How Much Does a UK Spouse Visa Cost in 2025?

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16th Jan 2025

The cost of a UK Spouse Visa in 2025 is £1,846 for applications made from outside the UK and £1,258 for applications made from inside the UK. However, these figures only reflect the application fee that must be paid to the Home Office to process your visa application. There are a host of other costs that you could incur as part of the application process. In this guide to the costs of a UK Spouse Visa, we’ll look at every cost you could incur as part of your application.

Dean Morgan's avatar
Dean Morgan Director
Category: Spouse Visa
Read Time: 5 mins

The Ever-Increasing Cost of Spouse Visas

Since 2011, the cost of a UK Spouse Visa has rocketed. In the early part of the decade, the application fee was a relatively modest £585. Unfortunately, immigration has increasingly been viewed as a source of revenue by consecutive governments, who have sought to monetise the flow of migrants into the UK. To make matters worse, not only have application fees rocketed, but many other costs now need to be factored in, not least the Immigration Health Surcharge. So, how much does a UK Spouse Visa cost in 2025?

The Total Cost of a Spouse Visa in 2025

The table below shows the full costs for a UK Spouse Visa in 2025:

These costs mean that even in the best-case scenario, you will pay a minimum of £4,951 for an overseas application or £3,845.50 for an application made from inside the UK. Depending on the complexity of your case, how many additional services you need and how quickly you want a decision, you could easily spend over £7,000 on your application.

Understanding the Different Costs for a Spouse Visa

The costs associated with a UK Spouse Visa application vary based on your location, circumstances and several other factors. In this section, we will look at each of these individual costs in more detail.

Application Fee

This is the fee paid to the Home Office to process the application. Once the fee has been paid and the application submitted, it will be non-refundable. This includes if the application has been declined or withdrawn before a decision has been made. The application fee is payable upfront when submitting your online application.

Immigration Health Surcharge Fee

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was introduced in 2015 and is a levy applied to most migrants to the UK in return for access to the NHS. It’s a fee that was increased in 2024 and currently stands at £1,035 for adults and £766 for children and students. The fee is payable with just a few exceptions for anyone coming to the UK on a visa of 6 months or longer.

The IHS fee is also paid upfront when you submit your online application. You’ll need to pay the full fee for the length of your visa, meaning a payment of £3,105.00 for overseas applications and £2,587.50 for applications made inside the UK. Should the application be declined or withdrawn, the fee is refundable.

Priority Services Fee

Priority Services are offered for most visa types, including Spouse Visa applications. The services are optional but remain a popular choice for many applicants seeking a quick decision on their application. In the UK, there’s the option of paying an additional £500 or £1000 for the Priority or Super Priority Service. These services offer decisions within 5 and 1 working days. Overseas applicants can choose a £500 Priority Service that provides a decision within 30 working days.

Advisor / Professional Fees

Many applicants engage an Immigration Consultant or Lawyer to process the application on their behalf. Given the complexities of the process and the cost of failure (both in a monetary and emotional sense), it’s often considered money well spent. However, many applicants apply successfully without an advisor, so it isn’t essential to have one. If you choose to engage an advisor, ensure they have a good reputation and are regulated by the OISC or Law Society.

Biometric Appointment Fee

The final part of the application process is to attend a Biometric Appointment. At one of these centres in the UK or overseas, you’ll provide your biometric information, and you can also provide your supporting documents if you haven’t done so already. If you’re flexible with your availability, then you can schedule a free appointment. However, you may need to pay additional fees if you need an appointment at short notice, after standard opening hours or on the weekend.

English Language Tests

Most applicants for a UK Spouse Visa will need to satisfy the English Language Requirement. This can be done by having a recognised qualification taught in English, being a national of an English-speaking country or passing an approved English language test. If you choose to take an English language test, you must pay the relevant fee. Costs vary between providers and countries, with IELTS tests costing between £155 and £220 in the UK. Regardless of which test you take, you’ll need to achieve at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

ECCTIS Fee

An alternative way of satisfying the English Language Requirement is by having a recognised qualification taught in English. If the qualification wasn’t obtained from a UK institution, you’ll need to obtain a statement of comparability or a visa and nationality statement (depending on the country of study). ECCTIS issues these documents, and you’ll need to pay a fee of £168.

Tuberculosis Test Fee

If you’re applying from overseas and you’ve lived or are living in a country where Tuberculosis is prevalent, you will need to obtain a Tuberculosis test clearance certificate. The tests’ fees vary by location, and you can expect to pay anywhere between £20 and £200. Always ensure the provider is recognised and approved by UKVI.

Translation Fees

Any documents you supply in support of your application must be in English. If any document, such as a marriage certificate, is in a foreign language, it must be translated by an approved translator. The cost for this service varies based on the volume of documents that need translating and your location. You should always check that the translator you choose is reputable and recognised by UKVI.

Housing Report

As part of your UK Spouse Visa application, you will need to prove you satisfy the Adequate Accommodation Requirement. If you plan to share accommodation with family or friends or reside in a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO), you may need to obtain a Housing Report. The cost for this report is between £80 and £150.

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