NHS & the Fiancé Visa

Hello,

I have recently just sent off my Fiancé Visa application. In the meantime, I am beginning to sort out everything I need to do before I move permanently. I understand I won't have access to the NHS on the Fiancé Visa, but I have some questions in regards to it all.

- Can / Should I register with a GP once I have arrived on the Fiancé Visa? Or do I need to wait until I am on the Spouse Visa and have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge?

- Since I will not have access to NHS services, do I need to have travel insurance? I am stuck on this as all companies I have found so far require you to put in a date of return. Does anyone have recommendations for a travel insurance company that can be utilised while on the Fiancé Visa?

- My main concern with this is that I have four monthly prescriptions, which are an anti-depressant, a controlled stimulant (ADHD medication), and a birth control pill. The last one is a low dosage of Xanax, which I understand is not prescribed under the NHS anyways. I am trying my best to 'stockpile' as much of the medication as I can, but what would happen if I were to run out?

- Is obtaining birth control different than in the US? When I was last in the UK on a Tier 4 Visa, I wasn't on any birth control. I had no difficulty obtaining equivalents for the other two medications, but I also was living in a different city from the one I will be moving to. As for the Xanax, I simply didn't have it prescribed as I use it infrequently and had enough to cover me throughout my time there.

If anyone could walk me through how to navigate all of this, or point me in the direction of a post or website which might help, I'd be hugely thankful.

Cheers x

You'll have to pay for the NHS care and any prescriptions. It's recommended to have insurance because otherwise you're charged 150%. For prescriptions they charge the med price instead of the NHS subsidised fee, but it likely will cost less than in the US. You'll need a GP for any prescription refills, and you'll want to being your medical records that show why you need them. I'd definitely recommend speaking to your doctor and US insurance company to try and get a few months supply for travel so you have a bit more time to get things set up, but you'll have to do it quickly because the NHS is slow for initial GP appointments. I came on a spouse visa and still had to go through months with no pain management waiting for a referral to have mine restored. My GP now prescribes the meds. Once you are on the NHS with the spouse visa I recommend getting the prepaid card if you have 2 or more monthly scripts.

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You'll have to pay for the NHS care and any prescriptions. It's recommended to have insurance because otherwise you're charged 150%. For prescriptions they charge the med price instead of the NHS subsidised fee, but it likely will cost less than in the US. You'll need a GP for any prescription refills, and you'll want to being your medical records that show why you need them. I'd definitely recommend speaking to your doctor and US insurance company to try and get a few months supply for travel so you have a bit more time to get things set up, but you'll have to do it quickly because the NHS is slow for initial GP appointments. I came on a spouse visa and still had to go through months with no pain management waiting for a referral to have mine restored. My GP now prescribes the meds. Once you are on the NHS with the spouse visa I recommend getting the prepaid card if you have 2 or more monthly scripts.

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Thank you for your reply. I do plan to get insurance as I understand that allows me to be charged 100% rather than 150%. I'm confused on getting the prescriptions. Will I be charged for that GP visit to have the prescriptions prescribed? And how can I calculate what the monthly cost might be during this time? I understand the monthly cost once I am on the spouse visa, but it's during the Fiancé Visa period that I'm confused on. I've tried to stockpile as much as I can and will continue to try to do so, but I want to have a backup plan just in case.

Ask your doctor to prescribe you a one year supply before you leave, which they will fill by mail order.  That will cover you while on your fiance visa and while you wait for your next visa to be issued.

You will need to find an alternative to Xanax.

BUT, you can visit a sexual health clinic and get birth control for free while on your fiancé visa!

Ask your doctor to prescribe you a one year supply before you leave, which they will fill by mail order.  That will cover you while on your fiance visa and while you wait for your next visa to be issued.

You will need to find an alternative to Xanax.

BUT, you can visit a sexual health clinic and get birth control for free while on your fiancé visa!

And you can order bc through online pharmacies in the UK by filling out an online consultation.  It's pretty easy.

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Thank you for your reply. I do plan to get insurance as I understand that allows me to be charged 100% rather than 150%. I'm confused on getting the prescriptions. Will I be charged for that GP visit to have the prescriptions prescribed? And how can I calculate what the monthly cost might be during this time? I understand the monthly cost once I am on the spouse visa, but it's during the Fiancé Visa period that I'm confused on. I've tried to stockpile as much as I can and will continue to try to do so, but I want to have a backup plan just in case.

If you're unable to get a year script like KFdancer suggested, I believe you would pay the full cost of the med, and might be charged for the GP visit (you'd want to offer to pay and get it documented if they don't charge).

I tried researching prices for scripts but I'm guessing they vary based on med and supplier, so you could call the pharmacy where you'll be living and ask them what the approximate private prescription cost for your meds would be. I can guarantee it will be less than the out of pocket cost in the US.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Ask your doctor to prescribe you a one year supply before you leave, which they will fill by mail order.  That will cover you while on your fiance visa and while you wait for your next visa to be issued.

You will need to find an alternative to Xanax.

BUT, you can visit a sexual health clinic and get birth control for free while on your fiancé visa!

Thank you for this. I will need to double check, but I believe the most my insurance allows to be prescribed is 3 months. I will check into it though!

Yes, I will definitely look into an alternative to Xanax that is covered by the NHS.

And that’s perfect! I will look up where the closest sexual health clinic is for me.

Thank you so much!

And you can order bc through online pharmacies in the UK by filling out an online consultation.  It's pretty easy.

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I will definitely go that route for the birth control! My fiancé lives in a more remote area so that’ll be the most convenient route. Thank you!

I will definitely go that route for the birth control! My fiancé lives in a more remote area so that’ll be the most convenient route. Thank you!

I've needed to be creative with some prescriptions for myself. For example, you may need a script that is prescription only for your use but it may be available as a pharmacy script (pharmacist can prescribe) for a different use.

I needed an antibiotic but couldn't get it from my GP because my GP is horrible and useless (as evidenced by their online reviews and by their reputation locally) so I had to skirt the system and order it from a pharmacy by saying I was traveling to India and needed it as an antimalarial.

We all have to do what we need to do to stay well here.

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If you're unable to get a year script like KFdancer suggested, I believe you would pay the full cost of the med, and might be charged for the GP visit (you'd want to offer to pay and get it documented if they don't charge).

I tried researching prices for scripts but I'm guessing they vary based on med and supplier, so you could call the pharmacy where you'll be living and ask them what the approximate private prescription cost for your meds would be. I can guarantee it will be less than the out of pocket cost in the US.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Oof, yeah I'll definitely try to stockpile as much as I can then. I did try researching prices as well and wasn't able to find anything either. I assume it's based on supplier as well. I hadn't thought of calling them, I might have my fiancé do that for me tomorrow. Thank you!

I've needed to be creative with some prescriptions for myself. For example, you may need a script that is prescription only for your use but it may be available as a pharmacy script (pharmacist can prescribe) for a different use.

I needed an antibiotic but couldn't get it from my GP because my GP is horrible and useless (as evidenced by their online reviews and by their reputation locally) so I had to skirt the system and order it from a pharmacy by saying I was traveling to India and needed it as an antimalarial.

We all have to do what we need to do to stay well here.

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I see, that's honestly a smart idea! I don't know if I would have thought of that. And I will keep that in mind. Thank you! 

I see, that's honestly a smart idea! I don't know if I would have thought of that. And I will keep that in mind. Thank you! 

If you PM me a list of meds you need, I actually work in a Scottish pharmacy and I can look up the tariff prices for it as a private prescription.

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If you PM me a list of meds you need, I actually work in a Scottish pharmacy and I can look up the tariff prices for it as a private prescription.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

That would be amazing! I will do that. Thank you so much!