The UK visa fee from Pakistan starts at £135 (about PKR 50,100) for a 6-month Standard Visitor visa, rising to £558 for a student visa, £819 for a Skilled Worker visa and £2,064 for a spouse visa. Those are only the Home Office charges. Once you add the Immigration Health Surcharge, the TB test, VFS Global service costs and your bank’s currency conversion, the real amount leaving your account is often 30–40% higher than the figure quoted on GOV.UK.
This guide lists every fee in pounds and Pakistani rupees, shows exactly which extra costs apply to which visa, and works through four complete budgets so you know your total before you pay.
| ⚠ Fees changed on 8 April UK visa fees rose by roughly 6–7% on 8 April . The 6-month visit visa went from £127 to £135, the student visa from £524 to £558, and the Skilled Worker visa from £769 to £819.Any page still quoting £127 for a visit visa is out of date. Always confirm the live figure at visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk on the day you submit. |
UK Visa Fees at a Glance
Every figure below is the Home Office fee for an application made from outside the UK. PKR figures use an exchange rate of about £1 = PKR 371 (July ) and are rounded — treat them as a planning estimate, not an exact amount.
| Visa Type | Fee (GBP) | Approx. PKR | IHS Payable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor — 6 months | £135 | ≈ 50,100 | No |
| Long-term visit — 2 years | £506 | ≈ 187,700 | No |
| Long-term visit — 5 years | £903 | ≈ 335,000 | No |
| Long-term visit — 10 years | £1,128 | ≈ 418,500 | No |
| Student visa | £558 | ≈ 207,000 | Yes — £776/yr |
| Graduate (post-study work) visa | £937 | ≈ 347,600 | Yes — £1,035/yr |
| Skilled Worker — up to 3 years | £819 | ≈ 303,800 | Yes — £1,035/yr |
| Skilled Worker — over 3 years | £1,618 | ≈ 600,300 | Yes — £1,035/yr |
| Health and Care Worker — up to 3 yrs | £324 | ≈ 120,200 | Exempt |
| Spouse / partner (entry clearance) | £2,064 | ≈ 765,700 | Yes — £1,035/yr |
| Fiancé(e) visa | £2,064 | ≈ 765,700 | Yes — 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor visa | £135 | ≈ 50,100 | No |
| Private medical treatment (6–11 mo) | £235 | ≈ 87,200 | No |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | £42 | ≈ 15,600 | No |
| Visitor in Transit | £75 | ≈ 27,800 | No |
| Priority service (add-on) | £500 | ≈ 185,500 | — |
| Super Priority service (add-on) | £1,000 | ≈ 371,000 | — |
Important: UK visa fees are identical worldwide. The £819 Skilled Worker fee is the same from Islamabad as it is from Delhi, Lagos or Manila. What differs between countries is the rupee equivalent on the day you pay and the commercial charges VFS Global adds locally.
UK Visit Visa Fee from Pakistan
The Standard Visitor visa is what most Pakistani applicants need. It covers tourism, visiting family, business meetings, conferences, private medical treatment and short courses of up to 30 days.
| Duration | Fee (GBP) | Approx. PKR | With Priority (+£500) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | £135 | ≈ 50,100 | £635 ≈ 235,600 |
| 2 years | £506 | ≈ 187,700 | £1,006 ≈ 373,200 |
| 5 years | £903 | ≈ 335,000 | £1,403 ≈ 520,500 |
| 10 years | £1,128 | ≈ 418,500 | £1,628 ≈ 604,000 |
Does a longer visit visa let you stay longer?
No — and this is the single most expensive misunderstanding in this category. A 10-year visit visa does not let you live in the UK. Every visit, on every version of the visa, is capped at 180 days. What you buy with £1,128 is the convenience of not reapplying for a decade, not extra time in the country.
Is the long-term visa worth the extra cost?
Do the arithmetic against your actual travel pattern. Eight separate 6-month applications over ten years cost £1,080 at today’s rate — barely less than a single 10-year visa at £1,128, and that is before eight lots of VFS charges and eight rounds of document preparation. If you genuinely travel to the UK once a year or more, the long-term visa is the cheaper option.
If you have never held a UK visa before, apply for the 6-month visa first. Long-term applications attract heavier scrutiny of your travel history and your reasons for returning to Pakistan, and a refusal costs you the whole £903 or £1,128 with no refund.
UK Student Visa Fee from Pakistan
The student visa application fee is £558 (about PKR 207,000) per person — the same for the main applicant, for a Child Student and for each dependant. But the application fee is the smaller half of the bill. The Immigration Health Surcharge is charged at the reduced student rate of £776 per year and must be paid upfront for the entire visa length.
| Cost item | Amount (GBP) | Approx. PKR |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa application fee | £558 | ≈ 207,000 |
| IHS — 1 year (e.g. taught master’s) | £776 | ≈ 287,900 |
| IHS — 3 years (undergraduate) | £2,328 | ≈ 863,700 |
| TB test (IOM/approved clinic, Pakistan) | ≈ £35–55 | 13,000–20,000 |
| Short-term English language study (6–11 mo) | £235 | ≈ 87,200 |
| Graduate (post-study work) visa | £937 | ≈ 347,600 |
| What a UK student visa actually costs a Pakistani student One-year taught master’s: £558 + £776 IHS ≈ £1,334 (PKR ~495,000), plus TB test and VFS charges. Three-year undergraduate degree: £558 + about £2,716 IHS (course length plus the buffer period) ≈ £3,274 (PKR ~1,215,000).None of this includes tuition, flights, or the maintenance funds you must separately evidence in your bank account. |
The IHS is calculated on the full length of permission granted, not just your course. UKVI adds a short buffer — usually one month before the course starts and two to four months after it ends — and charges the surcharge on that total. A three-year degree is therefore billed at roughly three years and four months of IHS, which is why the figure comes to £2,716 rather than a flat £2,328.
UK Work Visa Fees for Pakistan
Work visa costs depend on the route and the length of the visa. The Skilled Worker visa is the main route for Pakistani applicants and requires a job offer from a UK employer holding a sponsor licence.
| Work route | Up to 3 years | Over 3 years | Approx. PKR (3 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | £819 | £1,618 | ≈ 303,800 |
| Skilled Worker (Temporary Shortage List) | £625 | £1,237 | ≈ 231,900 |
| Health and Care Worker | £324 | £624 | ≈ 120,200 |
| Global Talent (incl. £244 endorsement) | £1,010 | — | ≈ 374,700 |
| High Potential Individual | £937 | — | ≈ 347,600 |
| Scale-up Worker | £875 | — | ≈ 324,600 |
| T5 Temporary Worker | £319 | — | ≈ 118,300 |
| Innovator Founder | £1,352 | — | ≈ 501,600 |
The cheapest UK work visa — and the catch
The Health and Care Worker route is by far the lowest-cost work visa at £324 with full IHS exemption. A three-year Health and Care visa costs about £324 in total, against roughly £3,924 for a standard three-year Skilled Worker visa once the £3,105 surcharge is added. Entry clearance for overseas senior care workers closed in 2025, however, so confirm the route is still open for your specific occupation before planning around it.
Costs your employer must pay — not you
Sponsorship costs sit legally with the sponsoring employer and cannot be passed on to the worker. These include the sponsor licence (£611 for small or charitable sponsors, £1,682 for medium and large), the Certificate of Sponsorship at £525, and the Immigration Skills Charge of £480 or £1,320 per year of sponsorship depending on employer size.
| ✕ If someone asks you to pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship, it is a scam A CoS costs the employer £525 and can only be issued by a licensed UK sponsor. No agent in Pakistan can buy, arrange or sell you one at any price.Before you pay anyone anything, check the employer’s name against the Home Office register of licensed sponsors on GOV.UK. If the company is not on that list, the job offer cannot produce a visa.Legitimate UK employers do not ask candidates to fund their own sponsorship. Recovering the Immigration Skills Charge from a worker is against the rules. |
UK Spouse and Family Visa Fees
The spouse visa is the most expensive route most Pakistani families will encounter, and the application fee is only the beginning.
| Family route | Application fee | IHS for the period | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse / partner (33 months) | £2,064 | £3,105 | £5,169 ≈ PKR 1,917,700 |
| Fiancé(e) visa (6 months) | £2,064 | £517.50 | £2,581.50 ≈ PKR 957,700 |
| Parent of a British/settled child | £2,064 | £3,105 | £5,169 |
| Dependant of a Skilled Worker | £819 | Matches sponsor | Varies |
| Adult dependent relative | £3,704 | Not required | £3,704 ≈ PKR 1,374,200 |
The five-year route to settlement runs through three separate applications. For one applicant that is £2,064 plus £3,105 IHS for entry clearance, then £1,407 plus £2,587.50 IHS for the in-country extension, then £3,226 for indefinite leave to remain — roughly £12,389 per person over five years, before the £1,709 naturalization fee if you later apply for citizenship.
Every family member applies and pays separately. Children pay the reduced IHS rate of £776 per year.
The Immigration Health Surcharge — The Cost Most People Miss
The IHS gives you full NHS access on the same basis as a UK resident. It is paid online at the same time as the visa fee, upfront, for the entire length of the visa. For long visas it frequently costs more than the visa itself.
| Applicant category | Per year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult standard rate | £1,035 | £3,105 | £5,175 |
| Student and student dependants | £776 | £2,328 | £3,880 |
| Under 18 on the application date | £776 | £2,328 | £3,880 |
| Health and Care Worker route | Exempt | £0 | £0 |
| Standard Visitor (6 months or less) | Not payable | — | — |
| Who does not pay the IHS? Visit visa applicants staying six months or less pay nothing. This is why a 10-year visit visa at £1,128 has no ongoing cost attached to it. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants are fully exempt. Everyone else applying for permission longer than six months pays it in full, upfront, before a decision is made. |
UK Priority Visa Fee and Super Priority
Priority services buy you a faster decision, not a better one. They were not increased in the April 2026 fee revision.
| Service | Fee | Approx. PKR | Decision target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard processing | Included | — | About 3 weeks from biometrics |
| Priority Service | £500 | ≈ 185,500 | 5 working days |
| Super Priority Service | £1,000 | ≈ 371,000 | Next working day |
| Settlement Priority (family routes) | £500 | ≈ 185,500 | 30 working days |
Availability in Pakistan varies by route, by centre and by season, and priority slots are frequently unavailable during summer and the weeks around Eid. Paying for priority does not improve your chances of approval — it only shortens the wait. If your file is weak, the faster decision is simply a faster refusal.
If UKVI misses its own service standard on a straightforward case, the priority fee can sometimes be refunded. The application fee never is.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Quotes You
This is where budgets fall apart. The GOV.UK fee is what the Home Office charges. It is not what the application costs you.
| Cost | Typical amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| TB test (approved clinic, Pakistan) | PKR 13,000–20,000 | Any stay over 6 months |
| VFS optional add-ons (SMS, scanning, courier) | PKR 3,000–10,000 | Optional at every centre |
| VFS premium lounge | ≈ £61 (PKR ~22,600) | Optional |
| Bank card conversion spread | 3–5% of the fee | Every applicant |
| Certified Urdu→English translations | PKR 1,500–4,000 per document | Most applicants |
| Bank statement stamping and letters | PKR 500–3,000 | Most applicants |
| IELTS for UKVI / approved English test | PKR 55,000–75,000 | Student, work, spouse routes |
| Travel to Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore or Mirpur | Varies | Applicants outside those cities |
| ⚠ At the VFS centre, optional means optional Every VFS add-on — SMS updates, form-filling help, document scanning, courier return, premium lounge — is genuinely optional. Your application cannot be refused for declining them, and staff have no influence over the outcome. Applicants in Pakistan have reported being pressured into paying for add-ons at the counter in . You are entitled to say no. Book the free standard appointment and decline anything you did not choose in advance. The only unavoidable payments are the Home Office fee (paid online on GOV.UK), the IHS, and your TB test where required. |
The currency conversion nobody budgets for
You pay the Home Office in pounds using an international debit or credit card. Your bank converts at its own rate and adds a spread, usually 3–5% above the interbank rate. On a £2,064 spouse visa that is PKR 23,000–38,000 you did not plan for. Add a 5–10% buffer to every rupee figure in this guide.
Two practical points: enable international online transactions on your card before you apply, because many Pakistani banks block them by default, and check your card’s daily limit — a spouse visa plus IHS in a single transaction exceeds the standard limit on most Pakistani debit cards.
Four Complete Budgets, Start to Finish
1. Two-week family visit — 6-month visitor visa
- Visa fee £135 ≈ PKR 50,100
- IHS: not payable
- TB test: not required
- VFS standard appointment: free
- Card conversion spread (about 4%): ≈ PKR 2,000
Realistic total: about PKR 52,000–56,000 per person.
2. One-year taught master’s degree
- Visa fee £558 ≈ PKR 207,000
- IHS one year plus buffer, about £905 ≈ PKR 335,800
- TB test: ≈ PKR 16,000
- IELTS for UKVI: ≈ PKR 65,000
- Card conversion and translations: ≈ PKR 25,000
Realistic total: about PKR 650,000, excluding tuition, flights and the maintenance funds you must evidence.
3. Three-year Skilled Worker visa
- Visa fee £819 ≈ PKR 303,800
- IHS three years £3,105 ≈ PKR 1,152,000
- TB test: ≈ PKR 16,000
- English test and translations: ≈ PKR 75,000
Realistic total: about PKR 1,560,000. Your employer separately pays £525 CoS and £1,440–£3,960 Immigration Skills Charge — never you.
4. Spouse visa, entry clearance
- Visa fee £2,064 ≈ PKR 765,700
- IHS 33 months £3,105 ≈ PKR 1,152,000
- TB test: ≈ PKR 16,000
- A1 English test: ≈ PKR 40,000
- Translations, documents, card spread: ≈ PKR 90,000
Realistic total: about PKR 2,065,000 for the first stage alone. Budget roughly PKR 4.6 million across the full five-year route to settlement.
How to Pay Your UK Visa Fee from Pakistan
- Pay online at gov.uk when you submit your application form, using an international Visa or Mastercard. The IHS is paid in the same session where it applies.
- Never pay the visa fee in cash at a VFS centre and never pay through an agent’s personal account. The Home Office fee is collected online, by you, and nowhere else.
- Enable international online payments on your card first — several Pakistani banks block them by default and a declined transaction can lose your saved application.
- Check your daily transaction limit. Larger applications often exceed standard debit card limits and need to be raised temporarily through your bank.
- Keep the payment confirmation and GWF reference. You need them to book biometrics and to track your application later.
- The only fees paid locally in rupees are the TB test at the clinic and any VFS optional services you actually choose to buy.
Refunds — What You Get Back and What You Don’t
| Payment | Refunded if refused? |
|---|---|
| Visa application fee | No — never refunded, on any route |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Yes — refunded in full automatically |
| Priority / Super Priority fee | Sometimes, if UKVI missed its own service standard |
| VFS optional services | No |
| TB test fee | No |
The IHS refund is automatic if your application is refused or withdrawn before a decision. It returns to the original payment card, usually within about six weeks of the refusal, and you do not need to request it. If it has not arrived after eight weeks, contact UKVI with your GWF number.
Everything else is gone. This is why preparation matters more than any add-on you can buy: a refused £2,064 spouse visa costs you the full amount, and reapplying means paying it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the UK visa fee from Pakistan?
A 6-month Standard Visitor visa is £135, about PKR 50,100 at July rates. Long-term visit visas are £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years and £1,128 for 10 years. A student visa is £558, a Skilled Worker visa £819 for up to three years, and a spouse visa £2,064. Most visas longer than six months also carry the Immigration Health Surcharge on top.
How much is the UK visit visa fee from Pakistan for 6 months?
£135, roughly PKR 50,100. No Immigration Health Surcharge is payable on visits of six months or less, and no TB test is required, so £135 plus your bank’s conversion spread is close to the true total.
What is the UK visa fee for 5 years and 10 years?
A 5-year Standard Visitor visa is £903 (about PKR 335,000) and a 10-year visa is £1,128 (about PKR 418,500). Neither carries an IHS charge. Both still cap each individual visit at 180 days — they save you reapplying, they do not extend how long you may stay.
How much is the UK student visa fee from Pakistan?
£558 per applicant, about PKR 207,000, plus the reduced Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year for the full length of permission granted. A one-year master’s works out at roughly £1,334 in government fees; a three-year undergraduate degree at roughly £3,274.
What are the UK work visa fees for Pakistan?
The Skilled Worker visa is £819 for up to three years and £1,618 for longer, plus the standard IHS of £1,035 per year. The Health and Care Worker route is cheaper at £324 and is exempt from the surcharge. Your employer pays the sponsor licence, the £525 Certificate of Sponsorship and the Immigration Skills Charge — those are not your costs.
How much is the UK spouse visa fee from Pakistan?
£2,064 for entry clearance, about PKR 765,700, plus £3,105 IHS for the 33-month visa — roughly £5,169 in total for the first stage. The complete five-year route to indefinite leave to remain costs approximately £12,389 per person in government fees.
How much is the UK priority visa fee?
Priority costs £500 and targets a decision in 5 working days. Super Priority costs £1,000 and targets the next working day. Both are added on top of the standard application fee, and availability in Pakistan varies by route and season.
Are UK visa fees the same from Pakistan as from other countries?
Yes. The Home Office sets fees in pounds sterling and they apply identically worldwide. What varies is the rupee equivalent on the day you pay and the commercial charges VFS Global applies locally in Pakistan.
Can I get my UK visa fee refunded if my application is refused?
The application fee is never refunded. The Immigration Health Surcharge is refunded in full and automatically if you are refused or withdraw before a decision, usually within six weeks. VFS charges and TB test fees are not refundable.
How much is the TB test for a UK visa in Pakistan?
Roughly PKR 13,000–20,000 depending on the clinic and city, paid directly to the clinic in rupees. It is only required for stays over six months, so most visit visa applicants do not need one. The certificate is valid for six months and is non-refundable if your visa is refused.
Do I need to pay an agent to apply?
No. Every step of the process is designed to be completed by the applicant, and no agent, consultant or VFS employee can influence a decision. If you want professional help, use only an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA, formerly OISC). Anyone claiming to have contacts who can guarantee a visa is misleading you.
Why did UK visa fees increase ?
Fees rose by about 6–7% on 8 April as part of the Home Office’s annual revision. UK visa fees are deliberately set above the administrative cost of processing under section 68 of the Immigration Act 2014, with the stated aim of shifting the cost of the immigration system from general taxpayers to applicants.
Before You Pay
- Confirm the live fee at visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk on the day you submit — paying the wrong amount can get an application rejected.
- Add 5–10% to every rupee figure here to cover exchange rate movement and your bank’s conversion spread.
- Check whether the IHS applies to your route before budgeting. On long visas it often exceeds the visa fee itself.
- Decline VFS optional services you did not choose in advance. They cannot affect your decision.
- Remember the application fee is non-refundable. Spend your effort on the strength of your file, not on add-ons.
| Verify before you apply All fees on this page were verified against official sources in July and reflect the schedule effective 8 April . UK visa fees typically rise each April. PKR conversions use an approximate rate of £1 = PKR 371 (July ) and are indicative only. The exact rupee amount depends on your bank’s rate on the payment date. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. For advice on your circumstances, consult an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). |