UK Names 19 Categories of Foreigners Exempt From Immigration Health Surcharge

• The UK government published a full list of foreign nationals who are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) before accessing NHS services
• The official list covers 19 distinct categories, ranging from asylum seekers and diplomats to health and care workers and their dependants
• Foreign nationals outside these 19 categories are still required to pay the surcharge as part of their visa application process

The United Kingdom government has released the complete list of foreign nationals who are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge before accessing National Health Service facilities during their time in the country.

The IHS is a compulsory fee attached to most visa applications, granting migrants access to NHS services on broadly the same terms as residents throughout the duration of their visa.

However, the government's official website confirms that 19 specific categories of people are fully exempt from the surcharge and do not need to obtain a reference number when submitting their applications.

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The Full List of Exempt Categories

The UK government has confirmed the following groups are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge:

Here is the text you selected from the Yen CMS page, sorted alphabetically (A-Z) by category:

1. Asylum seekers and people applying for humanitarian protection, including their dependants.
2. British Overseas Territory citizens who are residents of the Falkland Islands.
3. Children under 18 who have been taken into care by a local authority.
4. Dependants of members of another country's armed forces who are exempt from immigration control.
5. Dependants of members of the UK's armed forces.
6. Diplomats and members of visiting armed forces who are not subject to immigration control.
7. Domestic workers identified as victims of slavery or human tr*fficking.
8. Health and care workers eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa, including their dependants.
9. People applying for discretionary leave to remain in the UK as victims of slavery or human tr*fficking, including their dependants.
10. People applying for indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.
11. People applying to remain in the UK as stateless persons.
12. People applying to remain in the UK as victims of human tr*fficking or slavery, including dependants of eligible applicants.
13. People applying under the EU Settlement Scheme.
14. People applying under the Ukraine Extension Scheme or for a visa under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
15. People covered by the Home Office's domestic violence concession, including their dependants.
16. People eligible for a Frontier Worker permit who hold an S1 certificate.
17. People whose removal from the UK would violate their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, including their dependants.
18. Relevant civilian employees of NATO or the Australian Department of Defence in the UK, including their dependants.
19. S2 Healthcare Visitors.

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Who Must Still Pay the Surcharge

Any foreign national who does not fall within one of the 19 categories above is generally obligated to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of their visa application.

Those who qualify under any of the exempt categories are also spared the requirement of obtaining a surcharge reference number when filing their application.

Source: YEN.com.gh