Earlier this year, the government announced that it intended to increase the NHS charge payable by migrants from £200 a year to £400 a year.
The Home Office has now confirmed that the proposed increase will come into force in December 2018, subject to Parliamentary approval.
The NHS surcharge was introduced by the government in 2015 for temporary migrants such as workers, students and those seeking to remain in the UK on account of their family or private life.
In justifying the price hike, Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes has repeated the misleading line that the NHS is “paid for by British taxpayers.”
The NHS is paid for by all taxpayers in the UK, British and foreign nationals alike.
In fact, foreign nationals working in the UK (who are not settled here) pay twice, first through the surcharge and then through taxation.
Let us also not forget that many NHS workers are foreign nationals and it would simply collapse without their presence.
Sadly they too are not exempt from paying the surcharge which has lead to and will continue to lead to families being separated.
Once paid, the individual is exempt from paying medical charges normally paid by temporary visitors to the UK.
The fee for 2.5 years is payable at the time of making the immigration application and will now cost £1000 per person.
It is paid in addition to the immigration application itself which is over £1000 per person.
A family of five applying for leave to remain will now have to pay almost £5000 in application fees plus an additional £5000 in NHS surcharge.
That amounts to £10,000 for leave to remain for 30 months, after which an extension application will need to be made.
A family of five applying for leave to remain will now have to pay almost £5000 in application fees plus an additional £5000 in NHS surcharge.
That amounts to £10,000 for leave to remain for 30 months, after which an extension application will need to be made.
Anyone seeking to apply for leave to remain is advised to do so as soon as possible while it remains somewhat affordable.
Visadreams.com, Diary of an Immigration Lawyer, is a blog run by Fahad Ansari, the director and principal solicitor of Riverway Law, a niche UK immigration and nationality law practice based in London. If you would like any advice or assistance in relation to your immigration matter, please do not hesitate to email me at fahad@riverwaylaw.com or submit your details here.
Diary of an Immigration Lawyer 