Immigration Health Surcharge

Do I Need to Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

The immigration health surcharge is something that you will want to be aware of if you are in the process of making an immigration application.

You may be required to pay it in order to have access to the National Health Service(NHS) in your time spent in the UK. If you are in the process of applying for a visa and are unsure as to the charges that you may have to pay, our expert immigration solicitors can help you with your application.

Contact us today for immigration law help and advice.

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge?

The immigration health surcharge was originally introduced in 2015 in order to deal with the pressure that ‘health tourism’ was placing on the National Health Service (NHS).

‘Health tourism’ is a problem where individuals will enter the UK with the intention of only using the free NHS.

If you are moving to the UK from outside of the European Economic Area and are staying for longer than six months then you are required to pay the surcharge. This then entitles you to free healthcare on the NHS from the date that your visa is granted until it expires, as if you were a resident who was born in the UK.

You will however still need to pay for certain types of services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. Get in touch with our immigration solicitors if you are unsure about what the surcharge will allow you to do.

Do I need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

There are a number of different reasons why you may need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. If your application is being made from outside the UK, these include:

• If you are a national of a country that is outside the European Economic Area
• If you are applying for a visa to work, study or join your family in the UK for more than 6 months (but you’re not applying to permanently remain in the UK)
• If you have applied and paid your visa fee on or after the 6^th April 2015

If your application is being made from within the UK, the reasons differ slightly. They are:

• If you are a national of a country outside of the European Economic Area
• If you are making an immigration application for any length of time (but you are not applying to permanently remain in the UK)
• If you have applied and paid your application fee on or after the 6^th April 2015

You will be exempt from the fee if you are a child under 18 who has been taken into care by a local authority, or you are a civilian employee at NATO or the Australian Department of Defence in the UK (or you are their dependant).

You will not have to pay the charge if you’re applying for indefinite leave to remain, although you will have to if your application is rejected and you are given limited leave instead. You will be told by UK Visas and Immigration if this happens.

Read more about applying for indefinite leave to remain

Contact Our Immigration Solicitors

Here at Cartwright King, we have a vast amount of experience in helping our clients with visa applications. If you have any questions related to your visa or the Immigration Health Surcharge, get in touch today and we can help put your mind at rest.

Contact us today.