UK Announces 19 Categories of Foreigners Exempt From Paying Immigration Health Surcharge
- The UK government published a full list of foreigners who do not need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge before accessing NHS services
- Health and care workers on the Health and Care Worker visa are among those exempted, along with their dependants
- Asylum seekers, victims of human traffi-cking, and people applying under the Ukraine Extension Scheme also appear on the exemption list
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The United Kingdom government has published the full list of categories of foreign nationals who are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) before accessing the National Health Service (NHS).
The IHS is a fee most visa applicants must pay to use NHS services during their stay in the UK. However, the government's official website confirms that 19 specific categories of people are entirely exempt from paying the surcharge or obtaining a reference number.
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Categories exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Below is the full list of those who do not need to pay the IHS, as published by the UK government:
1. People applying for indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.
2. Health and care workers eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa, including their dependants.
3. People applying under the EU Settlement Scheme.
4. Diplomats and members of visiting armed forces who are not subject to immigration control.
5. Dependants of members of the UK's armed forces.
6. Dependants of members of another country's armed forces who are exempt from immigration control.
7. British Overseas Territory citizens who are residents of the Falkland Islands.
8. Asylum seekers and people applying for humanitarian protection, including their dependants.
9. Domestic workers identified as victims of slavery or human traffi-cking.
10. People applying for discretionary leave to remain in the UK as victims of slavery or human traffi-cking, including their dependants.
11. People covered by the Home Office's domestic violence concession, including their dependants.
12. People whose removal from the UK would violate their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, including their dependants.
13. S2 Healthcare Visitors.
14. People eligible for a Frontier Worker permit who hold an S1 certificate.
15. Children under 18 who have been taken into care by a local authority.
16. Relevant civilian employees of NATO or the Australian Department of Defence in the UK, including their dependants.
17. People applying to remain in the UK as victims of human traffi-cking or slavery, including dependants of eligible applicants.
18. People applying to remain in the UK as stateless persons.
19. People applying under the Ukraine Extension Scheme or for a visa under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
Who still needs to pay the surcharge
Anyone not covered by the categories above is generally required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of their visa application.
The surcharge gives migrants access to NHS services on broadly the same terms as UK residents for the duration of their visa.
Foreign nationals who fall within any of the 19 exempt categories do not need a surcharge reference number when submitting their application.
UK names 82 countries eligible for ETA
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the UK government had published an official list of 82 countries and territories whose citizens can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit Britain instead of obtaining a standard visa.
The ETA allows eligible travellers to visit the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man for stays of up to six months, with Mauritius and Seychelles being the only African countries on the list.
Source: Legit.ng
