Immigration Health Surcharge Increase

On October 13, 2023, the UK Government announced that there would be a significant increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) that would take effect in 2024. This change, approved by parliament in January 2024, took effect on February 6, 2024. The adjustment to the IHS is particularly noteworthy for individuals from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), as the standard fee has risen by 66%.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is a compulsory upfront payment for individuals coming to the UK from non-EEA countries for stays longer than six months. It is paid alongside other visa application fees. This payment grants access to the National Health Service (NHS) and contributes towards the costs of healthcare services they may require during their time in the UK. The purpose of this surcharge is to ensure that visitors or residents in the UK have unlimited access to necessary healthcare services without incurring additional charges.

What is the IHS increasing to and who is affected?

Since February 6, 2024, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) has increased for certain groups. This includes students, dependants of students, individuals applying under the Youth Mobility Scheme, and applications for children under 18 years old. The fee for these categories has risen from £470 per year to £776 per year.

For all other applicable immigration categories, such as entry clearance or leave to remain for individuals aged 18 or over at the time of application, the IHS has increased from £624 per year to £1,035 per year.

Who is not affected by the IHS increase?

There has been no increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for certain groups, including Health and Care workers, visitors or individuals applying under the EU Settlement Scheme. Likewise, there is no increase for those seeking asylum or applying under the Ukraine Scheme.

Furthermore, there is no requirement to pay the IHS for individuals applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or for British Citizenship.

For those who are unable to afford the IHS fee, there is an option to request a fee waiver. Applicants must demonstrate that they genuinely cannot afford the fee. For more detailed guidance on this, please refer to additional information available here.

What happens if I do not pay the IHS?

If you fail to pay the IHS, it will result in an invalid application. This means that your application will not be processed.

If applying from inside the UK, your application will be rejected within 10 working days, and if applying from outside the UK, your application will be rejected within 7 working days.

Why is the fee higher when I go to pay?

If you submit your visa application online, you will be directed to the relevant Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) payment page. The fee you need to pay will be calculated based on the type and duration of the visa you are applying for.

Occasionally, the fee may be slightly higher than anticipated due to rounding up. This discrepancy occurs because there is no control over the currency exchange rate used, resulting in the fee being approximately 4% higher than the Oanda live bid rates.

What if my application is rejected?

If your application is rejected, the IHS you paid will be refunded. The refund is not immediate and may take up to six weeks to process. If you choose to appeal the rejected application, the refund of your IHS will not happen until after the proceedings are concluded.

How can our Immigration legal team help?

For advice and assistance on any related visa or immigration application, our legal experts at Barings Law are here to help. Contact our team by clicking the button below or emailing immigration@baringslaw.com, they will then be in touch to help you get things underway.