From 6th April 2015 when applying for leave to remain or entry clearance, you may need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your visa application. You still need to pay even if you have private medical insurance.
You will be able to use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, however, you will still need to pay for certain types of services, for example, prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.
Your information will be shared with the NHS in England if:
- you’ve paid the healthcare surcharge (or are exempt from paying it)
- your visa or immigration application is granted
You should prove your online immigration status using a share code, when you access healthcare in the UK.
Who must pay?
The Immigration Health Surcharge applies to everyone wanting to extend their visa in the UK or apply for entry clearance from overseas. Students applying for the 11-month Short-term study visa for an English language course are liable to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. The charge does not apply to anyone applying from overseas for a visitor visa or any visa that lasts for 6 months or less but you will have to pay for NHS treatment if you use it.
When?
You will need to pay this charge as part of your online visa application. You will be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration if you didn’t pay the surcharge (or didn’t pay enough) as part of your visa or immigration application.
Your visa application will be turned down if you don’t pay the full amount:
- within 10 working days if you’re inside the UK
- within 7 working days if you’re outside the UK
How much?
The cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge depends on how long your permission to remain or enter will be. For Students and their dependents, it will be £776 per year. If the length of your visa includes part of a year that is six months or less, you will be charged an additional £388 for this period. If the length of your visa includes part of a year that is more than six months, you will be charged £776. For other categories, for example, Graduate visa, Skilled Worker visa, and their dependents, it will be £1,035 per year.
Your visa or immigration application won’t be granted if you don’t pay the healthcare surcharge or your application will be delayed if you don’t pay the right amount.
For more information see the Home Office website.
Refunds
You’ll get a full immigration health surcharge (IHS) refund if:
- you paid twice
- your visa application is refused
- you withdraw your visa application
You’ll get a partial IHS refund if your visa application’s successful but:
- you get less time on your visa than you asked for
- any dependants on your visa application are refused
If you are due a full or partial refund for these reasons, you do not have to do anything to get it. It will be automatically paid to the account or card you paid with.
You will not get a refund if:
- your visa application is successful but you do not come to the UK
- you leave the UK before your visa ends, for example to make a new application
- you’re told to leave the UK before your visa expires
- you’re applying for indefinite leave to remain
For more information see the Home Office website.
Important message for students from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
You may be entitled to a full or partial refund of your IHS payment. This is called an IHS reimbursement.
Please make sure you read all the Government guidance first before deciding whether to apply as reimbursement will affect how much free health care you can receive in the UK as well as your right to work.
For more information see the Home Office website.