Situating Immigration Fees in 21st Century Britain

Burnett, Jon

Abstract

Introduction to the Report:
The purpose of this report is to illustrate the cost – in the broadest sense – of obtaining and renewing a visa in the UK and the impact this has on migrants’ lives.
We have been aware for a long time that the cost of the visa application/renewal process is a serious issue for many of our members.
We came to learn from our members that the Covid pandemic had exacerbated the impact that the process was having on them, and we felt that it was now the appropriate time to fully investigate the issue.
The aim was to understand how immigration costs affect different aspects of migrants’ lives, to provide a space for them to share their thoughts and worries about the fees, and to learn about what changes they wanted to see. This allowed us to identify key problems and to shape our campaign to end extortionate visa fees.
Before we look further at the impact of visa fees on migrants, we want to set out a brief explanation of key aspects of how the visa system works in the UK and its history and context.

Citation

Burnett, J. (2022). Situating Immigration Fees in 21st Century Britain. London: Trust For London

• Report Type: Research Report
• Acceptance Date: Feb 17, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Apr 17, 2022
• Publication Date: Apr 17, 2022
• Deposit Date: Apr 5, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 13, 2024
• Publisher: Migrant Voice
• Keywords: Immigration fees, immigration control, exploitation, harm
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4075932
• Publisher URL: https://www.migrantvoice.org/resources/reports/destroying-hopes-dreams-and-lives--230422122311
• Additional Information: Section 2 (p.15-19) of 'Destroying Hopes, Dreams and Lives: How the UK Visa Costs and Process Impact Migrants' Lives'. Migrant Voice, 2022.