Indian travellers heading to the United Kingdom or Australia will face higher visa fees across various categories from Tuesday. This change is part of a wider trend, following a similar increase in visa fees by the United States, and will impact tourists, students, and professionals of India.

The nearly 13% increase impacts standard visitor, student, and work-related visas. Indian students and skilled workers seeking opportunities in the UK and Australia are expected to be the most affected by this move.

UK visa fee changes category-wise

Visitor visa:

Six-month standard visitor visa: ₹14,000 (£127), up from ₹12,700 (£115).

Two-year visa: ₹52,392 (£475).

Five-year visa: ₹93,533 (£848).

Ten-year visa: ₹116,806 (£1,059).

Student visa:

Regular student and child student visas: ₹57,796 (£524), up from £490.

Short-term study visa (6 to 11 months for English courses): ₹23,604 (£214), up from £200.

Work visa:

Skilled Worker visa (up to three years): ₹84,820 (£769).

Innovator Founder visa: ₹140,520 (£1,274).

Employer fees:

Certificate of Sponsorship: ₹57,907 (£525), up from £239.

Sponsor licence fees for large companies: ₹174,162 (£1,579).

Sponsor licence fees for small businesses and charities: ₹63,311 (£574).

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA):

New fee: ₹1,765 (£16) for visa-exempt travellers, including those from the US and EU.

Tuition fee increases:

The cap on tuition fees for universities in England will rise from ₹10.2 lakh (£9,250) to ₹11.58 lakh (£10,500) over the next five years, starting with students enrolling in 2025–26.

Australian visa and tuition hikes

Australia has revised its visa fee structure and tuition rates, with specific visa fees not yet disclosed. Several universities have already increased tuition for international students starting in 2025.

Some courses have seen an increase of more than 7%.

At the University of Melbourne:

  - Engineering tuition has risen to AUD 56,480 (around ₹30.36 lakh) per year.

  - Clinical medicine tuition has surged to AUD 112,832 (₹60.66 lakh) annually.

At the University of New South Wales (UNSW), most courses will now cost AUD 58,560 per year.

- UNSW highlighted that international students contribute significantly to revenue, and adjustments were necessary due to cost pressures.