The United Kingdom government will increase fees for a wide range of visas, residency applications and citizenship processes from April 8, 2026, with the hike affecting Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking to visit, study, work or settle in the country.

The revised fee schedule, published by the UK Home Office and sighted by PUNCH Online on Thursday, shows increases across virtually all categories of visa applications made both inside and outside the UK, with affected categories spanning visit visas, student visas, work visas, settlement applications and naturalisation fees.

The increases, which take effect in less than two weeks, come as Nigeria remains one of the largest sources of visa applicants to the UK, with hundreds of thousands of Nigerians applying annually for visit, student and work visas.

The short-term visit visa rises from £127 to £135, while the student visa increases from £524 to £558. Nigerians seeking permanent residency will pay £3,226, up from £3,029, and those applying to naturalise as British citizens will pay £1,709, up from £1,605.

In a rare exception to the broad pattern of increases, the fee for registering a child as a British citizen is being reduced — from £1,214 to £1,000, a cut of £214. All other fees either rise or remain unchanged. Some categories, including the Tier 1 (Investor) visa and the High Potential Individual visa, are unchanged at £2,000 and £880 respectively.

Here is the full list of UK visa and immigration fees relevant to Nigerians:

VISIT VISAS

Short-term (up to 6 months): Old: £127, New: £135

Long-term (up to 2 years): Old: £475, New: £506

Long-term (up to 5 years): Old: £848, New: £903

Long-term (up to 10 years): Old: £1,059, New: £1,128

Visiting academic (more than 6 months, up to 12 months): Old: £220, New: £234

Private medical treatment (more than 6 months, up to 11 months): Old: £220, New: £234

Direct airside transit visa: Old: £39, New: £41.50

Landside transit visit visa: Old: £70, New: £74.50

STUDENT VISAS

Student (main applicant and dependants): Old: £524, New: £558

Child Student: Old: £524, New: £558

Short-term student (English language, over 6 months up to 11 months): Old: £214, New: £228

WORK VISAS

Skilled Worker – up to 3 years: Old: £769, New: £819

Skilled Worker – over 3 years: Old: £1,519, New: £1,618

Skilled Worker (Immigration Salary List) – up to 3 years: Old: £590, New: £628

Skilled Worker (Immigration Salary List) – over 3 years: Old: £1,160, New: £1,235

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – up to 3 years: Old: £304, New: £324

Skilled Worker – Health and Care Visa – over 3 years: Old: £590, New: £628

Innovator Founder: Old: £1,274, New: £1,357

Start-up: Old: £465, New: £495

Scale-up: Old: £880, New: £937

High Potential Individual: Old: £880, New: £880 (unchanged)

Graduate Route: Old: £880, New: £937

T2 Minister of Religion: Old: £769, New: £819

International Sportsperson – up to 12 months: Old: £319, New: £340

International Sportsperson – over 12 months: Old: £769, New: £819

Temporary Work (Seasonal Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, International Agreement, Government Authorised Exchange, Youth Mobility Scheme, India Young Professionals Scheme): Old: £319, New: £340

Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker (up to 3 years): Old: £769, New: £819

Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker (over 3 years): Old: £1,519, New: £1,618

Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee: Old: £319, New: £340

Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier: Old: £319, New: £340

Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker: Old: £319, New: £340

Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker: Old: £319, New: £340

SETTLEMENT AND INDEFINITE LEAVE

Route to Settlement: Old: £1,938, New: £2,064

Route to Settlement – other dependant relative: Old: £3,413, New: £3,635

Route to Settlement – refugee dependant relative: Old: £424, New: £452

Indefinite leave to remain: Old: £3,029, New: £3,226

Visitor Extension (in-country): Old: £1,100, New: £1,172

Leave to remain – Other: Old: £1,321, New: £1,407

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Certificate of travel (adult): Old: £300, New: £320

Certificate of travel (child): Old: £151, New: £161

Convention travel document (adult): Old: £94.50, New: £102

Convention travel document (child): Old: £61.50, New: £66.50

NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP

Naturalisation (British citizenship): Old: £1,605, New: £1,709

Registration as British citizen – adult: Old: £1,446, New: £1,540

Registration as British citizen – child: Old: £1,214, New: £1,000 (reduced)

Renunciation of nationality: Old: £482, New: £513

Nationality review: Old: £482, New: £513

Status Letter (Nationality): Old: £459, New: £489

Non-acquisition Letter (Nationality): Old: £459, New: £489

A Nepal commission has recommended the prosecution of ex-prime minister KP Sharma Oli in connection to the deadly September 2025 uprising that toppled his government, according to a leaked report.

At least 77 people were killed in the anti-corruption youth uprising on September 8 and 9, which began over a brief social media ban but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship.

Four-time prime minister and Marxist leader Oli, 74, was defeated in the polls this month by the 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, whose Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won in a landslide after promising to oust an ageing elite, stem corruption and fix the economy.

The commission’s recommendations, set out in a report leaked by Nepali media, came ahead of the swearing-in later on Thursday of newly elected members of parliament.

“It was decided to recommend to the Government of Nepal that an investigation, inquiry, and prosecution be carried out against the then executive head, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli,” according to a copy of the report seen by AFP on Thursday.

At least 19 young people were killed in a crackdown on the first day of protests.

No one has been convicted over the killings.

– ‘Negligent conduct’ –

Former interior minister Ramesh Lekhak and ex-police chief Chandra Kuber Khapung should also be investigated and prosecuted, according to the recommendations in the report.

Lekhak bore “overall responsibility for home administration, security agencies, and maintaining law and order”, the report said, adding that he and Oli “did not appear to have made any effort on the afternoon… to prevent further human casualties”.

The report said it was “not established that there was an order to shoot”, but “no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives”.

The report said victims in 48 out of 63 completed autopsies died of bullet wounds, and that the majority were struck in their chest or head.

The nationwide unrest in September saw the parliament and government offices being set ablaze and led to Oli’s ouster.

Former chief justice Sushila Karki took on the role of interim prime minister and established a commission to investigate the violence.

The commission’s report was submitted this month and protesters have demanded that its findings be released.

Commission member Bigyan Raj Sharma told reporters the team had questioned more than 200 people and submitted a 900-page report — with more than 8,000 additional pages of evidence.

Karki’s office said on Wednesday evening that she would release the report but the official version was not out yet.

The March 5 election returned a new 275-seat lower house of parliament, with the RSP winning a commanding majority of 182.

New lawmakers will take the oath of office later on Thursday in the newly constructed parliament building, parliament secretariat spokesman Ekram Giri told AFP.

Shah, popularly known as Balen, is expected to be sworn in as prime minister on Friday.

AFP