Sharp Increases to ETA and Certificate of Sponsorship Fees Announced

20th January, 2025 by Bilal Ehsan

The Government has announced significant updates to immigration fees, with sharp increases to the cost of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme and the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) used in work visa applications. These changes aim to modernise the immigration system and reduce reliance on public funding.

Fee Increases at a Glance

Key fee adjustments include:

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): Increasing to £16, just weeks after its rollout in November 2024 to travellers from over 50 countries, including the US and Canada.
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Rising to £525, more than doubling since the last increase in October 2023.
Naturalisation as a British Citizen: Climbing to £1,605.
Naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories Citizen: Increasing to £1,070.

A definitive timeline for these changes has not yet been provided, but they are expected to take effect soon following amendments to existing legislation.

Temporary Airside Transit Exemption

In a related update, the Government has introduced a temporary exemption from the ETA requirement for airside passengers transiting through Heathrow and Manchester Airports. Effective 16 January 2025, this applies to travellers who do not pass through UK border control. The measure, introduced in response to industry feedback, remains under review.

Implications and Recommendations

These fee increases will have a significant impact:

For Businesses: Employers sponsoring overseas workers will face higher CoS costs, requiring careful planning to manage recruitment budgets. Submitting CoS requests or visa applications promptly, where the rules allow, can help avoid the higher fees.
For Individuals: Applicants pursuing British citizenship or Overseas Territories citizenship will need to account for rising costs. Acting now to submit applications under the current fee structure could help reduce the financial burden.

For advice on how these changes may affect you or your business, contact us for expert guidance.

For more details, read the official government announcement here.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Bilal Ehsan ([javascript protected email address] for further information.

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