The majority of UK visa applicants usually need to pay a healthcare surcharge on top of their visa application fee. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee levied on visa applicants seeking leave to enter or remain in the UK. When they come to the UK, they can start using NHS services, once they have paid the IHS. 

Who has to Pay Immigration Health Surcharge?

Most of the visa applicants cannot opt-out on the basis that they do not foresee needing health care during their stay in the UK. They must still pay the Immigration Health Surcharge even if they have private health insurance.

If you make visa applications outside the UK, you will have to pay the IHS depending on the duration of the stay. Visa applications do not exceed 6 months, for example, for Visitor Visas and Fiance Visas, applicants do not need to pay the IHS.

If you are making visa applications within the UK, you will have to pay the IHS regardless of the amount of leave requested, unless you are applying for indefinite leave.

How much do I have to pay?

Whether or not you need to pay, and how much, will depend on the type of immigration status that you are applying for.

Where the surcharge applies, the current rates are:

• £470 per year for a student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa
• £470 per year for those under 18s
• £624 per year for all other applications

You will pay for a full year if your application includes part of a year that is more than 6 months, but just half of the yearly amount for any part of a year less than 6 months. In most cases, you can calculate the IHS due for a particular visa application by multiplying the number of years of leave applied for by £624. Any dependants aged 18 or over usually need to pay the same amount as an adult. In either case, payment will need to be made when you submit your application.

Is anyone exempt from paying the Immigration Surcharge? 

Very few applicants are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. You will not need to pay the IHS if you are:

• applying for indefinite leave to remain or enter
• eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa (or you are their dependant)
• applying to the EU Settlement Scheme
• a diplomat or a member of visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control
• a dependant of a member of the UK’s armed forces
• the dependant of a member of another country’s armed forces who is exempt from immigration control
• applying for a visa for the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• a British Overseas Territory citizen resident in the Falkland Islands
• an asylum seeker or applying for humanitarian protection (or you’re their dependant)
• a domestic worker who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking
• applying for discretionary leave to remain in the UK as someone who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking (or you are their dependant)
• subject to the Home Office’s domestic violence concession
• being made to leave the UK would be against your rights under Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (or you’re their dependant)
• an S2 Healthcare Visitor
• eligible for a Frontier Worker permit and have an S1 certificate

How do I pay the IHS?

You will pay the Immigration Health Surcharge when you submit your visa application online. You will automatically be redirected to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge before paying the application fee for your application. You will have to register to use the IHS service and answer questions relating to your application to ascertain whether you need to pay the IHS. After paying, you will be sent an email with your IHS reference number.

What happened if my visa application is refused?

You will receive a refund of your payment for the healthcare surcharge, but not for the visa application fee.

I have paid IHS twice, Can I get a refund?

There are three scenarios under which you can expect to receive a full refund of your IHS, if:

• your visa application is refused
• you paid the surcharge twice
• you withdraw your application before a decision has been made.

You can expect to receive a partial IHS refund if you paid for more years than you were granted leave or if any dependent family members on your application are refused.

When can I get a refund of the Immigration health surcharge?

If you’re entitled to either a full or partial refund for any of these reasons, you will not have to do anything to receive it. It will automatically be paid to the account or card you paid with. You will usually get your refund within 6 weeks of getting a decision on your application, although it can take longer if you appeal or seek an administrative review after your visa application is refused. If an appeal or administrative review is successful but you’ve already received your IHS refund, you will need to repay the surcharge on the basis of your successful application.

If you have not received your IHS refund within 6 weeks of any decision on your visa application, appeal or administrative review, you should contact UKVI. You will not receive a refund if your visa application is successful but you decide not to come to the UK, or if either you leave the UK or are told to leave before your visa expires.

You may also be eligible for an IHS refund if your healthcare is paid for by an EU country, or if either you’re a qualified healthcare professional or you work in a healthcare setting.

Can I get a refund if I do not use the NHS during my stay in the UK?

You are not entitled to a refund, even if you do not access the NHS service during your stay. If you want to take out private health insurance instead of the healthcare surcharge, you will still need to pay the surcharge as part of your visa application. The Home Office will not waive it for those who already hold or intend to purchase private health insurance. It is a personal decision whether you also have private healthcare insurance. If you already have medical insurance in your home country, you may wish to check whether this can be extended to cover your stay in the UK.

For expert advice and assistance on the Immigration Health Surcharge or any related visa or immigration application, please leave a message.