A UK spouse visa costs £2,064 if you apply from outside the UK (or £1,407 from inside the UK), plus a £3,105 Immigration Health Surcharge for a 2 year 9 month visa. Over the full route to settlement and British citizenship, one person pays about £14,400 in Home Office fees and surcharges, before English tests and any optional fast-track services.
Checked against GOV.UK: November 2026, using the Home Office fees table from 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK family visa fees. Fees usually change every April.
Spouse visa fees at a glance (2026)
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner visa, applying from outside the UK | £2,064 |
| Spouse or partner visa, applying from inside the UK (switch or extension) | £1,407 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 2 years 9 months (first visa from abroad) | £3,105 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 2 years 6 months (extension) | £2,587.50 |
| Priority service (in the UK, optional) | £500 |
| Super priority service (optional) | £1,000 |
| Biometric enrolment | No fee |
The health surcharge is £1,035 per year for adults. It is paid upfront for the whole length of the visa, per adult.
The full cost from first visa to British passport
Here is what one person on the standard partner route pays, applying from outside the UK and later naturalising as a British citizen. These are the Home Office fees in force in November 2026.
| Step | When | Fee | Health surcharge | Step total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First spouse visa (from abroad) | Month 0 | £2,064 | £3,105 | £5,169 |
| Extension (in the UK) | About 2 years 9 months | £1,407 | £2,587.50 | £3,994.50 |
| Life in the UK test | Before ILR | £50 | – | £50 |
| Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) | After 5 years | £3,226 | – | £3,226 |
| British citizenship (naturalisation) | After ILR | £1,709 | – | £1,709 |
| Citizenship ceremony | After approval | £130 | – | £130 |
| First adult British passport (online) | After the ceremony | £102 | – | £102 |
| Total Home Office and passport fees | £14,380.50 |
Add English tests: about £160 to £209 per test at A1 to B1. Most people take A1, A2 and a settlement-level test (about £480 to £630 in total). ILR applications made on or after 26 March 2027 need B2, and today's approved B2 tests are four-skill tests that usually cost more. Taking a higher level early can save a test. See the English test for spouse visa guide.
So the realistic total is about £14,900 to £15,000 per person, before optional priority services or legal help.
Use our true cost calculator to work out your own total, including family members.
Costs that people forget
- Children: each child who applies with you pays their own visa fee and health surcharge. The surcharge for applicants under 18 is lower (£776 a year).
- Translations: documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations.
- Ecctis assessment: if you use a non-UK degree to prove English, you need an Ecctis assessment, which has its own fee.
- TB test: applicants from some countries need a tuberculosis test certificate before applying from abroad.
- Priority services: £500 (priority) or £1,000 (super priority) if you want a faster decision.
- Resits: a failed English test or Life in the UK test means paying again.
- Exchange rates: if you pay from abroad, your bank's exchange rate can add a lot to the cost. Compare rates before you pay large fees.
How much is a spouse visa extension?
Extending in the UK costs £1,407 plus £2,587.50 health surcharge for 2 years 6 months, so £3,994.50 per adult. You also need an A2 English test (or a reused higher-level pass), which costs about £160 to £209. See our spouse visa extension guide.
Do you pay the health surcharge for ILR?
No. The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid for time-limited visas. ILR has no health surcharge, just the £3,226 application fee.
Can you get a fee waiver?
GOV.UK says a fee waiver may be available if you cannot afford the fee, for example if you have no home, cannot afford essentials or have a very low income and paying would harm your child's wellbeing. Fee waivers are assessed case by case. See GOV.UK: family visas.
How to keep costs down
- Take a higher English level early if you can. A B1 pass can be reused for the extension and for ILR.
- Prepare properly for the Life in the UK test so you only pay £50 once. Our free practice tests cover the whole handbook.
- Avoid priority services unless you need them. Standard processing is usually 8 weeks in the UK and 12 weeks from abroad.
- Apply on time. A refused application usually means paying the full fee again.
- Check fees before April. Home Office fees usually rise in April. Applying before a rise can save money.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a UK spouse visa in 2026?
A UK spouse visa costs £2,064 if you apply from outside the UK, or £1,407 if you apply from inside the UK. You also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge: £3,105 for a 2 year 9 month visa, or £2,587.50 for a 2 year 6 month extension.
What is the total cost of a spouse visa to British citizenship?
For one adult on the standard route, Home Office fees, health surcharges, the Life in the UK test, ILR, naturalisation, the ceremony and a first passport come to about £14,380 (November 2026 fees). With English tests it is about £14,900 to £15,000.
How much is the health surcharge for a spouse visa?
The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 a year per adult. For a 2 year 9 month spouse visa it is £3,105, and for a 2 year 6 month extension it is £2,587.50.
How much does a spouse visa extension cost?
An in-UK extension costs £1,407 plus £2,587.50 health surcharge for 2 years 6 months, a total of £3,994.50 per adult, plus an A2 English test if you need one.
How much is ILR for a spouse?
Indefinite leave to remain costs £3,226 per person (Home Office fees table, November 2026). There is no health surcharge for ILR.
Do children pay the same fees?
Children pay the same visa application fee, but the health surcharge for under-18s is lower at £776 a year.