The visa fee is the number people plan around. It is rarely the number that catches them out. Here is the complete list, in the order you will actually pay it.
Before you leave
- English language test, if your route requires one.
- Qualification verification or equivalence assessment, where an employer or regulator asks for it.
- Visa application fee, set by the Home Office and varying by route and length.
- Immigration Health Surcharge, paid up front for the whole visa period - for a family, this is often the largest single line.
- Biometrics, document courier and translation.
- Flights, and excess baggage.
Every one of these has a current published figure on gov.uk. Look them up for your specific route rather than trusting a blog's numbers - fees are revised regularly.
The first month in the UK
This is where budgets break.
- Rental deposit plus first month's rent, often demanded together.
- Guarantor or advance rent. Without a UK credit history or a UK-based guarantor, landlords frequently ask for several months up front.
- Council tax and utilities set-up.
- Furnishing an unfurnished or part-furnished flat.
- Transport - a season ticket in a large city is a significant monthly cost.
- Phone contract and internet, which may need a deposit without UK credit history.
The gap nobody budgets for
Your first UK salary typically arrives at the end of your first full month, or later. Plan for two to three months of living costs in reserve on top of everything above.
If family comes with you
Dependant visa fees, health surcharge per person, larger accommodation, and school or childcare costs. This can more than double the total.
How to think about it
Do not compare "cost of moving" against your current salary. Compare it against a twelve-month UK budget: net pay in, all of the above out. That tells you whether the move is financially sound in year one - and year one is the one that hurts.
Next step
See how much do software engineers earn in the UK vs India for the income side, and if study is part of your route, contact LSBUK admissions about fees and payment plans.