Immigration Health Surcharge Refund: When You Get One

You get a full refund in any of these three situations, and you do not have to apply for it. The money goes back to the account or card you paid with, or to whoever paid the IHS on your behalf.

• ✓Yes: You paid the IHS twice for the same visa application
• ✓Yes: Your visa application is refused
• ✓Yes: You withdraw your visa application before a decision is made

You get a partial refund if your visa application is successful but you get less time than you asked for, a dependant is refused a visa, or you paid twice for the same period when you extended or switched your visa in the UK.

• ✓Yes: You get less time on your visa than you asked for
• ✓Yes: Any dependants on your visa application are refused a visa, and you only get their IHS back
• ✓Yes: You are applying to extend or switch your visa in the UK and have paid the IHS twice for the same period

Home Office caseworkers are told to issue a partial refund if an applicant has paid more IHS than their application requires.

If you paid twice for the same period, the amount depends on how long that period is.

GOV.UK lists six situations in which you will not get a refund. The IHS is also not refunded if a visa applicant dies in the UK or before arriving. Home Office guidance says migrants who later become British citizens cannot get a refund of the IHS they paid.

• ✗No: You withdraw your visa application after your visa is granted
• ✗No: Your visa application is successful but you do not come to the UK
• ✗No: You leave the UK before your visa ends, for example to make a new application
• ✗No: You are told to leave the UK before your visa expires
• ✗No: You are applying for indefinite leave to remain
• ✗No: You are switching to another visa which is exempt from the IHS

You usually get your refund within 6 weeks of getting a decision on your visa application. It can take longer if you appeal or ask for an administrative review after a refusal. Contact UKVI if your refund is not paid within 6 weeks.

You get a full refund of the IHS if you cancel your application before a decision has been made, and you do not have to do anything to get it. You can only cancel while you are still waiting for a decision.

How much of the application fee you get back depends on how you were told to prove your identity: by attending an appointment, or with the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app.

You cannot cancel or get a refund if you applied for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).

Contact UKVI if your bank account has changed, and do not send your new bank or account details to UKVI unless it asks for them. You can contact UKVI to check that the request is genuine. It can take longer to get a refund if you have also asked your bank to cancel your payment to UKVI, and you will not get a refund if the bank cancelled your payment.

To cancel, follow the steps on GOV.UK to cancel your visa, immigration or citizenship application. Once your application is approved, our guide to the eVisa explains how to see your status.

You do not need to pay the IHS if you are a health and care worker who is eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa, or you are their dependant. If you work in health or care on another visa, you and your dependants may be able to get a refund of the IHS, but only for periods you worked in health or care for 6 months or more.

Skilled Worker visa and a medical profession

If you have a Skilled Worker visa and work in an eligible job, you are eligible for a refund and you need to apply for it. You get a full refund if you paid the IHS on or after 31 March 2020. If you paid before 31 March 2020, you get a partial refund for any periods of 6 months that your IHS payment covered after that date. If you are eligible, your dependants can also get a refund.

The eligible jobs are:

• ✓Yes: Biological scientist
• ✓Yes: Biochemist
• ✓Yes: Dental practitioner
• ✓Yes: Doctor
• ✓Yes: Midwife
• ✓Yes: Medical radiographer
• ✓Yes: Nurse
• ✓Yes: Ophthalmic optician
• ✓Yes: Paramedic
• ✓Yes: Pharmacist
• ✓Yes: Physiotherapist
• ✓Yes: Physical scientist
• ✓Yes: Podiatrist
• ✓Yes: Psychologist
• ✓Yes: Social worker
• ✓Yes: Speech and language therapist
• ✓Yes: Therapy professional

To get the refund, contact UKVI with these details. You are charged for calling UKVI.

• The IHS reference numbers for you and any dependants
• The date you and any dependants paid the IHS
• Your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) number
• Your employer's name

Other health and care roles

If you do not have a Skilled Worker visa or you work in another health or care role, you can apply online for a refund if you are a medical professional who is not eligible for the Skilled Worker refund, or you work in another role in a healthcare setting. Healthcare settings include hospitals, GP practices, care homes and community healthcare facilities.

To be eligible you must meet all of these conditions.

• ✓Yes: You have paid the IHS
• ✓Yes: You work for an eligible company or organisation, for example the NHS or the Care Quality Commission
• ✓Yes: You have worked in your role for at least 6 months, for an average of at least 16 hours a week

The 6 months can include paid leave, such as maternity or statutory sick leave. You will not be eligible if you were unemployed or had unpaid leave for more than 28 days during the last 6 months.

You can apply for a refund for one 6-month period at a time, starting on or after 31 March 2020. You need to apply every 6 months to claim a refund for additional periods of time. If you are eligible, your dependants can also get a refund, and you must include them in your application.

To apply online you need:

• Your IHS number for the period you are claiming for
• Your National Insurance number
• The start and end dates of the visa you held during the period you are claiming for
• Your email address
• The name of the organisation you work for
• The IHS numbers of any dependants you are applying for
• A copy of your employment contract
• Copies of your payslips for the 6 months you are claiming for

If you do not have payslips for the full 6 months, you need a signed letter from your employer explaining any gaps, such as if you were on leave. After you apply you receive an email within 6 weeks to let you know whether your application has been successful. If it is, the money is sent to the account or card you used to pay for your IHS, or refunded to whoever paid.

Contact the NHS Business Services Authority if you need help with your application. You can start from GOV.UK's health and care refund page.

You might be able to get a refund from the NHS Business Services Authority if you paid the IHS and you are a student from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You must meet all of these conditions.

• ✓Yes: You are in full-time higher education in the UK
• ✓Yes: You have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• ✓Yes: You live in the UK and have a UK address, which can be student accommodation

Your visa must have started on or after the date for the country that issued your EHIC.

You can only apply for a refund for the duration of your stay where your EHIC is valid. If it is valid for the full length of your visa, you can get a full refund. If it will expire part way through your visa, you can apply for a partial refund, then renew your EHIC and apply for the remaining refund. Refunds are rounded down to the nearest 6 months.

If your application is successful, the NHS Business Services Authority will send the money within 3 months. It is sent to the account that was used to pay for the IHS, or to the third party's account if a third party paid.

Your partner and children may be eligible for a refund if they are in the UK on a visa that started on or after 1 January 2021, they have a valid EHIC and they do not work or intend to work in the UK. They may be eligible even if you are not.

You apply through GOV.UK's student refund page.

The IHS costs £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders and applicants under 18, and £1,035 a year for all other visa and immigration applications.

GOV.UK gives these examples: £1,552 for a 2-year visa at the lower rate and £3,105 for a 3-year visa at the higher rate. For part of a year, the amount you pay depends on the length of the visa you are given and where you apply from. Dependants aged 18 or over usually need to pay the same amount as you.

After you pay, you can start using the NHS free of charge from the date your visa starts. You will still need to pay for certain types of services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception. Our guide to NHS dental charges explains what dental treatment costs. When you access healthcare in the UK, you may need to prove your status online using a share code, and our guide to how to prove your immigration status explains how to get one.

The charge is made under the Immigration (Health Charge) Order 2015. Under article 3, a person who applies for entry clearance of a type mentioned in section 38(2)(b) or (c) of the Immigration Act 2014, or for leave to remain in the United Kingdom for a limited period, must pay a charge to the Secretary of State, subject to the exemptions that article 7 and Schedule 2 provide for. Article 8 says the Secretary of State has discretion to reduce, waive or refund all or part of a charge.