Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost is of a visa for a visitor from China to (a) the UK and (b) the EU Schengen area. [141777]

Mr Harper, Minister of State (Immigration): The cost to purchase a visa for a visitor from China to the UK is £78 for a visa that allows multiple entries within a six month period and is biometrically secure. The visa is priced below the cost of production (£140) to ensure the fee remains internationally competitive and to support the UK tourism industry and wider economy.

The cost to purchase a visa for a visitor from China to the EU Schengen area is €60 (about £50) for a single entry visa, valid for 90 days. However in China there is an additional mandatory service charge for a French or German Schengen visa of 195 RMB (about £19.50). Information is not held on the production cost of a visa to the EU Schengen area.

| Hansard