The cost of visas is far above the actual administrative cost of processing them. In some cases, the charge is 7-10 times higher. This is unjust.

The extortionate costs mean that many are struggling to pay for their visas, forced into making an impossible choice between saving for the fees and related costs and meeting other basic needs in a cost of living crisis.

Currently, children also pay high visa fees. We know this means some families are having to choose which child stays documented, whether to pay for adequate food on the table or rent. 97% of those we surveyed have said these fees have impacted their mental health. It affects their children’s development and overall life chances. Migrant Voice believes children’s applications should be free. Further, where children and/or any other dependents are part of the same main application, only the adult applicants should pay.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is a significant part of the cost of the visa application that increases financial burden during a Cost of Living Crisis and acts as a double taxation for migrants. Migrants who already contribute to the NHS through taxes, yet are asked to pay again, and to pay an enhanced cost upfront of now £1035 a year. Migrant Voice has written a Joint Briefing to Parliament about the issue highlighting the disproportionate effect this arbitrary cost has on migrants, as well as how it uses migrants as ‘magic money trees’.

All routes to settlement should be no longer than 5 years: migrants currently on longer routes must be given settlement or placed on a shorter route.

Most routes to settlement, whether work, spousal or study, for the UK and other Western countries are capped at five years. In those five years, the majority of migrants contribute significantly through their taxes and contributions to society, in addition to their visa costs.

There are approximately 170,000 migrants in the UK on the 10-year route (1 out of every 8). But we know that anything over five years can cause serious and deep-rooted issues for migrants and our immigration system as a whole. The length of time people stay on the route to settlement adds to their financial burden, keeping people in limbo, increasing the risk of harm caused by the process. It also increases the likelihood that life circumstances could lead to someone being unable to afford their visa fees and risk falling out of status. Placing people on the 10-year route penalises those who can least afford it, making them pay for a much longer period, living in uncertainty. This also puts more stress onto the Home Office, more than doubling the work required for visas over time.

Because of lengthy waiting times for a decision on visas - which can exceed 10 months - migrants are pushed further into uncertainty and stress including in relation to their job security, accommodation, and travel. Protracted wait times are accompanied by an appalling lack of communication from the Home Office, which will not give updates until at least six months have elapsed. This also creates issues in electronic databases, where our members' status has not been recognised and thus cannot prove their right to stay.

Lack of communication, long wait times, and fear that a Home Office oversight may cause a rejection are all factors that cause considerable additional stress to many migrants. Migrant Voice recommends a move towards a streamlined process where you can log in and track your case through the processing timeline.

The visa process has given our members high levels of anxiety and stress due to the complicated application form and constantly changing rules. Many need specialist help from a solicitor, further adding to the total cost of the application. Furthermore, changes to the legal aid system mean that fewer applicants now qualify for this support. If a visa application is refused the individual may end up undocumented or have the clock start over on their route to settlement which can cost them thousands of pounds and extending their route to settlement unnecessarily.