Checking that I've calculated this right - visa fees & healthcare surcharges.

Hi all - I just wanted to check that I've calculated this right... I have a US fiancée, as you might've guessed, we want to take the 5-year path to Indefinite Leave to Remain. I've calculated the following as the route and subsequent costs to take the 5-year path, and was wondering if I've calculated it correctly, or if I'm missing something off/miscalculting something? I'd really appreciate any reassurances or corrections - I'm trying to familiarise myself with the process as best I can.

Route & Subsequent costs:

-£1,523 for the fiancée visa application from outside the UK; this will be valid for 6 months and can take up to 12 weeks to be processed; I'm unsure of the costs associated taking and submitting biometrics through a DHS office, yet.
-£1,033 + £19.20 (for biometrics) to switch to a family visa as someone who's married to a a British citizen (from inside the UK) - only valid for 2 years & 6 months rather than 2 years & 9 months as we're switching from another visa). This cost will come up again when we have to renew the visa for another 2 years & 6 months - at this point my would-be wife will have been living continuously in the UK for 5 years.
-£2,389 for the Indefinite Leave to Remain application.

This would bring, in an ideal circumstance with no visa rejections, the visa costs (without other calculated fees) to roughly £6,016.

I am wondering how the NHS surcharge fees are calculated? I know the cost per year in the UK on a visa > 6 months is £624, but how would the 2 years & 6 months be calculated in terms of surcharge fees? Would we pay in bulk 624*2+312 for the 2 years & 6 months, and then pay it again for the additional 2 years & 6 months?

I really appreciate any responses to this, and apologise if I've missed this information anywhere else in the past.

I've just applied for ILR on a spousal visa from the beginning so I'm not sure about charges for a fiancé one but here's what I've found.

If the fiancé visa requires an NHS charge & is paid outside the UK  (My 1st part of spousal visa was paid outside of UK if that helps) the cost is £1872.  The oxymoron to this is there is NOT a charge if the fiancé is NOT staying in the UK over 6 months.

My question is do you absolutely NEED the fiancé visa?  We went directly to spousal by having my partner come on hols to where I lived, went to County Clerk of Court, paid the fees & were married there in the US.  Once I had the visa & was living in the UK, we planned & had a Handfasting so friends & family could be there to celebrate.

For regular spousal visas it's difficult to give an accurate total cost for each section because the cost could change in April 2022.  I say "could" because it didn't rise from 2020 into 2021 BUT I believe this was only because of the pandemic.  It looks like right now the spousal fee + IHS is:  (outside) £1523 + £1872 or (inside) £1033 + £1560. 

And there's the optional Priority or Super Priority fees if wanted.  And the compulsory Life in the UK Test fee (or fees if not passed on 1st try.)

For mine I paid (1) outside fees (initial spousal visa) & (1) inside fees (2nd part or FLR depending on what you want to call it).  Doing my ILR this year I paid: £ ILR application fee, £0 NHS/IHS fee, £ BIOS fee, & £ UKCVAS fee. 

My apologies for this sounding overwhelming.

Firstly, I greatly appreciate your input on this.

One of the main confusing parts for me was whether we'd have to pay a healthcare surcharge for the fiancée visa, because the UK Gov says that any visa that lasts for 6 months or less doesn't have a healthcare surcharge applied to it; from what the UK Gov website says (https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/who-needs-pay [nofollow] ). Granted that afterwards, my fiancée turned wife will be staying for more than 6 months, but the initial visa will be for 6 months.


In terms of do we need the fiancée visa - yes, unfortunately. We're hoping to have the fiancée visa start in March 2022 - I can't come to the US to get married to avoid the fiancée visa because of the US Presidential Declaration that prevents me from entering the US due to travel restrictions.

Do you pay the surcharge fees in bulk (would make sense, less admin work if you pay for the entire surcharge cost for the duration) So for a visa that would last 2 years & 6 months, I'd pay (at current rates) £1560 in bulk plus the cost of the visa application from inside the UK (£1033+£19.20)?

Firstly, I greatly appreciate your input on this.

One of the main confusing parts for me was whether we'd have to pay a healthcare surcharge for the fiancée visa, because the UK Gov says that any visa that lasts for 6 months or less doesn't have a healthcare surcharge applied to it; from what the UK Gov website says (https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/who-needs-pay). Granted that afterwards, my fiancée turned wife will be staying for more than 6 months, but the initial visa will be for 6 months.


In terms of do we need the fiancée visa - yes, unfortunately. We're hoping to have the fiancée visa start in March 2022 - I can't come to the US to get married to avoid the fiancée visa because of the US Presidential Declaration that prevents me from entering the US due to travel restrictions.

Do you pay the surcharge fees in bulk (would make sense, less admin work if you pay for the entire surcharge cost for the duration) So for a visa that would last 2 years & 6 months, I'd pay (at current rates) £1560 in bulk plus the cost of the visa application from inside the UK (£1033+£19.20)?

There is no IHS to pay for the fiancee visa but you will have to pay for any NHS treatment received.

Some of our couples have chosen to marry in a third country to avoid the extra cost and hassle of the fiancee visa but still not ideal due to Covid.

There is no IHS to pay for the fiancee visa but you will have to pay for any NHS treatment received.

Some of our couples have chosen to marry in a third country to avoid the extra cost and hassle of the fiancee visa but still not ideal due to Covid.

Thanks for the clarification. 

 I didn't think the fiancée visa came with IHS charges. I understand that we'd have to pay for any NHS treatment at the point of care. My fiancée actually just left the UK last week after a 6 month stay (non-visa). To get around the issue around healthcare we just cover ourselves with a medical travel insurance policy that we'd invoke if ever we had to go and get NHS treatment (not planning on that  ). Given that there isn't going to be an IHS charge for the fiancée visa, we'd just do that again.

To get around the issue around healthcare we just cover ourselves with a medical travel insurance policy that we'd invoke if ever we had to go and get NHS treatment (not planning on that  ).

They pay the money upfront to the NHS before treatment at 150% of the NHS costs, if that service is not free. They then claim their money back from their insurers.  That's why the UK recommends people visiting the UK or travelling to the UK on a visa that is 6 months or less, take out travel or health insurance, so that they can claim their money back. If it is considered urgent, treatment is given to enable them to return to their own country for full treatment, but is still billed.

I am wondering how the NHS surcharge fees are calculated? I know the cost per year in the UK on a visa > 6 months is £624, but how would the 2 years & 6 months be calculated in terms of surcharge fees? Would we pay in bulk 624*2+312 for the 2 years & 6 months, and then pay it aIt's billed at 150% of the NHS cost if that service is not free.gain for the additional 2 years & 6 months? 

https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application

https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-pay

The NHS services that are bill free.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide#free-for-all

They pay the money upfront to the NHS before treatment at 150% of the NHS costs, if that service is not free. They then claim their money back from their insurers.  That's why the UK recommends people visiting the UK or travelling to the UK on a visa that is 6 months or less, take out travel or health insurance, so that they can claim their money back. If it is considered urgent, treatment is given to enable them to return to their own country for full treatment, but is still billed.

If they have insurance they are only charged 100% of the cost, which they then claim back through their insurer.

It’s the people who don’t have any health/travel insurance who are charged 150% of the cost, which then all has to be paid out of pocket.


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Insurance isn't a problem while on the fiancée visa, I was already convinced that the surcharge wasn't paid for during the fiancée visa because the UK Government does say that the IHS doesn't apply for visas that are for 6 months or less - but I wanted to confirm this because there were conflicting suggestions between you do and you don't pay it. Anytime my partner comes to the UK, they get travel & medical insurance for the duration regardless, so the 6 months on the fiancée visa will be no exception.

Insurance isn't a problem while on the fiancée visa, I was already convinced that the surcharge wasn't paid for during the fiancée visa because the UK Government does say that the IHS doesn't apply for visas that are for 6 months or less - but I wanted to confirm this because there were conflicting suggestions between you do and you don't pay it. Anytime my partner comes to the UK, they get travel & medical insurance for the duration regardless, so the 6 months on the fiancée visa will be no exception.

If you scoll down to the bottom of the page, it also states that they need to pay the NHS at point of use unless that service is free.
https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/who-needs-pay

If they have insurance they are only charged 100% of the cost, which they then claim back through their insurer.

It’s the people who don’t have any health/travel insurance who are charged 150% of the cost, which then all has to be paid out of pocket.


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That was the case when they brought in the IHS in 2015. Now they all pay 150% and claim the money back from their insurers, unless their country has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK and will pay all the NHS costs. I think this has been the case for a while.
Read the - People living outside the UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care#people-living-outside-the-eu



This means the NHS Trust does not have to chase their insurers to try to get the money back, or chase the person who used the NHS if their insurers does not pay/pay in full.

With reciprocal agreements, the NHS Trust know what the other country will pay for. With Brexit and the end of free NHS given to EEA citizens and their non-EEA citizen family members (unless covered for free NHS under the EUSS Withdrawal agreement) the NHS Trust will know what treatrment the EHIC of that country will pay for and can take payment upfront for what is not covered under their EHIC. Each country has their own rules on who can have their EHIC.

EEA citizens and their non-EEA citizens spouse and children (under age 18) are now under UK rules and they will also need to pay the IHS to have a UK visa of more than 6 months.

Anytime my partner comes to the UK, they get travel & medical insurance for the duration regardless, so the 6 months on the fiancée visa will be no exception.

You might want to read what the insurer will cover for any covid related illness?

From the link above-

People living outside the EU

People who live outside the EU, including former UK residents, are not automatically entitled to free NHS care. They should make sure they are covered by personal health or travel insurance so that they can recover from their insurer any treatment costs that they are required to pay. They will be charged at 150% of the NHS national tariff, unless an exemption applies to them or the service they are accessing, or they are covered by a reciprocal healthcare agreement between the UK and their country.


and here the government explains what they mean by appropriate insurance, to ensure the claimant can recover all their money  -

Any treatment that may have to be paid for will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

The UK government always advises visitors to the UK to take out travel or health insurance that has the necessary healthcare coverage for their needs. This is particularly important for those with pre-existing health conditions. Appropriate insurance means visitors may be able to recoup any treatment costs from their insurer.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care/how-the-nhs-charges-overseas-visitors-for-nhs-hospital-care#uk-nationals-who-no-longer-live-in-the-uk