The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025

Published: Tue 21st Oct 25

The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025, made under powers in the Immigration Act 2014 and with Treasury consent, amend the 2018 Regulations governing immigration and nationality fees, effective from 11th November 2025 across the UK. These amendments specifically remove certain fee exceptions relating to Afghan citizens, introduce new fee exemptions for certain stateless persons and applicants under the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme, alter fees for sponsor licence services including fee increases for priority processing, and establish a fee exemption for the review of previously fee-exempted nationality applications.

Arguments For

Implementing necessary adjustments to the fee structure to support the operational costs and policy changes within the immigration and nationality system.
Providing clarity and consistency by updating fee exceptions related to specific immigration rule appendices, such as the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.
Ensuring that applications from vulnerable groups, such as stateless persons and certain applicants under the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme, benefit from appropriate fee exemptions.
Streamlining sponsor applications by removing fees for certain premium service packages while increasing fees for priority services to maintain service quality and responsiveness for those willing to pay a premium.

Arguments Against

Increasing specific sponsor licence fees may place additional financial burdens on businesses and educational institutions acting as sponsors.
Removing existing fee exemptions for specific categories of Afghan citizens and their dependents could create immediate financial barriers for these individuals.
Changes to fee structures, even if minor, increase administrative complexity for applicants and caseworkers, potentially leading to delays or errors.
Charging for reviews of previously fee-exempted nationality applications might be perceived as inconsistent or burdensome for individuals seeking redress or confirmation.

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations with the consent of the Treasury, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 68(1), (7)(a) and (10)(a) of the Immigration Act 2014. These Regulations are made further to provision in the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2016.

The Secretary of State created these rules, gaining consent from HM Treasury, by utilizing the authority granted under specific sections of the Immigration Act 2014.

These rules operate in conjunction with the provisions established in the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2016.

Citation, commencement and extent1.

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 and come into force on 11th November 2025.

(2)

These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The official title of these rules is The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025, and they officially become active on 11th November 2025.

These rules apply uniformly across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Amendment of the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 20182.

The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018 are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 6.

These new rules modify the existing Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018.

The specific changes are detailed across Regulations 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Amendment to Schedule 13.

(1)

Schedule 1 (applications for entry clearance to enter, and leave to enter, the United Kingdom) is amended as follows.

(2)

In Table 4 (exceptions in respect of fees for and in connection with applications for entry clearance to enter or leave to enter the United Kingdom)—

(a)

in entry 4.6, omit “by relevant Afghan citizens and their dependants”;

(b)

in entry 4.6.1, omit from “as—” to the end;

(c)

after entry 4.16.1, insert—

“4.17
Applications under Appendix UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme
4.17.1
No fee is payable in respect of an application for entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom under Appendix UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme to the immigration rules.
Fee 1.5.1
4.18
Applications under Appendix Statelessness
4.18.1
No fee is payable in respect of an application under Appendix Statelessness to the immigration rules for entry clearance to enter or leave to enter the United Kingdom as—
(a) a partner of a stateless person, or
(b) a child of a stateless person.
Fee 1.4.4”.

This regulation updates Schedule 1, which covers fees for applications seeking permission to enter the UK. Subsections (a) and (b) remove the fee exemption for relevant Afghan citizens and their dependents listed under entry 4.6.

Subsection (c) introduces two new fee exemptions after entry 4.16.1: one for entry clearance applications under the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme, and another for entry clearance applications made by partners or children of stateless persons under the Appendix Statelessness rules.

Amendment to Schedule 24.

(1)

Schedule 2 (applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom) is amended as follows.

(2)

In Table 9 (exceptions and waivers in respect of fees for applications for, or in connection with, leave to remain in the United Kingdom)—

(a)

in entry 9.8, for paragraphs (b) and (c) substitute—

(b)
under Appendix Statelessness to the immigration rules, as a partner or child of a stateless person;”;

(b)

in entry 9.14.2, omit from “as—” to the end.

This regulation amends Schedule 2, which handles fee exceptions for applying to remain in the UK. Paragraph (2)(a) substitutes paragraphs (b) and (c) of entry 9.8 to specifically include partners and children of stateless persons applying under Appendix Statelessness as an exception.

Paragraph (2)(b) removes the remainder of the text following 'as—' in entry 9.14.2.

Amendment to Schedule 45.

(1)

Schedule 4 (sponsorship) is amended as follows.

(2)

In Table 14 (fees in relation to sponsor licences, premium services for sponsors, certificates of sponsorship and confirmations of acceptance for studies)—

(a)

omit entries 14.3.3, 14.3.4 and 14.3.5;

(b)

in entry 14.3.6—

(i)

for the words from “or a temporary worker sponsor” to the end substitute “, a temporary worker sponsor or a student sponsor”;

(ii)

for “£200” substitute “£350”;

(c)

in entry 14.3.7, for “£500” substitute “£750”.

Schedule 4 concerning sponsorship fees is modified.

Entries 14.3.3, 14.3.4, and 14.3.5 are removed entirely, eliminating certain premium service packages for sponsors.

For entry 14.3.6, the scope of expedited sponsorship management request processing is extended to include student sponsors, and the associated fee increases from £200 to £350.

Additionally, the fee for priority service processing of a sponsor licence application (entry 14.3.7) increases from £500 to £750.

Amendment to Schedule 86.

In Schedule 8 (nationality), after Table 20, insert—

“Table 1
Number
Description of the exception
Fees to which the exception applies
20ZA.1
Certain applications for the review of an applications which have been refused by the Secretary of State
20ZA.1.1
No fee is payable for a review of an application for a certificate of registration or naturalisation, or for a certificate of entitlement (the original application), which has been refused by the Secretary of State where the fee in respect of the original application was exempted, waived or otherwise not payable.
Fee 20.2.1”.

Number	Description of the exception	Fees to which the exception applies
20ZA.1	Certain applications for the review of an applications which have been refused by the Secretary of State
20ZA.1.1	No fee is payable for a review of an application for a certificate of registration or naturalisation, or for a certificate of entitlement (the original application), which has been refused by the Secretary of State where the fee in respect of the original application was exempted, waived or otherwise not payable.	Fee 20.2.1”.

Regulation 6 amends Schedule 8 regarding nationality matters by inserting a new table, Table 1 (20ZA.1).

This insertion creates a fee exception for reviewing an application for a certificate of registration, naturalisation, or a certificate of entitlement, provided the fee for that original application was previously exempted, waived, or not payable.

This applies specifically when the Secretary of State refused the original application.

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“4.17	Applications under Appendix UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme
4.17.1	No fee is payable in respect of an application for entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom under Appendix UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme to the immigration rules.	Fee 1.5.1
4.18	Applications under Appendix Statelessness
4.18.1	No fee is payable in respect of an application under Appendix Statelessness to the immigration rules for entry clearance to enter or leave to enter the United Kingdom as— (a) a partner of a stateless person, or (b) a child of a stateless person.	Fee 1.4.4”.