Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to reduce the cost of application fees for (a) visas and (b) citizenship.

The Home Office keeps fees for immigration and nationality applications under review. However, there are no plans to reduce fees for applications for visas or British Citizenship. It is the government’s policy that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system should contribute towards the cost of operating it, reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer.

The Home Office provides exceptions to the need to pay application fees in a number of specific circumstances. These include affordability-based waivers for entry clearance and leave to remain on family and human rights grounds, and for applications for children seeking to register as a British Citizen.