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A planned increase to UK immigration fees on 01 November 2010 has been delayed. The reason for the delay is unknown but it is expected that the fees will increase some time soon.

The fee increase will affect many in-country immigration applications, including Tier 1 (General) Highly Skilled Migrants, Tier 2 for Skilled Workers, UK settlement visas, and naturalisaion. 

You should hurry if you wish to apply for your visa and avoid the UK Government fee increases.

UK Immigration has announced that they have already reached the immigration limit on the total number of overseas initial visa applications that can be issued under the Tier 1 (General) Visa category of the points-based system for the month of November 2010. As we have already predicted the processing delays for Tier 1 visas will become longer and longer. In October the monthly Tier 1 visa limit was reached on 21 October 2010. In November the visa cap was reached on 10 November. Probably in December 2010 the Tier 1 visas limit will be reached in the beginning of the month.

This is a reminder that UK visa fees are due to go up on 22 November 2010.  Even if the visa fee increase is delayed again it seems likely that visa fees will go up very soon.  Certain UK visa fees for dependents applying to remain in the UK will double or triple in price.

There will also be large increases in UK immigration fees if you are applying for Tier 1 visas and Tier 2 visas from outside the UK.  This may put off some people interested in skilled immigration to the UK.

The recent statement by UK Home Secretary Theresa May means that the Tier 1 (General) visa previously known as the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme will in effect be abolished.

The new UK 'highly skilled' tier presumably to be introduced in April 2011 will allow entry of entrepreneurs, investors and small numbers of people of exceptional talent. The number of people allowed under the Tier 1 (General) visa (or it's replacement) scheme will be reduced from 13,000 to one thousand.