Government responds to industry concerns on Visa and ETA fee increases
Added: 24 Mar 2026
Earlier this month, UKInbound and a coalition of tourism, travel, aviation, leisure, events and hospitality organisations wrote to the Home Secretary to raise concerns about planned increases to visa and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) fees. The letter was cosigned by ASVA. It highlighted that a two-year visitor visa could rise by 40% over four years, with ETAs doubling since their introduction in 2023. The industry is concerned that these increases risk undermining the UK’s competitiveness as a visitor destination, could reduce international visitor spend, and would place further pressure on hospitality, tourism and high street businesses.
In its reply, the UK Government stated that immigration fees are kept under regular review and that there is currently limited evidence showing fee levels have significantly affected tourism demand. The Government acknowledged concerns around international competitiveness and confirmed that an impact assessment will be published alongside legislation introducing the proposed increases.
The Minister for Migration & Citizenship highlighted that fees are set under the Immigration Act 2014 and are designed to reflect application processing costs as well as the wider operation of the UK’s migration and borders system. The Government also emphasised that the UK continues to welcome international visitors and noted that the ETA allows multiple visits over a two-year period and is designed to be quick and straightforward to obtain.
Tourism industry organisations continue to stress the importance of maintaining the UK’s competitiveness as an international destination and will monitor developments closely as further details emerge. They will continue to speak to the UK Government and voice their concerns about the impact on the industry, with evidence to rebut their claims.