proposed fee levels for all visa, immigration and nationality applications and services in 2009/10.

The revenue from these fees will enable the UK Border Agency to continue providing a world-class immigration service while reducing the burden on United Kingdom taxpayers.

The Government is currently delivering the biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 45 years, including:

• fingerprint checks before people come to the United Kingdom;
• a strong new force at the border;
• counting people in and out of the United Kingdom; and
• introducing identity cards for foreign nationals.

These important improvements cost money to deliver, and the Government's policy is that United Kingdom taxpayers should not bear the full cost of them.

In 2009/10 the UK Border Agency plans to spend over £2.2 billion on securing our border and managing the immigration system. Approximately 30% of this spending will be recovered through fees from applications and the services we offer. This will allow the UK to continue reaping the benefits of migration while also preventing abuse of the system.

Fees for visa, immigration and nationality services are reviewed regularly, with changes made when necessary. In setting the fees for 2009/10, the Government has continued to take into account the United Kingdom's international competitiveness at a challenging time for the global economy.