The information provided in this blog does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice please contact our expert immigration team who will assist you with any queries you may have. We are highly experienced with all immigration matters. Please visit Review Solicitors and see for yourself how our immigration team, Asif Hanif and Katie Vine have been highly rated by existing Clients of the Firm.

Welcome back to another monthly blog here at Henry Hyams.

In today’s article, I will be discussing the Immigration Health Surcharge, most commonly referred to as IHS.

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge?

Let’s take a short trip down memory lane…The IHS was first introduced in 2015. As the NHS is free for many through taxpayer contribution, the idea behind the IHS is that migrants must pay for NHS services they access here in the UK.

Payment of the IHS allows migrants to register with GP’s, emergency healthcare services and all non-emergency care.

Who needs to pay?

Payment is required for all out of country applications where a visa is granted for more than 6 months and for all applications that are made from inside the UK.

You do not have to pay the IHS if you are making an application under the following visa categories:

• Indefinite leave to enter or remain
• Health and care worker who is eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa
• Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme
• Diplomat or a member of visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control
• A dependant of a member of the UK’s armed forces
• Dependant of a member of another country’s armed forces who is exempt from immigration control
• Applying for a visa for the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• You are a British Overseas Territory citizen resident in the Falkland Islands
• Asylum seeker or applying for humanitarian protection
• Domestic worker who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking
• Discretionary leave to remain in the UK as someone who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking
• If the Home Office domestic violence concession applies to you
• S2 Healthcare Visitor
• Frontier Worker permit and have an S1 certificate

What is the cost?

Well…it’s not cheap! The IHS fee can be summarised as below:

• £470 per year for a student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa, for example, £940 for a two-year visa
• £470 per year for visa and immigration applicants who are under the age of 18 at the time of application
• £624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications, for example, £3,120 for a five-year visa

When do I pay for the IHS?

Payment becomes due at the point of submission of the application (if applicable). Your application will not be processed until you have paid the immigration health surcharge.

Why should I instruct Henry Hyams Solicitors for my immigration matters?

At Henry Hyams Solicitors we have a specialist Immigration team that has over 30 years of combined experience in assisting our clients with their immigration matters, and we have a very high success rate. Our Client reviews reflect our work ethos. In respect of our legal fee, we offer a competitive fixed-fee service, so there are no nasty surprises at the end.

If you would like to discuss your immigration application then please contact our immigration team. Henry Hyams has a highly experienced immigration team to guide you at every stage of your application. Henry Hyams Solicitors have been providing legal advice for over 80 years. We have experienced solicitors who have been providing immigration advice, assistance to clients nationally and internationally for many years.

Asif Hanif
Immigration Solicitor at Henry Hyams Solicitors, Oxford House, Oxford Row, Leeds, LS1 3BE