{"id":2286,"date":"2023-03-17T14:34:46","date_gmt":"2023-03-17T06:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2286"},"modified":"2023-03-17T15:45:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T07:45:47","slug":"immigration-health-surcharge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.uk\/blog\/immigration-health-surcharge\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to the immigration health surcharge (IHS)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In March 2020, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a decision to increase the <\/span>Immigration Health Surcharge<\/span><\/a> (IHS) in the UK Budget, which would affect new visa and immigration applicants. In this <\/span>Pacific Prime UK<\/span><\/a> article, we will explain what the international health surcharge is and other details of this fee.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Individual<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Immigration Health surcharge, also known as international health surcharge, is a surcharge that gives immigrants coming to the UK for 6 months or longer the same access to the <\/span>National Health System<\/span><\/a> (NHS) as a UK resident. In other words, you won\u2019t have to pay it if you are coming to the UK as a tourist and staying for less than 6 months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paying the IHS entitles you to free healthcare in the UK. However, you will still need to pay for some other services, such as <\/span>dental treatment, prescriptions, eye tests, and assisted conception.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Why do you need to pay the IHS?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The NHS is the UK\u2019s state healthcare system, funded by general taxation and National Insurance contributions, which offers a multitude of complementary healthcare services including GPs, hospital treatments, family planning clinics, and subsidised dentistry to all UK nationals and legal residents. In light of the growing demand and pressure on its finances, the government introduced the immigrationhealth surcharge.<\/span><\/p>\n

How much is the IHS?<\/span><\/h2>\n

From 2020, the updated IHS is GBP \u00a3470 per year for a student or Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa (GBP \u00a3940 for a 2-year Tier 5 visa), and GBP \u00a3624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please note that if you don\u2019t stay for the entire duration of your visa, you won\u2019t be able to get a refund on the remainder of the fee.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if your visa application is rejected, you will receive a refund of your payment for the healthcare surcharge, but not the visa application fee.<\/span><\/p>\n

When do you have to pay for the IHS?<\/span><\/h2>\n

You will need to pay for the surcharge when you apply for the visa. It is generally paid online at the same time as when you pay for the visa application fee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After paying, you will receive a confirmation receipt in your email along with your IHS reference number.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is anyone exempt from the IHS?<\/span><\/h2>\n

You don\u2019t have to pay the healthcare surcharge if you are:<\/span><\/p>\n