Three Days Left - Apply Before 8 April to Save on ILR Fees and Catch the BNO Route Launch

05 Apr 2026

BNO Hong Kong ILR settlement fees action required skilled worker citizenship

If you are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain right now, this weekend could save you a significant amount of money. From 8 April 2026 — just three days away — the ILR application fee rises from £3,029 to £3,226. That is £197 more per person. For a couple applying together, the difference is £394. Any application submitted before 8 April is charged at today's lower rate, even if the decision arrives months later. If you have already hit your five years and have been putting off applying, now is the moment to act.

The naturalisation fee for British citizenship also rises on 8 April, from £1,605 to £1,709 — an increase of £104 per person. If you already hold ILR and have been thinking about naturalising, the same logic applies: submitting before Wednesday locks in the lower fee.

For BNO visa holders, 8 April also marks the launch of the expanded adult children route. If you are the adult child of a BNO status holder and were born after 1 July 1979, you will be able to apply under the BNO route independently of your parents from Wednesday 8 April. The Home Office estimates more than 25,000 additional people could be eligible under this expansion. If that applies to you or someone in your family, applications open in three days. One piece of good news on fees: the child citizenship registration fee is actually falling on 8 April, from £1,214 to £1,000, so if you have a child eligible for British citizenship by registration, the timing works in your favour.

Finally, if you are on a Skilled Worker visa: from 8 April, UKVI assesses salary compliance on a per-pay-period basis. A single month's pay falling below your visa salary threshold can now trigger a compliance issue. If your payroll has irregular pay cycles, gaps, or is about to change, speak to your employer or HR team before Wednesday to make sure your records are in order.

Sources:

← Back to all posts