Medical care question - will answering yes affect visa status?

Hi everyone!

I posted at the end of last month about not gaining entry clearance because they believed I worked in the UK - not the case, there was a mix up when the wrong person spoke to immigration.

My grad programme starts in mid-September and I just sent in my visa application. I'm applying in person at the consulate, as was advised online.

I'm so nervous about an acceptance I want to be sick, however I did have a few questions:

In October, I had to go to A&E because I had such a bad case of tonsillitis my throat was closing. I answered yes on the medical care question. Will this affect anything?

Finally, if they didn't say deception and if they said I did not have a ban of any kind, do the chances of an approval look good?

Sorry. I'm just so incredibly anxious. 

Hi everyone!

I posted at the end of last month about not gaining entry clearance because they believed I worked in the UK - not the case, there was a mix up when the wrong person spoke to immigration.

My grad programme starts in mid-September and I just sent in my visa application. I'm applying in person at the consulate, as was advised online.

I'm so nervous about an acceptance I want to be sick, however I did have a few questions:

In October, I had to go to A&E because I had such a bad case of tonsillitis my throat was closing. I answered yes on the medical care question. Will this affect anything?

Finally, if they didn't say deception and if they said I did not have a ban of any kind, do the chances of an approval look good?

Sorry. I'm just so incredibly anxious. 

Unlike the US, there has never been a culture of refusing people for minor medical reasons (in fact some people even end up getting a visa arguing they are too sick to go back to a hoe country, but that is another story). I don't know specifically what the question asks, but I reckon it is to gather whether you are healthy enough to undertake the course. Tonsilitis is serious at the time, but actually quite small change.

Chill.

The question was asking if you've used the NHS?  Then you were correct to disclose.  A&E has no charge so you would not have been required to pay.  It will not affect your application.

It's to see if you owe the NHS money. As UKVI now have access to the NHS records they will already know, which is why you needed to answer honestly as deception to get a UK visa can carry a ban.

For future use on where you can get medical help when in England
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/AE.aspx

A&E has no charge so you would not have been required to pay. 

It's amazing how many people think "emergencies are free" instead of what you said. Then get a shock when their 1k+ bill is presented to them for an overnight stay on a ward for observation, with 50% added now if they didn't have insurance.

The question was asking if you've used the NHS?  Then you were correct to disclose.  A&E has no charge so you would not have been required to pay.  It will not affect your application.

Oh I totally didn't catch A&E vs ER!!! I had no clue they were talking about using medical services in the UK!!! I thought they were worrying about having had medical care and applying for a visa...

But yes, I agree the A&E is free for visitors, even with recent changes to NHS charges to visitors/ immigrants.

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

ok, I had this issue with my visa as well.  I did have A&E oddly for the very same reason as the OP. But it was in 1999, not any of the visits I listed on the application because they only require you to go back 10 years.  I don't remember any of the details of the where or when or what they asked either.  Other than the year.  So...should I include it and guess at dates? Or leave it off?

If it asks for it, you need to include it.

They just need to make sure you paid for any treatment that you should have paid for because if you have more than £1,000 of outstanding NHS debt, it's an automatic visa refusal.

If you're a bit spotty on the details, just give as much information as you remember.

But yes, I agree the A&E is free for visitors, even with recent changes to NHS charges to visitors/ immigrants.

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

Thank you so much for this - this makes me feel so much better.

If it asks for it, you need to include it.

They just need to make sure you paid for any treatment that you should have paid for because if you have more than £1,000 of outstanding NHS debt, it's an automatic visa refusal.

If you're a bit spotty on the details, just give as much information as you remember.

I'm having trouble with this.  It asks for the location starting with postcode.  I only know it was in West Yorkshire and that it WAS NOT a hospital, but I truly have nothing else to go on.  I've tried googling Accident and Emergency in Morley, Leeds but I am only getting two hospitals and one in Wakefield and one in Huddersfield.  I know these are not correct. Anyone live in that area that can help me at least find a doctors office to put down instead of a hospital?

I'm having trouble with this.  It asks for the location starting with postcode.  I only know it was in West Yorkshire and that it WAS NOT a hospital, but I truly have nothing else to go on.  I've tried googling Accident and Emergency in Morley, Leeds but I am only getting two hospitals and one in Wakefield and one in Huddersfield.  I know these are not correct. Anyone live in that area that can help me at least find a doctors office to put down instead of a hospital?

Have you tried searching for NHS Walk-In Centres, as they provide emergency treatment too:

http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/UrgentCare/UrgentCareFinder?Location.Id=23313&Location.Name=West%20Yorkshire%2C%20West%20Yorkshire%2C%20BD11&Location.County=West%20Yorkshire&Location.Postcode=BD11%202&Location.Latitude=53.744&Location.Longitude=-1.687&IsAandE=True&IsPharmacy=False&IsUrgentCare=True&IsOpenNow=False&MileValue=10


Only emergency treatment hospital A&E or in an NHS walk-in centre is free of charge, everything else must be paid for, so you don't want to put a doctor's office (GP Surgery) if you didn't get treatment at one, because you would have show you paid for the treatment.

wouldn't I have gotten a bill at the time of service? I do remember paying for my prescription

wouldn't I have gotten a bill at the time of service? I do remember paying for my prescription

Probably not - most NHS establishments assume that nobody has to pay for anything and don't check because they don't often have the knowledge or facility to bill you (they aren't used to having to bill people).

So it's the visitor's responsibility to insist on being billed. Even if the NHS staff try tell them they don't have to pay, they MUST get a bill and pay it off.

What kind of treatment did you actually have:

- Was is emergency treatment at a hospital A&E or walk-in centre? (free treatment)

- Or did you have to register with a doctor at a GP surgery? (not free treatment)

- How much was the prescription? If it was a standard subsidised NHS fee (about £7 or £8 per item), then you were charged the wrong amount - only people who are entitled to free regular NHS treatment are entitled to pay the subsidised amount - you should have been charged the full price of the prescription.

It might have been a doctors surgery, I just know it wasn't a hospital.  I had a very very bad sore throat, tonsillitis I think it was. I was staying with friends and they took me there.  So I didn't have any idea where I was going or what kind of facility. I am pretty sure I paid 5 pounds for the script which was an antibiotic. 

I have a question regarding NHS use as well. In jan-may 2012 I was a student studying abroad in the UK for less than six months. My university actually has a location there. The university directed students to a specific NHS GP in the area. I used it on two occasions. I emailed the school recently in regards to this and they told me the university had a relationship with the practice in 2012 and paid the practice for services it's students received from fees we paid the university with our tuition. So I paid indirectly.

My question is does anyone think this will affect my spousal application? I don't have a bill from the NHS or proof of payment except what I paid my university upfront. Should I include an explanation in the cover letter and the email from the school with the application? Is there any way to check if I owe the NHS anything (whether from the states or the UK as I am visiting in September)?

Were you on a "Student visitor visa" or were you on a Tier 4 visa?

Tier 4 visa holders automatically get free use of the NHS, while people on a student visitor visa are not entitled to free care on the NHS.

 If you can, I would contact the NHS GP surgery with the details of when you used their services and ask if they can either give you a bill or confirm that you don't need to pay. If you're visiting in September you could try to talk to the GP and the university in person and clarify what the situation is.