United Kingdom - Home Office fees, IHS, ILR and citizenship
UK total migration cost builder
Model the full UK work-route money stack from first visa to ILR and optional British citizenship. The calculator separates applicant fees paid away, refundable proof-of-funds exposure and sponsor-side costs so the headline total is auditable.
Skilled Worker - general-rate sponsored job - 1 applicant
Applicant paid away
GBP 10,069
Non-refundable applicant-side government and test fees in this model.
Refundable / show-only
GBP 1,270
Maintenance funds to hold or show, kept out of paid-away totals.
Sponsor-side
GBP 0
Employer-side CoS fee when selected.
Itemised cost lines
| Phase | Line | Qty | Unit | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| initial visa | Skilled Worker application fee (more than 3 years) Outside-UK application fee per main applicant and dependant. | 1 | GBP 1,618 | GBP 1,618 | GOV.UK - Skilled Worker visa costs |
| initial visa | Adult IHS for initial 5-year grant IHS is paid upfront for the visa length. Adult dependants use the same yearly rate. | 1 | GBP 5,175 | GBP 5,175 | GOV.UK - Immigration Health Surcharge |
| arrival funds | Maintenance funds for the main applicant Proof of funds, not a fee. This can be waived if you have held a UK visa for 12 months or your sponsor certifies maintenance. Proof of funds, not a fee. | 1 | GBP 1,270 | GBP 1,270 | GOV.UK - Skilled Worker visa costs |
| settlement | Indefinite Leave to Remain application fee ILR fee for main applicant and dependants under the 8 April 2026 Home Office fee table. | 1 | GBP 3,226 | GBP 3,226 | Home Office immigration and nationality fees - 8 April 2026 |
| settlement | Life in the UK test for adults Modelled once per adult applicant; English-language evidence and preparation costs are not included. | 1 | GBP 50 | GBP 50 | Home Office immigration and nationality fees - 8 April 2026 |
Model limits
- This model assumes a current outside-UK main application and the same grant length for dependants.
- A 3-year grant with settlement enabled adds one 2-year in-country extension before ILR; real renewal patterns can differ.
- Proof-of-funds lines are cash you show or hold, not money paid away, and may be waived by 12 months UK residence or sponsor certification.
- VAC appointment services, TB tests, English evidence, translations, legal advice, travel, exchange rates and payment surcharges are not included.
- Child citizenship costs assume child registration; children who turn 18 can have different citizenship and ceremony handling.
Dated verdict context
UK total migration cost verdict context
Verified 2026-07-02
The builder separates paid-away applicant costs, refundable or show-only proof-of-funds exposure and sponsor-side costs. Current source figures include Skilled Worker fees GBP 819/GBP 1,618, Health and Care fees GBP 324/GBP 628, IHS GBP 1,035 adult/year and GBP 776 child/year, ILR GBP 3,226, adult naturalisation GBP 1,709 and child registration GBP 1,000.
Use the result as a cash-exposure budget, not a price promise or eligibility decision. The calculator sums fixed published fees for the selected route and keeps proof-of-funds and sponsor-side costs separate from non-refundable applicant charges.
Skilled Worker outside-UK visa fee
GBP 819 / GBP 1,618
GOV.UK lists the Skilled Worker outside-UK fee as GBP 819 for up to 3 years and GBP 1,618 for more than 3 years; in-country extensions use the route fee table separately.
Health and Care Worker visa fee
GBP 324 / GBP 628
GOV.UK lists Health and Care Worker application fees as GBP 324 for up to 3 years and GBP 628 for more than 3 years, with no IHS line modelled for eligible applicants.
Immigration Health Surcharge
GBP 1,035 adult; GBP 776 child
The calculator uses GOV.UK IHS yearly amounts: GBP 1,035 for most adult visa applications and GBP 776 for child applicants, multiplied by modelled grant years where IHS applies.
Main applicant maintenance funds
GBP 1,270 show-only
GOV.UK lists GBP 1,270 as the main applicant support-funds amount; dependant support funds are shown separately in the calculator and are proof of funds, not money paid away.
ILR fee
GBP 3,226 ILR
The Home Office fee table lists indefinite leave to remain at GBP 3,226 per main applicant or dependant, with the Life in the UK test modelled separately at GBP 50 per adult.
Citizenship fees
GBP 1,709 adult; GBP 1,000 child
The calculator uses GBP 1,709 for adult naturalisation and GBP 1,000 for child British citizenship registration from GOV.UK - Register children for British citizenship when optional citizenship is selected.
Optional priority and sponsor CoS
GBP 500 priority; GBP 525 CoS
The Home Office fee table lists priority service at GBP 500 and Certificate of Sponsorship assignment at GBP 525; the builder keeps CoS as sponsor-side when selected.
Single Skilled Worker, 5-year grant to ILR
Paid GBP 10,069; show-only GBP 1,270
Single Skilled Worker, 5-year grant to ILR models 1 applicant on Skilled Worker - general-rate sponsored job: GBP 10,069 paid away, GBP 1,270 proof-of-funds exposure and GBP 0 sponsor-side cost, for GBP 11,339 combined cash exposure. Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded.
Skilled Worker family of three to citizenship
Paid GBP 33,280; show-only GBP 1,870
Skilled Worker family of three to citizenship models 2 adults and 1 child on Skilled Worker - general-rate sponsored job: GBP 33,280 paid away, GBP 1,870 proof-of-funds exposure and GBP 0 sponsor-side cost, for GBP 35,150 combined cash exposure. Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded.
Single Health and Care Worker, 3-year grant to ILR
Paid GBP 3,924; show-only GBP 1,270
Single Health and Care Worker, 3-year grant to ILR models 1 applicant on Health and Care Worker: GBP 3,924 paid away, GBP 1,270 proof-of-funds exposure and GBP 0 sponsor-side cost, for GBP 5,194 combined cash exposure. Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded.
Source datasets
Limits
- Proof-of-funds amounts are cash to show or hold, not fees paid away, and may be waived by 12 months UK residence or sponsor certification.
- Sponsor-side costs such as CoS assignment are separated from applicant paid-away costs.
- The calculator excludes VAC appointment services, TB tests, English evidence, translations, legal advice, travel, exchange rates and payment surcharges.
- The calculator does not decide sponsor validity, occupation eligibility, dependant eligibility, settlement eligibility or citizenship eligibility.
Worked examples
These examples run through the same calculator logic as the interactive builder. Paid-away totals exclude refundable proof-of-funds lines.
| Profile | Modelled path | Applicant paid away | Refundable / show-only | Budget context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Skilled Worker, 5-year grant to ILR | General-rate sponsored job, no dependants, 5-year grant, ILR included, citizenship excluded. | GBP 10,069 | GBP 1,270 | Paid-away cost GBP 10,069; show-only funds GBP 1,270 Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded. |
| Skilled Worker family of three to citizenship | Main applicant, partner and one child on a 5-year general-rate grant, with ILR and citizenship. | GBP 33,280 | GBP 1,870 | Family-to-citizenship path: paid-away cost GBP 33,280; show-only funds GBP 1,870 Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded. |
| Single Health and Care Worker, 3-year grant to ILR | IHS-exempt route with a 3-year initial grant, one extension, ILR, and no citizenship. | GBP 3,924 | GBP 1,270 | IHS-exempt route: paid-away cost GBP 3,924; show-only funds GBP 1,270 Use this as a budget context, not a Home Office bill: proof-of-funds lines are not paid away, sponsor-side costs are separated, and variable VAC, TB, English, translation, legal, travel, exchange-rate and payment costs are excluded. |
What is being summed
UK cost planning is fragmented across visa fees, IHS, dependant maintenance, sponsor fees, settlement and nationality fees. This builder joins those fixed published amounts into a single pathway model while keeping proof-of-funds separate from non-refundable charges. It deliberately avoids variable third-party costs that depend on the visa application centre, clinic, exchange rate, lawyer or document provider.
Calculator provenance
- Rule review date
- 2 July 2026
- Calculation method
- Sums fixed GOV.UK and Home Office fee-table amounts across the selected route, grant length, dependants, IHS exposure, extension-before-ILR path, ILR, Life in the UK and citizenship options.
Primary sources
- GOV.UK - Skilled Worker visa costshttps://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costsVerified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Skilled Worker partner and children fundshttps://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-partner-and-childrenVerified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Health and Care Worker visa costshttps://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/how-much-it-costsVerified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Health and Care Worker partner and children fundshttps://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/your-partner-and-childrenVerified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Immigration Health Surchargehttps://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-payVerified 2026-07-02
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees - 8 April 2026https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/home-office-immigration-and-nationality-fees-8-april-2026Verified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Citizenship with indefinite leave to remainhttps://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remainVerified 2026-07-02
- GOV.UK - Register children for British citizenshiphttps://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain/apply-for-your-childrenVerified 2026-07-02
It does not decide eligibility, sponsor validity, dependant eligibility, age-at-citizenship handling, country-specific VAC charges, TB tests, English evidence, translations, legal advice, travel costs, payment surcharges or exchange-rate movement. This independent calculator is for planning only; the authoritative result is the relevant government or caseworker decision.
FAQs
What does the UK total migration cost builder include?
It includes the UK work-visa application fee, IHS where payable, maintenance funds as a separate proof-of-funds line, optional priority service, optional sponsor CoS fee, extension before ILR when a 3-year grant is selected, ILR fees, Life in the UK test fees and citizenship fees when selected.
Are maintenance funds part of the cost?
They are not money paid away. The calculator separates maintenance funds into a refundable or show-only total because GOV.UK treats them as funds you hold unless you are exempt or your sponsor certifies maintenance.
Why does a 3-year grant add an extension before ILR?
Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker routes normally use a 5-year residence clock for ILR. If you model a 3-year initial grant and include settlement, the calculator adds a 2-year planning extension before ILR.
Does this include every real-world cost?
No. It excludes VAC appointment services, TB tests, English evidence, translations, travel, legal advice, payment surcharges and exchange-rate movement unless a fixed official amount is modelled. It is a planning model, not a billing statement.