Immigration Health Surcharge
21-04-2015
The government has introduced new guidelines which they hope will be introduced in all NHS hospitals and clinics as soon as possible.
However there are no planned changes to the free provision of Accident & Emergency and Primary care.
On 6th April 2015 the Home Office introduced a new Immigration Health Surcharge for all Non EEA students who are studying in the UK for 6 months or more.
What is the Health Surcharge for?
The Health Surcharge will allow non EEA student to continue to use the UK’s NHS (National Health Service) services in the same way as a permanent UK resident.
Please find the link below for all NHS charges for students who are not entitled to free NHS medical care.
How much does the Immigration Health Surcharge cost and what is it for?
For non-EEA students the fee will be £150 annually. The fee is to be paid to the United Kingdom Visa’s and Immigration (UKVI) prior to a new visa appointment and application. After paying the health surcharge the student will then be able to apply for a visa as normal.
Where part of a year is 6 months or less £75 is charged.
For example, if your course is for 17 months you would be charged £225.
One Year £150
Part Year (less than 6 months) £75
Total = £225
It is estimated that International students cost the NHS around £430,000,000 per year, an average of £700 per student. The surcharge for students will be just £150 per year, a fraction of their true cost to the NHS. It is 1% of the cost of studying in the UK and is well below the price overseas students pay for private health insurance in countries, such as Australia and the USA.
The cost of medical care varies in different countries across the world. To compare health care spending around the world follow the link below.
How to apply for the Immigration Health Surcharge
For instructions on how to apply and pay for the Immigration Health Surcharge click the link below.
Applicants in Bangladesh, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Myanmar are unable to make the surcharge payment online and must make this payment in person at the same time as paying their visa application fee.
Private Medical Insurance compared to the NHS
It can be useful to invest in private health insurance. This would give you the opportunity to use the specialists the insurance providers have. The waiting time for seeing a private doctor can be shorter than seeing a NHS doctor.
Please be aware that if you need to use the Accident and Emergency department then you would need to use the NHS.
Charles Hay, UK Ambassador to South Korea said:
“The UK is hugely proud of its National Health Service, which provides world class care to all residents. It is only fair that those coming to live or study in the UK make a financial contribution to the public services they are entitled to access, which is why we are introducing this change.
We, of course, recognise the very valuable contribution that Koreans who come to the UK to study and work make to the wider economy and so have deliberately kept the surcharge at a competitive level – lower than most private health insurance policies.”
Private Medical Insurance
If you would like some information about private medical insurance and how to apply for it please contact the Applications department for more details:
Please note that even if private medical insurance has been purchased the new Immigration Health Surcharge is still required.
For non-EEA Students or Visitors staying for less than 6 months
As well as students travelling to the UK for more than six months on a student visa, students who are travelling to the UK on a tourist visa will also have charges to pay. Instead of the health surcharge, students on a tourist visa would need to pay for the cost of using the NHS. This would be 150% of the normal medical cost.
For example, if the cost of treatment is £100 the NHS will charge £150. (This is for all non-EEA visitors.)
If you would like more details please click on the link below.
Updates and Clarifications
There is some controversy about the new Immigration Health Surcharge and we expect there maybe updates and clarifications of certain clauses in the new legislation. For accurate up to date information, always refer to the official government website www.gov.uk
The information provided by Study Links cannot be used as an alternative to legal advice from an appropriately qualified professional. If you have any specific questions about any legal/visa matters please contact the UKVI or Visa and Immigration expert. Information correct at time of publication (April 2015).
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