Starting April 1, 2025, the UK, Australia, and the EU will implement significant increases in visa charges and tuition fees, affecting international applicants, including Indians planning to travel, work, or study abroad.
UK Visa Fee Changes
- Visitor Visas: A six-month standard visitor visa will now cost £127 (₹14,000), up from £115. Long-term visit visa fees will also rise, with a 10-year visa increasing to £1,059 (up from £963).
- Student Visas: Fees for student and child student visas will rise from £490 to £524. Short-term study visas (6-11 months) will increase from £200 to £214.
- Work Visas: The Skilled Worker visa (up to 3 years) will increase from £719 to £769, while the Innovator Founder visa will rise from £1,191 to £1,274.
- Employer Sponsorship Costs: A Certificate of Sponsorship will now cost £525 (previously £239), and sponsor license fees for large businesses will rise to £1,579.
- New Travel Authorisation: The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) fee will rise to £16, up from £10.
UK University Tuition Fee Changes
England’s domestic university tuition fees, frozen since 2017, will increase with inflation, raising the current £9,250 annual cap to £10,500 over five years, starting from the 2025–26 academic year.
Australia’s Tuition Fee Hike for International Students
Several Australian universities will raise tuition fees from 2025, with some courses seeing over a 7% hike.
- University of Melbourne: Engineering fees will rise to AUD 56,480 (₹30.36 lakh) per year, while clinical medicine will cost AUD 112,832 (₹60.66 lakh).
- UNSW Sydney: Most courses will be priced at AUD 58,560 annually.
EU’s New Travel Rules from Mid-2025
- European Travel Authorisation (ETIAS): A new digital entry permit for visa-exempt travellers will cost €7 and remain valid for three years. Indians will still need a Schengen visa to visit EU nations.
- Entry/Exit System (EES): The EU will replace passport stamps with automated biometric checks, including facial recognition and fingerprint scans, to speed up border processing.
US Visa Fee Changes Implemented in 2024
The US raised its visa fees in April 2024, increasing employment-based petition costs. H-1B visa applications now require up to $780, depending on the company size.
These fee hikes could impact thousands of Indians aspiring to study, work, or travel abroad, making financial planning more crucial than ever.
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