In brief
- Most applicants pay the Immigration Health Surcharge on top of the visa fee, and each person on an application pays separately.
- The charge is calculated from the leave granted in 6-month blocks and paid upfront in full. Check current rates on GOV.UK.
- Exemptions are narrow and set out in law. Private insurance and employer sponsorship do not remove the charge.
- Pay inside the online application and keep your reference number. Paying separately can mean paying twice.
- Full refunds are usually automatic after a refusal, rejection, withdrawal before decision or double payment. Refunds usually take up to 6 weeks.
What the Immigration Health Surcharge is
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a charge you pay when you apply for most UK visas. It lets you use the National Health Service (NHS) while you have permission to stay. Private health insurance does not replace it or let you opt out.
The charge is separate from the Home Office application fee. You must pay both before you can submit your application.
Who pays
- Applying from outside the UK: you pay if your visa is for more than 6 months.
- Applying from inside the UK: you pay for any length of leave (permission to stay).
- Every applicant pays separately. Each partner and each child on an application pays their own charge. A Skilled Worker with a partner and a child therefore pays three charges.
The legal duty to pay rests with the applicant. An employer may agree to pay, but a sponsored job does not remove the charge.
How much it costs
The Home Office sets two annual rates. These have applied since 6 February 2024. Always check the current rate on GOV.UK before you apply, in case it has changed.
| Rate | Amount per year | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | £1,035 | Most work, family and other adult applicants, including adult partners of workers |
| Discounted | £776 | Students and their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and anyone under 18 on the date of application |
Adult partners of students pay the discounted rate. Children pay the discounted rate, even if their parent pays the standard rate.
How the amount is worked out
The system multiplies the annual rate by the length of leave you are granted, in blocks of 6 months.
- A leftover period of 6 months or less costs half the annual rate (£517.50 standard, £388 discounted).
- A leftover period of more than 6 months costs a full year.
| Leave | Charged as | Standard cost |
|---|---|---|
| 33 months | 3 years | £3,105 |
| 16 months | 18 months | £1,552.50 |
If you apply from outside the UK for 6 months or less, you pay nothing. From inside the UK, you pay half the annual rate. For students, the charge is based on the leave granted, which is often longer than the course. A 12-month student visa plus an extra period of 6 months or less costs £1,164 (£776 + £388).
You must pay the whole amount upfront. There are no instalments.
Main exemptions
Exemptions are narrow and set out in law. People who do not pay include:
- applicants for indefinite leave to remain (permanent settlement), see indefinite leave to remain;
- visitors, and people applying from outside the UK for 6 months or less (see Standard Visitor visa);
- Health and Care Worker visa applicants and their dependants (check that your route still qualifies);
- applicants under the EU Settlement Scheme;
- asylum seekers and people seeking humanitarian protection;
- victims of trafficking or slavery, including some domestic workers;
- diplomats, visiting armed forces and some forces dependants;
- children under 18 in local authority care;
- S2 Healthcare Visitors, and Frontier Workers with an S1 certificate.
Some family and human rights applicants who cannot afford the charge can ask for a fee waiver. If it is granted, both the visa fee and the IHS are waived. Health and care workers on other visas pay first, then claim the money back through a separate GOV.UK reimbursement service.
How to pay
- Complete your online application. The IHS payment is built into the form.
- Check your dates and length of leave. The system calculates the amount from them.
- Pay by debit or credit card when asked.
- Keep your IHS reference number. Your application links to it.
Do not pay separately outside the application. This can mean paying twice.
If you did not pay during the application, the Home Office will email a payment link to the address you gave. Check your junk folder. The email states a deadline. If you miss it or underpay, your application may be rejected as invalid.
If payment fails or the amount looks wrong
- Check the dates you entered. A wrong date gives a wrong amount.
- Do not pay again until you know whether the first payment went through.
- Keep your reference number and proof of payment.
- If you have paid twice, you can get a refund. Contact UKVI if you need help.
When you can get a refund
Refunds are possible because the law gives the Home Office power to repay all or part of the charge.
Full refund (usually automatic)
- Your application is refused and your appeal rights have ended. See appeals and judicial review.
- Your application is rejected as invalid or voided.
- You withdraw before a decision.
- You paid twice for the same application.
If only a dependant is refused, only that dependant's charge is refunded.
Partial refund
- You are granted less leave than you applied for.
- You paid twice for overlapping periods when extending or switching in the UK.
Partial refunds are made in 6-month periods, rounded down.
No refund
- You withdraw after the visa is granted.
- The visa is granted but you do not travel.
- You leave the UK before your leave ends.
- You apply for indefinite leave to remain.
- You switch to a visa that is exempt from the charge.
How refunds are paid
Refunds usually take up to 6 weeks. The money goes back to the account that made the payment, and you cannot change that account. If an agent or lawyer paid, the refund goes to them. An appeal or administrative review can delay it. If 6 weeks pass with no payment, contact UKVI.
Common mistakes
- Paying outside the application and paying twice.
- Entering the wrong dates or length of leave.
- Forgetting that each dependant pays.
- Using the standard rate for a child or student dependant.
- Assuming private insurance, National Insurance or employer sponsorship removes the charge.
- Missing the deadline in the payment email.
- Assuming you are exempt when you are not.
- Expecting a refund after leaving early or getting settlement.
- Losing the IHS reference number.
Quick checklist
- Check the current rates on GOV.UK.
- Count the charges for every person on the application.
- Confirm the dates and length of leave.
- Pay inside the application, once.
- Save your reference number and receipt.
- Check your email and junk folder after applying.
Charges for main routes such as the Skilled Worker visa, Student visa and Spouse visa follow these same rules.
How Garth Coates Solicitors can help
Our immigration solicitors can explain how the charge applies to the type of application you are making and who is involved. Please request a consultation if you would like advice on your application.
This article is general information and was correct on 3 November 2026. It is not legal advice on your circumstances; immigration rules and fees change often. For advice on your case, request a consultation.
