UK Visa Fee Calculator with IHS (2026)
Add 2026 application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge and priority options. Itemised GBP total with USD, INR and EUR equivalents.
Your itemised UK visa cost
| Cost component | Per applicant | Applicants | Subtotal |
|---|
Currency equivalents use static approximate rates (£1 ≈ $1.34 ≈ €1.17 ≈ ₹118) for guidance only. Application fees are non-refundable; the IHS is refunded on refusal. Always verify the final figure on GOV.UK before paying.
UK Visa Fee Calculator: Application Fee + IHS in One Total
This UK visa fee calculator totals the two Home Office charges every long-stay applicant pays: the route-specific application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). As an IHS and visa fee calculator it applies the real surcharge rules — £1,035 per adult per year, £776 for students and under-18s, charged in 6-month blocks rounded up — then adds optional priority service per applicant. Short answers: the UK Skilled Worker visa fee is £819 (up to 3 years) or £1,618 (over 3 years) plus IHS, and the UK spouse visa fee is £2,064 plus roughly £3,105 of IHS per adult. For the full post-April-2026 price list see our UK visa fee 2026 guide, compare worldwide with the visa fee calculator, or check the route rules in our Skilled Worker guide.
2026 UK Application Fees Used by This Calculator
All figures are the Home Office fees applying from 8 April 2026 (unchanged in the October 2026 table) for out-of-country entry clearance. IHS is additional wherever the visa exceeds 6 months.
Work routes
| Visa route | Application fee | IHS rate | Suggested IHS years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker (CoS up to 3 years) | £819 | £1,035 / year | 3 |
| Skilled Worker (CoS over 3 years) | £1,618 | £1,035 / year | 5 |
| Health & Care Worker (up to 3 years) | £324 | Exempt (£0) | 3 |
| Health & Care Worker (over 3 years) | £628 | Exempt (£0) | 5 |
Study and post-study routes
| Visa route | Application fee | IHS rate | Suggested IHS years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student (main applicant & each dependant) | £558 | £776 / year (reduced) | Course length |
| Child Student | £558 | £776 / year (reduced) | Course length |
| Graduate (2 years; 3 for PhDs) | £937 | £1,035 / year | 2 |
Family, dependants and visitors
| Visa route | Application fee | IHS rate | Suggested IHS years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse / Partner (entry clearance, 33 months) | £2,064 | £1,035 / year | 2.75 (billed as 3) |
| Dependent child (Skilled Worker route, ≤3 years) | £819 | £776 / year (under-18) | 3 |
| Standard Visitor (up to 6 months) | £135 | None (£0) | 0 |
Priority services (per applicant)
| Service | Fee | Decision target |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | £500 | 5 working days (30 working days for family entry clearance) |
| Super priority | £1,000 | Next working day (where offered) |
In-country fees can differ (for example Skilled Worker extensions are priced toward £943/£1,865). The calculator defaults to entry-clearance pricing — select your situation and confirm on GOV.UK before paying.
How the IHS Part of the Calculator Works
The IHS is charged in 6-month blocks, rounded up. Applying from outside the UK for 6 months or less means no IHS; from inside the UK it means half a year. Over 6 months up to a year always costs a full year. A 16-month grant costs 18 months of IHS (£1,552.50 at the standard rate), and the 33-month spouse grant rounds up to 3 full years (£3,105 per adult). The calculator applies this rounding automatically and shows the billed years in your breakdown.
Two groups pay less or nothing: students, student dependants, Youth Mobility applicants and under-18s pay £776 per year — pick the reduced rate for them — while Health and Care Worker applicants and their dependants are fully exempt. Visitors on 6-month visas never pay the surcharge at all.
Worked Family Totals (Check Your Result Against These)
One adult, Skilled Worker up to 3 years: £819 + (3 × £1,035) = £3,924. The same adult on a 5-year grant: £1,618 + (5 × £1,035) = £6,793. A couple on the spouse route: 2 × (£2,064 + £3,105) = £10,338 before priority. A 3-year Skilled Worker with a partner and one child (reduced IHS for the child): £3,924 + £3,924 + (£819 + 3 × £776 = £3,147) = £10,995. Add £500 or £1,000 per person for priority, and verify every figure on GOV.UK on the day you apply.
Travelling light instead? A Standard Visitor costs just the £135 fee with no IHS — see the document standards in our UK visitor checklist before risking a non-refundable fee on a thin file, or estimate a multi-country trip with our visa calculator.
UK Visa Fee & IHS FAQs
How much is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) per year in 2026?
£1,035 per year for most applicants, and £776 per year for students, student dependants, Youth Mobility applicants and anyone under 18. A 3-year Skilled Worker visa therefore adds £3,105 of IHS per adult; a 1-year Student visa adds £776.
Who has to pay the IHS?
Anyone applying for a UK visa longer than 6 months — workers, students and family members — pays the IHS, whether applying from outside or inside the UK. Visitors staying 6 months or less never pay it, and Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
How is the IHS calculated for part of a year?
The IHS is charged in 6-month blocks and rounded up: 6 months or less from outside the UK costs nothing; over 6 months up to a year costs a full year; 16 months costs 18 months’ worth (£1,552.50 at the standard rate); 33 months (a spouse visa) rounds up to 3 full years (£3,105).
Do I pay the IHS for a UK visitor visa?
No. Standard Visitor visas of up to 6 months carry no IHS — the £135 application fee is the whole Home Office charge. The surcharge only starts with visas longer than 6 months.
Is there a student discount on the IHS?
Yes. Students, their dependants and under-18s pay £776 per year instead of £1,035. A 3-year bachelor’s degree adds 3 × £776 = £2,328 of IHS on top of the £558 application fee.
Do children pay the same IHS as adults?
Children under 18 at application pay the reduced £776 yearly rate. Their application fee usually matches the main applicant’s route — for example £819 as a Skilled Worker dependant — so select the reduced IHS rate in the calculator for under-18s.
Do Health and Care Worker visa holders pay the IHS?
No. Health and Care Worker applicants and their dependants are exempt from the IHS entirely, and pay lower application fees (£324 for up to 3 years, £628 for longer). The calculator sets their IHS to £0 automatically.
Is the IHS refunded if my visa is refused?
Yes. The IHS is refunded automatically if your visa is refused or withdrawn, usually within weeks. The application fee (£135–£2,064) is never refunded on refusal.
What is the total cost of a UK spouse visa in 2026?
From outside the UK: £2,064 application fee plus about £3,105 of IHS per adult (33 months rounds up to 3 years), so roughly £5,169 per adult before priority (£500), English tests or legal fees. A couple typically exceeds £10,000.
What is the total cost of a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Up to 3 years: £819 plus 3 × £1,035 = £3,924 per adult. Over 3 years (5-year grant): £1,618 plus 5 × £1,035 = £6,793 per adult. Each dependant repeats the same stack, plus £500–£1,000 each for priority.
Is UK priority processing worth it in 2026?
Priority (£500) targets 5 working days (30 for family entry clearance); super priority (£1,000) targets the next working day. It is worth it for start-date deadlines, but not for weak files — a fast refusal costs the same, and complex cases can be de-prioritised without a refund.
Are UK visa application fees refundable?
No. Home Office application fees are non-refundable even if you are refused or withdraw. Only the IHS is refunded on refusal. Double-check your route, fee and documents — and confirm figures on GOV.UK — before paying.
How We Fact-Checked This Calculator
All fees were checked on October 1, 2026 against the Home Office fee tables applying from 8 April 2026 (visitor £135, student £558, Skilled Worker £819/£1,618, Health & Care £324/£628, Graduate £937, spouse entry clearance £2,064, priority £500, super priority £1,000) and GOV.UK's IHS guidance (£1,035 standard, £776 reduced, 6-month rounding). Parliament can amend fees by regulation — always confirm on GOV.UK before paying.