Those who deferred the lodging of their application and did not immediately pay for their IHS as part of the filing of their UK Visa applications wished they had filed their applications sooner.
From the original $810, the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) increased the IHS fee to a whopping $1,610!
The increase became effective last 08 January this year.
According to the official website of the UK government, “The proposals would see the surcharge increase from £200 to £400 per year for non-EU nationals, with students and those on the Youth Mobility Schemeon the discounted rate of £300 per year.
“Since the surcharge was introduced in 2015 it has raised over £600m which the Department of Health and Social Care and the health ministries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have invested back into their health budgets,” the article read.
The IHS is a fee which an applicant for a UK Visa must pay if he or she will stay in the UK for a period of more than six (6) months.
ECO Immigration Consultancy explains that the IHS allows the holder to obtain free health service from the National Health Service (NHS) should they get sick or need medical treatment while they are in the UK.
Online payment of the IHS is a mandatory requirement for applicants of the UK Spouse Visa since the applicant for this settlement visa will be staying in the UK for more than six (6) months should the application be approved. Applicants who fail to pay this fee online will receive an automatic denial from the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO).
Thus, an applicant from the Philippines applying for a UK Spouse Visa to stay in the UK for good and settle there with his or her spouse is required to pay the HIS fee online.
In turn, should anything happen to the UK Spouse Visa holder from the Philippines while he or she is in the UK for the duration of her stay (five years if she opted for the 5-year route) her medical expenses will be covered by the IHS should she need to be treated.
On the other hand, in the case of the UK Fiancée Visa, since the application applied for is valid only for six (6) months, applicants for the UK Fiancée Visa are not initially required to pay for the IHS.
The same goes for applicants of the UK Visit Visa who are given a maximum of six months stay in the UK if the application is approved.
ECO Immigration Consultancy would also like to stress that even if the applicants for the UK Spouse Visa who is required to pay for the IHS already obtained a private insurance, he or she is still likewise mandated to obtain the IHS.
The IHS, howver, does not cover certain types of services like prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests as well as assisted conception.