NHS Surcharge Info

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all well

I marry my American fiance on 26th August near Ipswich, which has been a long time coming and we're very excited, albeit with only three guests. She has been in the UK since 19th April 2020 on a fiance visa (expires 19th Oct).

I've had a search on the NHS surcharge and can't find anything from this year on this forum, and I'm getting conflicting info on the goverment and other sites.

The gov site suggests that we paid the NHS surcharge when we applied for the Fiance Visa ($2087 total cost) but there is no breakdown that says that's true in the application confirmation. It makes sense that they don't let you progress without paying it.

We asked today at the doctor surgery when she registered and they had no idea anyone would have to pay when receiving GP consultations. Please can you share the facts if you know them. Have we already paid if she got her fiance visa on 20th Feb this year? Is it an annual charge until she has right to remain? I see £600 mentioned on some sites and £1000 on others. Confused.

Thanks
Phil

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all well

I marry my American fiance on 26th August near Ipswich, which has been a long time coming and we're very excited, albeit with only three guests. She has been in the UK since 19th April 2020 on a fiance visa (expires 19th Oct).

I've had a search on the NHS surcharge and can't find anything from this year on this forum, and I'm getting conflicting info on the goverment and other sites.

The gov site suggests that we paid the NHS surcharge when we applied for the Fiance Visa ($2087 total cost) but there is no breakdown that says that's true in the application confirmation. It makes sense that they don't let you progress without paying it.

We asked today at the doctor surgery when she registered and they had no idea anyone would have to pay when receiving GP consultations. Please can you share the facts if you know them. Have we already paid if she got her fiance visa on 20th Feb this year? Is it an annual charge until she has right to remain? I see £600 mentioned on some sites and £1000 on others. Confused.

Thanks
Phil

You have not paid for the IHS (immigration health surcharge) as part of the fiancee visa.
She must pay for any medical care (except immediate emergency care). You'll pay for the IHS when it is time to apply for FLR. It's billed all at once but by the length of the visa.

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

Thanks. I read this which caused the confusion

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

Thanks. I read this which caused the confusion

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

It's £1,000 currently. £400 (per year) x 2.5

Here is the calculator. She's applying alone for the first question. https://www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/Type

Only people on visas valid for MORE than 6 months have to pay the IHS surcharge. The fiance visa is only valid for 6 months, so there was no surcharge to pay when you applied.

However this does mean that she is not currently covered for any 'free' NHS care and will have to pay the full cost for any non-emergency treatment she receives. If she has health insurance, she will pay 100% of the cost. If she does not have health insurance, she will be charged 150% of the cost.

It's her responsibility to make sure she is charged for treatment (as the NHS is not used to charging people and often will tell someone they don't need to pay when actually they do). She must also make sure she pays any outstanding NHS bills before she applies for FLR(M), as an unpaid NHS bill of £500 or more is an automatic visa refusal.

When you apply for FLR(M), you will pay the IHS surcharge for the full length of the visa (2.5 years), which is currently £1,000 (2.5 years x £400/year).. though this is supposed to increase to around £600/year around October. The visa cannot be granted unless the full IHS surcharge has been paid, which is done as part of the online application.

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for us. It all makes sense now.

We'll be applying for the FLM in September, so should hopefully miss the increase.

Phil

Thanks a lot for clearing this up for us. It all makes sense now.

We'll be applying for the FLM in September, so should hopefully miss the increase.

Phil

Did she have an appointment at the GP’s office?  If so,you’ll want them to provide you with a bill and proof of payment. Without it, it can really slow down the application, as you’ll have to wait for UKVI to contact the surgery, get the bill amount, etc.  Cut out the middle man!