Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application

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1. Overview

You may need to pay a healthcare surcharge (called the ‘immigration health surcharge’ or IHS) as part of your immigration application. 

If you’re applying online or through the premium service centre, you’ll pay the surcharge as part of your application or when you book an appointment. 

If you’re applying by post, you must pay the healthcare surcharge online before you send your application - you’ll need to include the IHS reference number on your application form.

Your information will be shared with the National Health Service (NHS) in England if:

  • you’ve paid the healthcare surcharge (or are exempt from paying it) 
  • your visa or immigration application is granted 

You’ll then be able to use the NHS. You’ll still need to pay for certain types of services, eg prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.

You should bring your biometric residence permit with you when you access healthcare in the UK. 

Visitor visas and short-term visas

You don’t have to pay the healthcare surcharge if you’re applying from outside the UK for a visitor visa or any visa that lasts 6 months or less.

You don’t need to use the healthcare surcharge service or get an IHS reference number for your visa application. Instead, you’ll have to pay for any healthcare you get through the NHS at the point you use it.

2. When you need to pay

For visa applications made outside the UK, you’ll have to pay if:

  • you’re a national of a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
  • you’re applying for a visa to work, study or join your family in the UK for more than 6 months (but you’re not applying to remain in the UK permanently)

For immigration applications made from within the UK, you’ll have to pay if:

  • you’re a national of a country outside the EEA
  • you’re making an immigration application for any length of time, including applications for 6 months or less (but you’re not applying to remain in the UK permanently)

When you’ll need an IHS reference number

You still need to use the payment service to get an immigration health surcharge (IHS) reference number but you won’t need to pay if: 

  • you’re applying for a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa (or you’re their dependant)
  • you’re a child under 18 who has been taken into care by a local authority
  • you’re the dependant of a member of the UK’s armed forces
  • you’re the dependant of a member of another country’s forces who is exempt from immigration control
  • you’re a relevant civilian employee employed by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) or the Australian Department of Defence in the UK (or you’re their dependant)

The service will tell you that you don’t have to pay anything and will give you your healthcare surcharge reference number for your application. 

You’ll be able to use the National Health Service (NHS) even if you’re exempt from paying. 

When you don’t have to pay or get an IHS reference number

You don’t need to get an IHS reference number or pay the healthcare surcharge if:

  • you’re applying for a visitor visa
  • you’re applying for a visa (from outside the UK) for 6 months or less
  • you’re applying for indefinite leave to remain
  • you’re a diplomat or a member of a visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control
  • you’re a family member of a European national with European Union treaty rights
  • you’re applying for a visa for the Isle of Man or Channel Islands
  • you’re a British Overseas Territory citizen resident in the Falkland Islands 
  • you’re an asylum seeker or applying for humanitarian protection (or you’re their dependant)
  • you’ve been identified as a victim of human trafficking (or you’re their dependant)
  • the Home Office’s domestic violence concession applies to you (or you’re their dependant)
  • being made to leave the UK would be against your rights under Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (or you’re their dependant)

You’ll be able to use the National Health Service (NHS) if you’re exempt from paying - except if you’re on a visitor visa or any visa that will only last for 6 months or less (that you applied for from outside the UK). You’ll have to pay for care you get through the NHS at the point you use it.

You’ll have to pay the healthcare surcharge if you applied for indefinite leave to remain but are only given limited leave. You’ll be told by UK Visas and Immigration if this happens.

3. How much you have to pay

You’ll have to pay:

  • £150 per year for a student or Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa, eg £300 for a 2-year visa
  • £200 per year for all other visa and immigration applications, eg £1,000 for a 5-year visa

Dependants usually need to pay the same amount as you.

The exact amount you have to pay depends on how much leave you’re granted.  Calculate how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

You’ll pay half of the yearly amount if your application includes part of a year that is less than 6 months.

You’ll pay for a whole year if you’re application includes part of a year that is more than 6 months.

Your visa or immigration application won’t be granted if you don’t pay the healthcare surcharge or your application will be delayed if you don’t pay the right amount.

You’ll automatically get a partial refund if you paid the healthcare surcharge for more years than you were granted leave.

When you have to pay

If you’re applying for a visa online or through the premium service centre, you’ll pay the surcharge as part of your application or when you book an appointment. 

If you’re applying for a visa by post, you must pay the healthcare surcharge online before you send your application - you’ll need to include the IHS reference number on your application form.

You’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration if you didn’t pay the surcharge (or didn’t pay enough) as part of your visa or immigration application.

Your visa or immigration application will be turned down if you don’t pay the full amount:

  • within 10 working days if you’re inside the UK
  • within 7 working days if you’re outside the UK

4. Pay the healthcare surcharge

If you’re making an immigration application online you pay the healthcare surcharge as part of the application process. You must complete the payment and return to the online immigration application in less than 30 minutes.

If you’re making an immigration application at a premium service centre, you pay the surcharge when you book an appointment.

If you’re making an immigration application by post you must pay the healthcare surcharge before you complete your application.

If you’re applying online or through the premium service centre, you’ll be asked for:

If you’re applying by post, you’ll also be asked for:

  • the type of visa you’re applying for 
  • your passport or travel document number 
  • an email address

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You need to pay by cash at an embassy or visa application centre if you’re in Bangladesh, Myanmar or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. You can pay in cash or use the online service if you’re in Nepal.

Family members

You’ll need the same information that you used to pay for:

  • any person applying for a visa or other immigration application with you, eg a dependant
  • any person you’re applying to join or remain who is already in the UK (you don’t need to add this person’s details if they are a UK or EEA citizen)

You’ll also need their leave expiry date if you’re joining someone in the UK (or IHS reference number if they have one).

Finish your visa or immigration application

  1. You’ll be sent an email with an IHS reference number. This will also be shown on screen when you’ve paid.

  2. You’ll need to write this on the cover of your visa application if you’re applying by post. You need this reference even if you’re exempt from paying the healthcare surcharge.

  3. Finish your application form and pay your visa or immigration application fee.

5. Refunds

You don’t need to do anything to get an IHS refund - it’s automatically paid to the account or card you paid with.

You’ll get a full IHS refund if:

  • you paid twice
  • your visa application is refused
  • you withdraw your visa application

You’ll get a partial IHS refund if your visa application’s successful but:

  • you get less time on your visa than you asked for
  • any dependants on your visa application are refused

You won’t get a refund if your visa application’s successful but you don’t come to the UK or you leave before your visa ends.

How long it takes

You usually get your refund within 90 days of getting a decision on your visa application. It can take longer if you appeal or ask for an administrative review after your visa application is refused.

If you appeal or ask for an administrative review

If you applied from:

  • inside the UK - you’ll get your refund up to 90 days after your appeal or administrative review is dismissed

  • outside the UK - you’ll get your refund up to 90 days after your visa application is refused

You’ll have to repay the IHS if your appeal or administrative review is successful and you’ve already got your IHS refund.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) if your refund isn’t paid within 90 days.

Last updated: 6 April 2016