Almost every UK visa application longer than six months carries a second, separate charge on top of the visa fee itself: the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). It’s easy to underestimate because it isn’t bundled into the headline visa fee you see first — and for a multi-year skilled worker or student visa, it can add thousands of pounds to the total cost. Here’s exactly how much it is in 2026, who pays the discounted rate, and how partial years are calculated.
What the IHS actually pays for
The IHS gives visa holders access to the National Health Service (NHS) on broadly the same terms as a UK resident, once your visa starts — no separate insurance purchase required for most NHS care. Per GOV.UK guidance, some services still carry their normal NHS charges regardless of IHS payment, including prescriptions in England, dental treatment, eye tests, and fertility treatment. You pay the IHS as part of your online visa application — it isn’t optional for most applicants, and an unpaid IHS will get your visa application refused.
2026 rates
| Rate | Applies to | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Most applicants (Skilled Worker, Family, most other routes) | £1,035 |
| Discounted | Students and their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders, applicants under 18 | £776 |
Important: dependants aged 18 or over pay the standard rate, even if the main applicant qualifies for the discounted student or youth rate. Only the primary applicant’s own route determines their personal rate; each family member’s IHS is assessed on their own visa category and age.
How partial years are charged
The IHS is charged for the full length of your visa, calculated in years and part-years, with a different rule depending on where you’re applying from:
- Visa length of 6 months or less, applied for from outside the UK: no IHS charge at all.
- Visa length of 6 months or less, applied for from inside the UK: half the annual rate (£517.50 standard / £388 discounted).
- More than 6 months but less than a full year, regardless of location: the full annual rate applies — there’s no proportional discount for, say, an 8-month extension.
Worked examples
| Visa length | Standard applicant | Student / under-18 / Youth Mobility |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £1,035 | £776 |
| 2 years | £2,070 | £1,552 |
| 3 years | £3,105 | £2,328 |
| 5 years | £5,175 | £3,880 |
A 5-year UK Skilled Worker visa, for example, carries a full £5,175 IHS on top of the visa application fee itself — see our Skilled Worker visa cost breakdown for how that combines with sponsorship and application fees. Students should check our UK student visa cost guide for how the discounted rate applies to a typical course length.
Payment deadline and consequences of missing it
You must pay within 10 working days of applying from inside the UK, or 7 working days from outside the UK. Missing the deadline results in your visa application being refused — the IHS isn’t a fee you can defer or pay later in the process, so budget for it before you start the online application rather than after.
Refunds
You may be entitled to a full or partial IHS refund if:
- Your visa application is refused, withdrawn, or you’re granted a shorter visa than you paid for (partial refund for the unused portion).
- You’re exempt from paying but were incorrectly charged.
- You leave the UK before your visa expires, in some circumstances.
Refunds are requested online through the same GOV.UK service used to pay, and are separate from any visa application fee refund — a refused visa fee and a refused IHS are handled as two different line items.
Who’s exempt
Common exemptions include certain visa categories that don’t require IHS at all (some visitor routes, for example, since visitor visas are usually under 6 months and outside-UK applications of that length aren’t charged anyway), some diplomatic and government categories, and specific humanitarian routes. Because exemption categories are narrow and specific, check your exact route on GOV.UK rather than assuming based on a similar visa type.
FAQ
Is the IHS the same as travel insurance? No. The IHS gives access to NHS services; it doesn’t cover repatriation, private treatment, lost luggage, or anything a travel insurance policy typically covers. Many applicants still buy travel insurance separately for the parts the IHS doesn’t touch.
Do I pay IHS for a visitor visa? Standard visitor visas are usually granted for under 6 months, and if applied for from outside the UK, that length isn’t charged — which is why most tourists never see an IHS line item. See our Standard Visitor visa guide for the full fee picture.
Can I pay the IHS in instalments? No — it’s paid in full as part of the visa application before submission.
This is general preparation guidance, not legal or immigration advice — IHS rates and exemption rules are set by the UK government and do change, so always confirm the current amount on GOV.UK before budgeting for your application. VisaMet’s AI assistant can help you build a full, accurate cost picture for your UK visa application — join the waitlist for early access.