Now asking for NHS surcharge when it was $0 for 15 year old?

Ok background:

Brit husband, married 9 years, one US citizen child (15) from previous marriage, 3 biological children. Applying for spouse visa and child dependent of settled person.

Application received the 14th of July. Processing as of the 9th of August.

So here's what they're saying now. I paid my NHS surcharge, and when I went to pay my son's (15 year old), I was given the message that he is exempt because he is applying as a child dependent under 16 of a person settled in the UK.


Now they say we do owe the surcharge. But nothing has changed. He's still under 16, and we're still applying for him as the child of a person settled in the UK. I don't really want to waste money calling them, only to be given incorrect information.

Are we supposed to be paying the surcharge or not? Because according to their own website, we aren't.

Maybe because he will turn 16 during this visa? Not sure, but my only guess!

That's weird - I don't think you should be paying the surcharge because children under 16 get free healthcare anyway, and as you said, the website says he doesn't need to pay it.

Did you create an IHS number for him even though you didn't need to pay? That may be what you need to provide rather than paying.


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That's weird - I don't think you should be paying the surcharge because children under 16 get free healthcare anyway, and as you said, the website says he doesn't need to pay it.

Did you create an IHS number for him even though you didn't need to pay? That may be what you need to provide rather than paying.


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He was given an IHS reference number. Is that what they need to show he's exempt? You don't happen to know how I get this information to them, do you? 😉

If they emailed you to ask him to pay then I guess you should explain in your reply that he is exempt and include the IHS number.


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If they emailed you to ask him to pay then I guess you should explain in your reply that he is exempt and include the IHS number.


It was an auto message and says not to reply. I sent an email to UKVI with his IHS number and GWF, I'll know Monday if it got to the relevant person. If not I'll have to call them up and find out how to give them the info.

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The email address for Sheffield is: VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

So if this wasn't the address you replied to, I would also send an email to this one too, just in case.


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The email address for Sheffield is: VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

So if this wasn't the address you replied to, I would also send an email to this one too, just in case.


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I used the form on the UKVI website, so probably the wrong one. Thank you so much!

Could it be possible that this might mean maybe they are getting close to making a decision? 😆

I used the form on the UKVI website, so probably the wrong one. Thank you so much!

The form on the website just goes to a random call centre nowhere near Sheffield. They don't have access to your application and the people working there are known for giving incorrect information.

Where did the information about needing the IHS surcharge come from?

If Sheffield requested it directly it should have come from the email address I gave above and they should have instructed you on how to send the information and which email address to reply to, and may have given you a deadline.

If you initiated the contact yourself via the website and they replied to say the IHS was needed, then you haven't been in contact with Sheffield at all and they probably gave you wrong advice.



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They initiated contact, but the link in the email only sends me to a form saying I need to pay. The button just goes to payment options. They say I have until August 31 to do so.

This is the email address it came from:
VISAINFO.SHEFO@fco.gov.uk

Ok reading further they say once I've paid it to send an email to IHS.Sheffield@fco.gsi.gov.uk with the GWF and IHS payment amount. 

How I missed that before I don't know, but I will email them now with the IHS number.

Oh, okay - maybe they've changed their email address to the SHEFO one.

Yeah, just follow the instructions and provide an IHS number for him. If it tells you that there's no payment due, then go with that and explain in the email.


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Thank you! I've sent it off, hopefully they get it sorted and finished soon.

Hi Ive just read this thread. I am applying for 2 dependent children. My husband got his spouse settlement in April 2014 and now we have been awarded full custody. They will be on my husbands visa but applying 17 months later. Do i need to pay the nhs surcharge for an 8 and 13 year old? Thanks

Children under 16 are exempt from paying the surcharge, so no, you won't have to pay it.

Also, your children won't be on your husband's visa, they will have their own individual visas, so you will need to make two separate applications and pay for each one.


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Uhh we definitely paid the surcharge for our two-year-old. Both my husband and I are US citizens, does that make a difference?