Immigration Health Surcharge

[durhamboy]

On 1^st. October the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is rising from £400 to £624 per annum. My wife's FLR expires in December but if she applies for her next FLR before 1^st. October it will save me £560.

 

I understand that she can apply for FLR at any time. If she applies before 1^st. October she will lose some time on her current visa. I understand the Home Office would add 28 days on to her new visa so she would lose a couple of months but it would still be financial worthwhile to apply early.

 

The question I have is what is the maximum time she would have to apply for FLR after paying the IHS surcharge? Could she pay the IHS surcharge before 1^st. October but wait until December to apply for FLR? If so that would mean she wouldn't lose time on her visa.

 

Many thanks.

[wobblyjohn]

I dont think she can submit her documents more than one month the current BRP expires luckily my missus had get her documents in last may and only paid £1000 for the 30 months

Because of covid everything is delayed and she can't go for a new photo. They are using all other biometric information from the initial application why they need a new photo is beyond me considering a passport or driving license lasts 10 years

Edited September 9, 2020 by wobblyjohn

[durhamboy]

Thanks wobblyjohn. I'm not sure about submission of documents with the covid situation. However, it is certainly true that FLR can be applied for at any time - even just a day after arriving in the UK if anyone was so minded!!!

[puchooay]

On 9/9/2020 at 1:03 PM, wobblyjohn said:

I dont think she can submit her documents more than one month the current BRP expires luckily my missus had get her documents in last may and only paid £1000 for the 30 months

Because of covid everything is delayed and she can't go for a new photo. They are using all other biometric information from the initial application why they need a new photo is beyond me considering a passport or driving license lasts 10 years

My wife received an email with a link to the newly rolled out app from UKCAS. 

 

It enables the applicant to take a photo and upload it to their application.

[rasg]

On 9/9/2020 at 11:29 AM, durhamboy said:

On 1^st. October the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is rising from £400 to £624 per annum. My wife's FLR expires in December but if she applies for her next FLR before 1^st. October it will save me £560.

 

I understand that she can apply for FLR at any time. If she applies before 1^st. October she will lose some time on her current visa. I understand the Home Office would add 28 days on to her new visa so she would lose a couple of months but it would still be financial worthwhile to apply early.

 

The question I have is what is the maximum time she would have to apply for FLR after paying the IHS surcharge? Could she pay the IHS surcharge before 1^st. October but wait until December to apply for FLR? If so that would mean she wouldn't lose time on her visa.

It really does depend whether she will have spent the full five years in the UK when ILR comes around. If you apply almost three months early and she falls short of the full five years, even by a few days, she will have to apply for another FLR, rather than ILR.

[globalThailand]

I believe the IHS payment is the very last thing you do once the FLR is submitted - ie, you can't pay for the IHS first.  Looking at the dates you've supplied I don't think there's a way around paying the increased fee -- as rasg says, if you apply early to save yourself a few hundred quid you may need another FLR if your wife doesn't quite make the 5 year time in the UK for the ILR (and have to spend another £3000 ish)

 

Gotta say this price increase is excessive - 5 years into IHS introduction and it's jumped 300%!  I get that things go up in price but for those just starting out and needing to pay nearly 2k on top of the visa price itself (from what used to be £600) seems extortionate! 

[durhamboy]

Thanks for the replies rasg & gt. We have been here 8 years and my wife cannot pass LITUK so she will have to wait until she is 65 to get ILR. GT - I thought that paying the IHS surcharge was one of the first things you did when applying online. Just have to see I guess.

[globalThailand]

My memory is not my strong point to be fair and we last did the FLR about a year ago - but I'm 95% sure it was all part of the application process.

 

More info here if that helps https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/pay

 

A snippet from the IHS website

 

 

My wife is currently studying for the LITUK - further madness as far as I'm concerned... essentially a pub quiz that I'm sure more than half of UK nationals would fail (Including myself) 

 

If it will be some time before your wife is 65 and FLR is what you'll be going for regardless then you can of course apply before the price increase - just means 'losing' a few months from the current FLR.

 

[wobblyjohn]

On 9/10/2020 at 4:58 PM, puchooay said:

My wife received an email with a link to the newly rolled out app from UKCAS. 

 

It enables the applicant to take a photo and upload it to their application.

Could you post the link please

[puchooay]

5 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

Could you post the link please

Applicant needs to log into UKVCAS account.

 

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/home-internal

 

Should log in on a smartphone and download the app.

Edited September 16, 2020 by puchooay

[wobblyjohn]

On 9/16/2020 at 2:28 PM, puchooay said:

Applicant needs to log into UKVCAS account.

 

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/home-internal

 

Should log in on a smartphone and download the app.

Thank you for the link we have every thing done and just waiting for the home office now

[puchooay]

2 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

Thank you for the link we have every thing done and just waiting for the home office now

My wife received an email today. Her application has been successful.

 

This is an application for FLRm after having arrived in UK with a visit visa. Allowed to apply in UK as part of temporary regulation changes because of Covid19.

 

Application was made in April. Long wait but proof the system is working.