18. Oktober 2018
The Home Office has this week announced changes to the immigration rules that will be introduced before the end of 2018. During November the Home Office is making positive changes to the physical way in which applications are processed. But it's not all good news - in December the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), a type of healthcare tax paid by long-term visa applicants, will double in cost.
The latest rule changes will apply to applications submitted on or after 5 November 2018. We await more detail on the new processing systems and visa services that will be rolled-out around the same time. These headline changes are welcome news for UK visa applicants:
In contrast to this welcome news, UKVI has also announced an increase to visa fees.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a payment made by migrants applying for a visa of over 6 months. It is the mechanism for visa applicants to contribute to the National Health Service (NHS) and allows migrants to access the same free healthcare from the NHS as UK residents during their visa period. Applicants for visitor visas or indefinite leave to remain (permanent residency) are exempt.
Currently the IHS is £200 per visa year or £150 per year for Tier 4 and Tier 5 Youth Mobility scheme applicants. From December (the exact date has not been announced) the IHS will double to £400 per year, with a reduced rate of £300 per year.
All dependant family members will continue to pay the IHS at the same rate as the main applicant. The IHS is paid upfront as part of the visa application process regardless of whether the applicant ever uses the NHS and even if they have private medical insurance cover.
This change will significantly increase the cost of visa applications. For example, IHS fees for a family of four applying for a two year Tier 2 visa will rise from £1,600 to £3,200. Where possible, applicants already planning a UK visa application before the end of 2018 should accelerate their application to file online before the end of November to be sure of avoiding the higher fees.
von Charlie Pring
von Charlie Pring und Verusha Ishwar
von Charlie Pring