Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the affordability of the cost of visas.

The Home Office keeps fees for immigration and nationality applications under review. Where we make fee changes in legislation, an Impact Assessment is published.

The Home Office provides fee waivers in a number of circumstances. This includes a waiver for those making Article 8 claims, based on Family and Private life, who are unable to afford the fee or where payment of the fee would leave them unable to meet the needs of a child who is dependent upon them.