UK Publishes Immigration and Nationality Fee Schedule for October 2026 Without Fee Increases

What changed

On 22 October 2026, UK Visas and Immigration expanded its official guidance on how immigration officials must establish and check the identity of people applying to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. As part of this update, the Home Office revised its core UKVI identity standards guidance and issued two new documents: Identity standards: applications for entry clearance, permission to stay and settlement and Identity standards: impostor and age discrepancy cases.

What changed

The UK Home Office updated its public guidance on permission to work for asylum claimants on 19 October 2026 and published a new version of the Permission to Work application form, PTW1. The revised guidance clarifies who may apply while their asylum claim or relevant further submissions remain undecided, particularly the distinction between waiting for an initial decision and waiting for the outcome of an appeal after a decision has already been made. The update does not establish a new general right to work for asylum seekers.

What changed

The United Kingdom and Nigeria have finished their 2026 Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue, confirming they will work more closely together on managing migration, justice matters, and serious organised crime. This meeting, held in London on 6 October 2026, builds on earlier agreements. It focuses on shared goals to effectively manage migration and strengthen border systems. Key outcomes include new programmes for checking visa applications, practical cooperation, and working together judicially to tackle organised immigration crime and help with returns. An expert legal meeting is also planned to discuss sentencing for organised immigration crime. This strategic alignment will affect government agencies, legal professionals, and anyone involved in migration between the two countries.

What changed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented an inflation-based increase for certain immigration-related fees, effective from 16 October 2026. This adjustment, mandated by H.R. 1, impacts specific application fees, including those for asylum applications, travel documents, employment authorisation, and Temporary Protected Status. Requests postmarked on or after this date must include the new, higher fee, otherwise they will be rejected. This ensures ongoing alignment with inflationary costs as specified in the legislation.