From 4 October 2023, the government will increase the cost of most UK visa fees, in some cases by as much as 35%. Visa fees were already hugely expensive, forcing many people in our communities into financial precarity just to live, study or work in this country.  

Increasing visa fees for people making their home in the UK is unfair, divisive and dangerous, especially during a cost of living crisis that is making life tougher for all of us. High visa costs are already leaving families without cash for essentials, living month to month just to save for a visa. These costs are especially difficult for families who want to permanently settle in the UK, where they have to pay huge sums to reapply every two or so years, for up to a decade. Too many children are growing up in families that are walking a financial tightrope because of these requirements. 

The government has rushed through these increases, which are far above the rate of inflation. Some of the key increa…