Government propose hike for visa and sponsor fees
Posted Under: News
The UK Government has today announced proposed fee hikes for visa, immigration and nationality applications and services in 2009/10.
Student visa application fees are set to rise from £99 to £145, an increase of around 50%.
The increased revenue will “enable the UK Border Agency to continue providing a world-class immigration service while reducing the burden on United Kingdom taxpayers”.
The Government said it needs the money to pay for tough new border controls and the points based system, and that “United Kingdom taxpayers should not bear the full cost”.
In 2009/10 the UK Border Agency will spend over £2.2 billion on securing the UK’s border and managing the immigration system. Just 30% of this spending will be recovered through fees from applications and the services.
Comment
Considering the UK Border Agency (UKBA) describes itself as a “business”, this does not look like a very sound business plan. We all know of course that the UKBA is not a real business at all.
Once again, hardworking migrants, students and those employers who need overseas workers will be expected to pay more to obtain their visas and licences, despite the fact that the UK gains billions in additional tax revenue and direct benefits to the economy.
Reader Comments
The governments imposition of high fees on everyone even those who have the right of abode in the UK through descent is unfair as these people are not only UK tax payers but also the children of UK tax payers. This group has been put together as if they are immigrants even though none of them are subject to immigration control.
Children of British Citizens who are born abroad are being made to pay “registration” fees of £540 each and have to undergo a good character check even though they are already permanently resident and have the right of abode. These fees are too high and they do not take into consideration even the difference between visa holders and residents. The UKBA pronounces statement in fairness to the tax payer and then applies its policies in a wide blanket manner against the human rights of these people and ignores even the possibility that such persons may be ill or unemployed and could not afford to pay such fees. It is the worst case of maladministration ever and if the administration of the UKBA was improved then operating costs would not be high. A close examination also needs to take place to see if such “work” is even warranted or is it being invented to keep personnel numbers rather then being reduced as the UKBA do not earn any more money from Europeans who have freedom of movement. The numbers of persons processed must have fallen over the decade but the costs have gone up because staff levels have actually risen.
The governments imposition of high fees on everyone even those who have the right of abode in the UK through descent is unfair as these people are not only UK tax payers but also the children of UK tax payers. This group has been put together as if they are immigrants even though none of them are subject to immigration control.
Children of British Citizens who are born abroad are being made to pay “registration” fees of £540 each and have to undergo a good character check even though they are already permanently resident and have the right of abode. These fees are too high and they do not take into consideration even the difference between visa holders and residents. The UKBA pronounces statement in fairness to the tax payer and then applies its policies in a wide blanket manner against the human rights of such persons