South Africans applying for UK visas and permits will be paying double the current Immigration Health Surcharge from December 2018. The proposed increase is still subject to approval from the UK Parliament, but all indications are that it will happen.

What is the UK Immigration Health Surcharge?

The UK Government introduced the Immigration Health Surcharge in 2015. The reasoning behind this surcharge was to ensure that non-EU citizens make a financial contribution to the cost of making use of the British National Health Service (NHS).

The UK Government recently estimated that migrants to the UK cost the NHS an average of £470 per person per year. That was also the reason why they decided that the surcharge needs to be doubled, from December 2018. 

Who needs to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

Fortunately, South Africans applying for visitor visas to the UK do not have to pay this surcharge.

South Africans and other non-EU citizens applying for all other UK visas and permits for periods longer than six months need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

The cost from December 2018 will be £400 per person per year. The discounted rate for student visa applicants and persons applying for the youth mobility visa will be £300 per person per year from December 2018.

The surcharge is not payable by persons applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and British Citizenship.

When is the UK Immigration Health Surcharge payable?

A non-EU citizen applying for a UK visa for a period of longer than six months needs to include proof of payment of the surcharge. The amount payable has to cover the total period for the UK visa a person is applying for. The payment is thus collected as part of the visa application. Fortunately, if a visa application is unsuccessful, the Immigration Health Surcharge will be refunded.

Applying before December 2018

The increase in the surcharge is unfortunate. Fortunately, it is possible to still apply for your UK visa before the increase takes effect. Those interested should please contact Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants without delay.

We highly recommend that UK visa applicants contact reputable agencies to assist them. It is essential that every visa application is planned and checked thoroughly by a person with the necessary expertise and experience in the field of immigration. Even a seemingly irrelevant or incorrect detail or omission on a visa application can lead to a visa being refused.

Please note that the information in this article does not constitute professional advice and is provided for general information purposes only, without giving any warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. For more information on the Immigration Health Surcharge, visit the Breytenbachs website at https://bic-immigration.com/uk-immigration/health-immigration-surcharge/