The Cost of Applying for Settlement in the UK

Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain, also known as ‘settlement’, allows you to live, work and study in the UK without any time limit. Essentially, this is what other countries call a permanent residency visa.

Approximately 491,453 visas were granted from September 2024 to 2025, representing nearly half a million people starting their new lives in the UK. However, applying for permanent residency isn’t free. If you’re planning to live permanently in the UK, here’s what you can expect to pay in 2026.

Is it free to apply for settled status?

 
Applying for settled status isn’t free. Today, it costs £3,226 to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Note that this fee applies to each applicant, rather than to the applicant plus any dependents.

However, if you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen applying under the EU Settlement Scheme, there’s no application fee to secure your right to live and work in the UK permanently. However, you must have lived continuously in the UK, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands for the previous five years.

Indefinite Leave to Remain/Settlement fees in 2026

Fees for Indefinite Leave to Remain applicants currently follow the latest figures published in March 2026.

 
Note that the £3,029 figure applies to a variety of immigration routes, including the Skilled Worker, private life and family routes. When applying, you’ll be required to submit biometric information, but free appointments are usually available within 2-4 weeks of submission. If you wish to pay for a quicker appointment, fees range from £60 to £130.

 
Beyond this, you must pay £50 to take the Life in the UK Test. Passing this examination is a requirement for practically all applicants when applying for settled status. Note that the NHS surcharge isn’t payable if you’re applying for permanent residency, but it does apply to other visa types.

How much is priority processing for Indefinite Leave to Remain status?

Priority processing is an optional add-on for applicants who want a faster decision. The UK offers both Priority and Super Priority services, with extra fees.

 
If you’ll be using the Priority Service, it will cost you an extra £500. This allows you to receive a decision within five working days. If you’ll be using the Super Priority service, which means you should receive a decision the next working day after you have enrolled biometrics, you’ll need to pay an extra £1,000 as part of your application fee. Note that these timeframes are not guaranteed, and a refund will not be issued if you do not receive a decision within this period.

 
Take note that these additional fees apply to every applicant, including dependents, rather than just to the primary applicant. For example, if you’re applying for settlement status for a family of four, Priority processing will cost an additional £2,000, whereas Super Priority processing will cost an extra £4,000.

Are there any fee exemptions or reductions available when applying for UK settlement?

Generally, there are no broad discounts for the core £3,226 application fee. The vast majority of applicants will pay this fee in full.

 The most common settlement fee exemption is for bereaved partners who are destitute. In 2024, the government passed legislation allowing these applicants to apply for settlement free of charge.

Beyond this category, there’s also a fee waiver process for some human-rights-based applications and victims of domestic abuse, as long as they’re considered to be exceptional-circumstances cases. However, this isn’t an automatic discount but is based on the specific situation.

 
Another potential exemption is for non-nationals who have worked with the UK Armed Forces. Active-duty personnel and veterans with sufficient service or who have been discharged due to illness or injury may be eligible to apply for a waiver.

 
In all cases, if you believe that you could be eligible for a settlement fee discount, it’s best to seek professional advice from an immigration lawyer with specific experience in applying for these discounts.

Are there additional costs associated with an Indefinite Leave to Remain application?

The bulk of the application cost is the core application fee itself. The main extra fee is the Life in the UK Test, which costs £50 per person.

You can also pay for the Priority and Super Priority services, but these are optional add-ons and won’t increase or decrease your chances of having your application approved. Additionally, you may have to pay extra to prove evidence of proficiency in English. What you pay depends on the route you go down.

For example, if you’re using an approved SELT, you’ll only have to pay the cost set by the test provider. Alternatively, if you’ll be using a non-UK degree taught in English, you may need to take an Ecctis assessment. Currently, this costs £210 plus £42 in VAT.

 
Finally, you may also face document-related costs. Only documents in English or Welsh will be accepted. If your original documents aren’t in either of these languages, you’ll need to pay for a certified translation.

We understand that all of these potential fees, exemptions and extra services can be difficult to process. Work with an award-winning professional immigration law firm to get the professional support you need. If you’re ready to take the next step towards permanent residency in the UK, schedule your free consultation with a UK-based legal expert today.