What the surcharge is
The Immigration Health Surcharge, often called the IHS or the NHS surcharge, is a fee paid when you apply for a visa to stay in the UK for more than six months. In return you can use the NHS in the same way as a UK resident, including GP and hospital care, without paying for most services at the point of use. You pay it in addition to your visa application fee, and you pay it for each person on the application, including children.
How much it costs
| Who | Cost per year |
|---|---|
| Most applicants, including workers and partners | £1,035 |
| Students and their dependants | £776 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme applicants | £776 |
| Applicants under 18 when they apply | £776 |
The surcharge is calculated for the whole length of the visa. A three-year visa for an adult costs £3,105 (three times £1,035). A two-year student visa costs £1,552 (two times £776). The charge covers whole years and the part of a year at the end:
- For a stay of six months or less made from inside the UK, you pay half the annual rate.
- For a stay of more than six months and up to a year, you pay the full annual rate.
- For a visa of 18 months or less, you pay one year plus half a year.
- For a visa of more than 18 months and up to two years, you pay for two full years.
Dependants aged 18 or over usually pay the same as the main applicant.
Who does not pay
People on a Health and Care Worker visa, and their partners and children, do not pay the surcharge. Other exemptions exist, for example for certain applications that carry no right to work or access to services, applications made for visits of six months or less from outside the UK, some victims of domestic abuse and trafficking, and some applications on certain humanitarian grounds. Applicants for indefinite leave to remain and for citizenship do not pay it. The exemptions are specific, so check your route rather than assume.
When and how you pay
You pay online as part of your visa application, before the application can be completed. If you do not pay, or the payment fails, the Home Office sends a notice and gives you a short time to pay, typically 10 working days if you are in the UK and 7 working days if you are abroad. If you still do not pay, the application is refused.
Refunds
The surcharge is refunded if your application is refused, or if you withdraw it before a decision. It is also refunded if the visa you are given is shorter than the one you paid for, for the part you did not receive. Refunds can take several weeks. If you extend your visa, you pay the surcharge again for the new period.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that each dependant pays separately.
- Paying the full rate when you qualify for the lower one, or the reverse.
- Missing an exemption, such as the one for Health and Care Worker visas.
- Not budgeting for the surcharge when working out the cost of a family application.
