JUST-IN: Japa Becomes Harder for Nigerians as UK Increases Visa Fees

The United Kingdom government has announced a fresh increase in visa, residency and citizenship fees, with the new rates taking effect from April 8, 2026.

The hike, introduced by the UK Home Office, cuts across nearly all application categories, impacting foreigners seeking to visit, study, work or settle in the UK.

Nigerians, who rank among the highest number of applicants annually, are expected to feel the impact most.

Under the revised structure, a short-term visit visa will rise from £127 to £135, while student visa fees increase from £524 to £558.

Applications for permanent residency will now cost £3,226 (up from £3,029), and British citizenship through naturalisation climbs to £1,709 from £1,605.

In contrast, the fee for registering a child as a British citizen has been reduced from £1,214 to £1,000, the only major category to see a drop.

Some visa types remain unchanged, including the Tier 1 (Investor) visa at £2,000 and the High Potential Individual visa at £880.

With thousands of Nigerians applying yearly for study, work and visitor visas, the increase is expected to raise the financial barrier for migration.

Prospective applicants may now need to reassess plans or make extra financial preparations ahead of the new regime.See the full, details. .