Uk Settlement Visa - Medical Insurance

[killblues]

Hi all,

My wife has just had a UK settlement visa issued and will be joining me in the UK in a few weeks.

I have read that she can only use limited NHS services (eg pregnancy) for free and shall require private insurance until she has been in the UK for 12 months.

Can anyone suggest or recommend somewhere to get this insurance as all of the companies I have found on-line (so far) only cover for up to 6 months.

Many Thanks.

[Basil B]

Seems you are correct on the 1 year.

If you do not have an automatic right to take up permanent residence but have applied to the Home Office for leave to enter/remain on a settled basis, you will be chargeable for any hospital treatment up to the point your application is granted or until you accrue 12 months lawful residence in the UK.

http://www.dh.gov.uk...sable/DH_074376

Not sure on the insurance hopefully members who have been able to get will make recommendations.

Edit in:

Would have thought persons working and paying NI would have been entitled...

[7by7]

You are quoting the wrong bit, Basil. It is the first paragraph that applies to those entering the UK with a settlement visa.

Under the current Regulations, anyone who is taking up or resuming permanent residence in the UK is entitled to free National Health Service (NHS) hospital treatment in England. If your intention is to live permanently in the UK you will be exempt from hospital charges from the date of your arrival in the country but you should expect to be asked to prove your intention and that you are legally entitled to live here. This exemption applies to your spouse, civil partner and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) if they are living here with you on a permanent basis.

Someone entering the UK with a settlement visa is not applying to the Home Office for leave to enter/remain on a settled basis; such leave has already been granted when they received their visa.

They are also entitled to primary care, and to be registered with a GP. Bear in mind the following, though

GPs have a measure of discretion in accepting applications to join their patient lists. It is advisable to approach a GP practice and apply to register on its list of NHS patients. The practice may choose to accept or decline your application. An application may be refused if the practice has reasonable grounds for doing so. A practice would not be able to refuse your application on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition. If you have difficulty in registering with a GP, you should get in touch with your local primary care trust (PCT).

So, Killblues, you do not need to take out any health insurance for your wife.

[killblues]

Thats good news, thanks for taking the time to reply.

[chiang mai]

But it looks as though the situation could change in the future (my guess is that it certainly will), this in all the UK papers today, one link below - the key statement in all the articles is:

"To toughen up the regime in the future, ministers are to hold a review into whether non-EU migrants should have to hold health insurance before being granted a visa".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367655/Migrants-owe-1-000-kicked-UK.html