UK visa fee for the non-European Union (EU) countries including India is set to rise as the British government is on its way to double the immigration health surcharge (IHS) from December this year.
IHS introduced in April 2015, will move up from £200 to £400 a year with the reduced rate for the students rising from £150 to £300, the UK government said. The proposal for an increase in IHS was announced earlier this year, however, it was tabled before the parliament last week.
The new announcement is likely to increase an estimated 220 million in extra funding for the government-run National Health Service (NHS). The surcharge permits any immigrant in the UK to work, study for six months or more to obtain the services of NHS akin to UK citizens.
“Our NHS is always there when you need it, paid for by British taxpayers. We welcome long-term migrants using the NHS, but the NHS is a national, not international health service and we believe it is right that they make a fair contribution to its long-term sustainability, said UK immigration minister Caroline Nokes.
“I am pleased that we are a step closer to implementing the changes to the health surcharge, and the extra money raised will go directly towards sustaining and protecting our world-class healthcare system.”
“It is only fair that people who come to the UK make a contribution to the running of the NHS, and even with the increase we still continue to offer a good deal on health care for those seeking to live in the UK temporarily,” Caroline added.
The immigrants from non-EU countries including India need to pay the surcharge if they are planning to stay in the UK for six months or more or extend their stay.
The changes better reflect the cost to the NHS of treating those who pay the surcharge, as the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) estimates that the NHS spends £470 on average per person per year on treating those required to pay the surcharge.
These changes do not affect permanent residents, who are not required to pay the surcharge. Certain vulnerable groups such as asylum seekers and modern slavery victims are also exempt.
Short-term migrants, including those on visitor visas, are generally charged for secondary care treatment by the NHS at the point of access.
Since the surcharge was introduced in 2015 it has raised over £600m which the DHSC and the health ministries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have invested back into their health budgets.
The increase is set to come into effect in December 2018 subject to Parliamentary approval, said UK home office in a statement.
