New UK Student Visa Charges for Indians

Charlie Living in the UK News & Events Services Tier 4 Visas UK Visas 20 March 2015 | Updated On February 20, 2020 | 0

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New UK Student Visa Charges for Indians: what do you need to know.

Indians students in the United Kingdom (UK) will now have to pay a fee to cover possible treatment under the country’s National Health Service (NHS). The payment, announced Friday, is part of a broader push to recoup some of the cost to the British taxpayer of migrant healthcare.

Starting on 6th April 2015, Indian and other migrants, that are not from European Economic Area (EEA) who stay in the UK for more than six months will have to pay £200 ($295) a year when they apply for a visa. Students will have to pay £150. For those already in the UK from outside the EEA will also have to pay the new charge if they extend their stay.

Stats tell us that, India is the largest exporter of students to the UK after China and, had 19,750 of its citizens enrolled there in higher education in the academic year 2013-14, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency. But numbers have fallen sharply in recent years as visa rules have changed to make it more difficult for Indian students to work in the UK.

<< The NHS is tax-funded and free at the point of use service. The government says that the new health surcharge “will play a vital role in ensuring Britain’s most cherished public service is provided on a basis that is fair to all who use it.” >>

Having paid the charge, those coming to live in the UK will have the same access to the NHS as a permanent resident of the UK. The benefit will last the duration of their visa, as well.

The new system will work as following, according to a statement from the British High Commission in Delhi on Friday.

The cahrge will come into effect on 6th April, 2015.
After completing the visa application form, paying the visa fee and booking a visa application center appointment on the Visa4UK website, applicants will be required to make their Health charge payment if required. Applicants must pay the Health Surcharge prior to attending their visa application centre appointment. UK Visas and Immigration will be unable to issue a visa to applicants required to pay the Health Surcharge if they have not paid. Further guidance will be published on the GOV official website from 6th April, 2015.
When an application is refused, rejected or withdrawn, the charge will be refunded.
The charge will be set at an annual rate. Affected migrants will pay, up front, an amount that covers the entire period of their permission to stay in the UK.
Dependents will generally pay the same amount as the main applicant.
Non-EEA nationals coming to the UK on a tourist visa will not pay the health surcharge as their treatment will be chargeable by the Department of Health. Additionally, the Department of Health is strengthening arrangements to ensure that those who are chargeable for NHS care are appropriately identified and charged for the healthcare they’ve received. The NHS shares debtor information with the Home Office and those who incur debts of £1,000 or more to the NHS will normally be refused permission to re-enter or remain in the UK.
Those coming to the UK on an intra-company transfer (ICT Tier 2 visa) will be exempt from the charges. In addition, nationals of Australia or New Zealand will not pay the surcharge due to reciprocal healthcare agreements. British Overseas Territories citizens resident in the Falklands Islands are also exempt, in line with our commitments to the Islands. However exempt groups will still need to log onto the surcharge website to confirm that they are exempt and receive a reference number prior to attending their appointment at the Visa Application Center. They will need this reference number to apply for they visa and UK Visas and Immigration will be unable to issue a visa to applicants who do not have it.
Certain vulnerable groups will be exempt from the surcharge and will continue to receive free NHS care. These include the following:

Children in local authority care.
Migrants making an application for asylum, humanitarian protection, or a claim that their removal from the United Kingdom would be contrary to article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
A person applying for leave to remain relating to their identification as a victim of human trafficking.