UK visa applicants to pay ‘health surcharge’ now

India and other non-European Union citizens will need to pay a ‘health surcharge’ from 6 April at the time of applying for UK visas to cover part of the cost of any medical treatment they may need while in the UK, official sources said on Friday.

Updated on: Mar 21, 2015, 01:01:55 IST

Hindustan Times | By Prasun Sonwalkar, London

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India and other non-European Union citizens will need to pay a ‘health surcharge’ from 6 April at the time of applying for UK visas to cover part of the cost of any medical treatment they may need while in the UK, official sources said on Friday.

The surcharge will only be applicable for those coming to live in the UK for longer than six months, and will not affect visitors and tourists coming here for less than six months. Such short-term visitors anyway need to pay for any medical treatment while here.

The health surcharge will be £200 per year and £150 per year for students and will be payable at the same time that an individual submits their visa application on-line. Visa applicants will need to pay up-front for the total period of their UK visa. Dependants will pay the same amount as the main applicant, the sources said.

Those coming on the Inter-Company Transfer visa — mostly availed by Indian IT professionals — will be exempted from paying the surcharge but will need to complete the process through a website on the health surcharge.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prasun Sonwalkar
Prasun Sonwalkar was Editor (UK & Europe), Hindustan Times. During more than three decades, he held senior positions on the Desk, besides reporting from India’s north-east and other states, including a decade covering politics from New Delhi. He has been reporting from UK and Europe since 1999.Read More

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