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Following an issue identified by a House of Lords committee, some international students may have been charged more than the statutory Student visa fee.
If you applied for a Student Visa from outside the UK between October 2023 and 7 April 2026, you may be eligible to request a refund from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
Who is eligible?
You may be eligible if you:
- Applied for a Student Visa from outside the UK.
- Paid your visa fee between October 2023 and 7 April 2026.
- Have documentation relating to your visa application and payment.
If you're unsure, check your visa documentation and the official guidance linked below.
Please note: Both current students and alumni may be eligible, provided they request a refund within five years of paying the visa fee.
How to request a refund
To request a refund, you should contact UKVI directly.
Step 1: Check your previous UKVI correspondence
- Before contacting UKVI, check your previous visa emails and decision letter.
- Look for an email address or contact details included in your visa decision.
- If available, use this contact route first.
Step 2: Use the official UKVI contact service (if required)
- If you cannot find a direct contact address, you may need to use the official UKVI contact service: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk
Please note: The UKVI email contact service currently charges £2.74 per enquiry, meaning you may have to pay simply to submit your refund request.
If you need help requesting your refund, you can use the email template below!
Step 3: Submit your refund request
Step 4: Report your actions to us!
Use the button below to access our reporting form to tell us information like:
- When did you apply?
- Which Student visa fee did you pay?
- And if you have received a decision, when did UKVI respond?