Health surcharge on UK settlement visas starts on 6th April

[ThaiVisaExpress]

As we mentioned in a previous post, the health surcharge will be introduced from 6th April 2015. The fee, of 500 GBP for a settlement visa, must be paid at the time of visa pplication ( details of exactly how that will be done are not released, and will probably not be known until someone actually applies for a visa on or after 6th April). If the visa is refused, the fee will be refunded. The surcharge will also apply for those already in the Uk who wish to apply for FLR. Fuller details are here :

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/migrant-health-surcharge-to-raise-200-million-a-year

Some quotes from the link :

The health surcharge will be £200 per year and £150 per year for students, payable upfront and for the total period of time for which migrants are given permission to stay in the UK. In setting the surcharge levels, the government has considered the wide range of free health services available to migrants alongside the valuable contribution they make and the need to ensure the UK remains attractive to the brightest and the best from around the world.

Applicants will need to pay the surcharge at the same time they make their immigration application to come to the UK, or to extend their stay, as part of a two stage online process.

Plus, see this : Surcharge_customer_info_web_v1_2.pdf

Just to update on fees, the cost of a UK settlement visa goes up on 6th April to 956 GBP ( from 885 GBP). That fee, plus the cost of this health surcharge, will put the initial application fees at 1456 GBP.

Tony M

Edited March 20, 2015 by ThaiVisaExpress

[theoldgit]

In principal I'm not against this but for those who intend working in the UK, and thus paying taxes and contributing to the National Insurance scheme, will be paying twice for their access to the NHS.

I did notice that non EU visitors who require medical treatment will now be charged 150% of the actual cost of said treatment.

[Seekingasylum]

Presumably, the migrant settlement spouse may apply for a rebate when she/ he obtains employment and pays income tax. Paying council tax and VAT of course is another matter entirely.

I suppose in one way one could look upon it as an insurance premium for the length of time it takes to qualify for ILR to ensure full medical cover which is really quite cheap. Fine for the spouse not economically active but if I were paying my full whack on NI and tax I'd be pretty miffed.

[durhamboy]

Tony, my understanding of this is that it would add a further £500 to FLR applications (2.5 x £200) making it around £1100 in total.

However the surcharge would not apply to ILR applications.

Is that correct?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Tony, my understanding of this is that it would add a further £500 to FLR applications (2.5 x £200) making it around £1100 in total.

However the surcharge would not apply to ILR applications.

Is that correct?

That's the way I understand it too, at the moment.

Tony M

[moobie]

In principal I'm not against this but for those who intend working in the UK, and thus paying taxes and contributing to the National Insurance scheme, will be paying twice for their access to the NHS.

I did notice that non EU visitors who require medical treatment will now be charged 150% of the actual cost of said treatment.

On that latter sentence, this may be of interest to UK expats….

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-to-improve-overseas-visitors-contributions-to-nhs-care

[ajb1985]

So my missus is here on spouse visa, she works and pays tax and NI.

Now we will have to pay this???

What a load of bull.

[apetley]

Nothing to worry about if she's already in the UK.

[theoldgit]

So my missus is here on spouse visa, she works and pays tax and NI.

Now we will have to pay this???

Nothing to worry about if she's already in the UK.

I'm sorry but that's not necessarily correct

The health surcharge will be paid by non-EEA nationals who apply to come to the UK to work, study or join family for a time-limited period of more than 6 months. It will also be paid by non-EEA nationals who are already in the UK and apply to extend their stay.

[flashpanther]

I have just found out about this and totally distraught now

I am currently saving up for a deposit for a house. My fiancee lives in Thailand most the time and is Laotian. She has two daughters. On top of trying to save money for the deposit of my first house, difficult as a first time buyer, I have 3 settlement visas to save up for. Hopefully they will be accepted on first attempt or I pay close to £3000 for their visa applications and the money comes to nothing. I also have to save to travel to Thailand to be with my fiancee and 3 months apart is long enough. So a costly process. We will try for a second visit visa in a few months (be the first time her elder daughter would have visited England so more complications in ensuring visa acceptance).

Add to all this cost now the £500 x3 for the 3 settlement visa applications. So that is £1385 x 3 = £4155 for their initial UK settlement visa applications.

Slit my wrists now!

If the settlement visas are rejected is the £500 each health surcharge refunded?

As if I haven't paid enough in taxes and suffered the burden of the house market crisis enough bailing banks out. I seem to be paying more and more for everyone else and getting nothing back in return but more taxes and charges.

All I want is a roof over my head and my family to live with me. Is that too much for a 37 year old to ask?!?

Why does the government keep penalising Non European Union immigrants would already contribute heavily through visa application fees yet not address the real problem that is the open borders to the EU?!?

Please can anyone give further info regarding my situation? Surely the £500 health surcharge will be refunded if a visa application is rejected?!

What would the health surcharge be if the settlement visa was initially for 6 months on a fiancee visa then?!?

Really depressed now.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Tony M, Thanks for the update.

Very good.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I have just found out about this and totally distraught now

I am currently saving up for a deposit for a house. My fiancee lives in Thailand most the time and is Laotian. She has two daughters. On top of trying to save money for the deposit of my first house, difficult as a first time buyer, I have 3 settlement visas to save up for. Hopefully they will be accepted on first attempt or I pay close to £3000 for their visa applications and the money comes to nothing. I also have to save to travel to Thailand to be with my fiancee and 3 months apart is long enough. So a costly process. We will try for a second visit visa in a few months (be the first time her elder daughter would have visited England so more complications in ensuring visa acceptance).

Add to all this cost now the £500 x3 for the 3 settlement visa applications. So that is £1385 x 3 = £4155 for their initial UK settlement visa applications.

Slit my wrists now!

If the settlement visas are rejected is the £500 each health surcharge refunded?

As if I haven't paid enough in taxes and suffered the burden of the house market crisis enough bailing banks out. I seem to be paying more and more for everyone else and getting nothing back in return but more taxes and charges.

All I want is a roof over my head and my family to live with me. Is that too much for a 37 year old to ask?!?

Why does the government keep penalising Non European Union immigrants would already contribute heavily through visa application fees yet not address the real problem that is the open borders to the EU?!?

Please can anyone give further info regarding my situation? Surely the £500 health surcharge will be refunded if a visa application is rejected?!

What would the health surcharge be if the settlement visa was initially for 6 months on a fiancee visa then?!?

Really depressed now.

In answer to your question about a refund of the health surcharge fee if the visas are refused, the answer is yes ( according to the current guidance given out by the UK government). That said, the payments/fees will be paid to a private company ( I believe it is Teleperformance - who run visa application centres as tlscontact) that will be dealing with the fee payments. How you actually get the refund hasn't been detailed, as far as I can see.

For the second part of your question, no details were given about how it will apply to fiancee visas, but looking at it logically, there shouldn't be a charge if the visa is not valid for more than 6 months ( a fiancee visa is valid for 6 months). So, I would assume that the charge will have to be paid when the aplicant seeks Further Leave to Remain, after the marriage has taken place.

Tony M

[theoldgit]

One post and a response removed, lets try and keep this factual.

Thanks

[durhamboy]

For any of you whose partner's settlement visa is expiring shortly it may be beneficial to apply for the FLR before the 6th April and save £500 for the next 2 1/2 years.

It's not an easy decision and a couple of things to bear in mind :-

1. ILR can only be applied for after 5 years in the UK so be careful with the dates so that if you apply for FLR now you don't need to get another one before applying for ILR.

2. If you think that your partner will not be able to pass B1 English and Life in the UK test within the next 3 years then getting an FLR application in now may be good for you.

[theoldgit]

The official announcement for the surcharge as mentioned in the opening post

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-health-surcharge

[moobie]

I think one point which will be interesting (and I hope that people whose partners have FLR, etc. will Post on here) is the use of the NHS after 6th April and reports of any questions/actions taken for those with valid visas obtained prior to this date. My personal thought is nothing will be said or happen but clarification on this point would be nice to hear.

[steve187]

I know it's a lot of money when combined with the settlement visa fees, but 200gbp a year is cheap medical cover, i wish i could get the NHS level of cover in Thailand for that money. is it really fair when you look at it, that our partners have come to the UK and have obtained free cover, its not the same in reverse.

This has been known about for months and i would hope that all have got their applications in already, or are doing so this coming week. the government are desperate to look like they are being tough on immigrants, so they are hurting the few immigrants that they can.

And yes the EU is the straw that has broken the UK's NHS back.

the Surinder Singh Route has now, even more so got to feature in peoples minds, when trying to settle in The UK with their new partners.

[ajb1985]

I know it's a lot of money when combined with the settlement visa fees, but 200gbp a year is cheap medical cover, i wish i could get the NHS level of cover in Thailand for that money. is it really fair when you look at it, that our partners have come to the UK and have obtained free cover, its not the same in reverse.

This has been known about for months and i would hope that all have got their applications in already, or are doing so this coming week. the government are desperate to look like they are being tough on immigrants, so they are hurting the few immigrants that they can.

And yes the EU is the straw that has broken the UK's NHS back.

the Surinder Singh Route has now, even more so got to feature in peoples minds, when trying to settle in The UK with their new partners.

£200 a year might not but that expensive but what about if your already paying NI through work?

My wife works and pays tax and national insurance why should she have to pay extra?

I agree with the fact they are trying to do something to help out the NHS but don't <deleted> over the guys that play by the rules! As usual I suppose.

[7by7]

I am firmly against this surcharge in principle because the financial requirement means that, unless they have significant cash savings, family settlement applicants are joining a sponsor who is already, or will be, working in the UK and paying tax and NICs.

Many will also be doing so themselves.

So this surcharge means they will be paying twice.

In addition, although broken down to an annual or monthly figure it does not look too bad, especially when compared to private insurance, it cannot be paid annually or monthly; the whole lot has to be paid up front.

£500 on top of the already high visa fee; Though it wont be £500, it will be around 8% on top of that as it will no doubt, like the visa fee itself, have to be paid in USD at an exchange rate set by and very favourable to HMG!

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I've bumped this just to remind anyone affected that there are several changes being introduced from Monday :

The health surcharge comes in. This means that settlement visa applications will cost an extra 500 GBP.

Settlement visas will be issued for 30 days only. The holder must travel to the Uk within those 30 days or they will need to apply for a replacement vignette. No cost for a replacement vignette has been announced ( as far as I know). A Biometric Residence Permit will be issued to the visa holder ( for 30 months) when they arrive in the UK. Settlement visa applicants will need to be sure that they can travel to the UK within 30 days of the issue of the visa. That is going to be dificult for many, I think. i don't actually see how you can make such plans when you don't know how long the UKVI will take to actually issue the visa.

The proposed changes may cause some changes to the online application system too. Certainly, the applicant will need to pay the health surcharge at the same time as paying the visa fee, both online. There might also be some changes to the application form itself, but we won't know until after Monday. Please feel free to comment on any experiences you have with the changes.

Tony M

[keithsimmonds]

Just seen this topic....what a thukking cheek and as per usual its the well thought out one size fits all policy. My wifes 1st Flr will expire in September next year,by which time she will have paid Tax and Ni contributions for 4 years..............and should she by some enormous miracle pass the Lituk test and there by apply for ILR instead of Flr will she still have to pay the £500............cos i haven,t read anywhere that this £500 only applies for Flr?

[theoldgit]

My wifes 1st Flr will expire in September next year,by which time she will have paid Tax and Ni contributions for 4 years..............and should she by some enormous miracle pass the Lituk test and there by apply for ILR instead of Flr

Indeed that's one of the problems with this one size fits all approach.