Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment?

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:45 pm

I live in the UK on a global talent visa. For my parents, I am considering asking them to apply for a 2-year long-term Standard Visitor Visa.

According to the official UKVI gov.uk page here: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa , it says that:
"You can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years if you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit."

Questions:
----------------

(a) Do long-term visitors have to pay the Health Surcharge as part of their visa application?

(b) If yes, how much do they pay? I can't see a long-term standard visitor visa in any of the drop-down menus in the official health surcharge calculation portal https://www.immigration-health-surcharg ... ecker/type

(c) If the above is true, are they eligible to register with a GP in the UK, get an NHS number, and become eligible for free NHS treatment (just like UK residents) for the duration of their visa?

CR001 · Post by **CR001** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:48 pm

a) No. IHS is NOT payable for ANY visitor visa.

c) No, they are NOT eligible for free NHS services. They have to pay if they use the NHS, 150% cost.

Have your parents visited the UK previously??

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:00 pm

CR001 wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:48 pm
Have your parents visited the UK previously??

Yes. They have visited the UK for 5.5 months from April 2016 through September 2016 on a standard short-term visitor visa. That's why I thought of applying 2-year visitor visa for them now.

CR001 wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:48 pm

No. IHS is NOT payable for ANY visitor visa.

No, they are NOT eligible for free NHS services. They have to pay if they use the NHS, 150% cost.

I thought IHS is payable for long-term visitor visas i.e. anything more than 6 months.

Is the cost of NHS treatment standardised and published somewhere officially? Will the 150% NHS cost be billed directly to them? They can't afford to pay, and will probably have to default on their payment.

What's the best route of getting them to the point of getting free NHS treatment?

Casa · Post by **Casa** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:09 pm

Are you aware that a 2-year visitor visa doesn't allow your parents to stay in the UK for more time in a rolling 12 month period than they are spending in their home country?

What do you mean by 'they can't afford to pay'? Are they already aware that they will need NHS treatment during their visit?

They should take out travel insurance to cover any medical costs, although any existing medical conditions aren't likely to be covered.

Se the official guidance on NHS charges for overseas visitors in the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... pital-care

CR001 · Post by **CR001** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:17 pm

They are unlikely to be granted a 2 year visitor visa having only visited the UK once 5 years ago. They need a proven track record before getting a longer term visa.

There is no visitor visa option that permits free NHS use.

If they use the NHS and default on their payments, they will likely be refused a visit visa in future. They will be billed directly in their names for NHS use.

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:20 pm

Casa wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:09 pm
Are you aware that a 2-year visitor visa doesn't allow your parents to stay in the UK for more time in a rolling 12 month period than they ahttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how- ... tal-carere spending in their home country?

What do you mean by 'they can't afford to pay'? Are they already aware that they will need NHS treatment during their visit?

They should take out travel insurance to cover any medical costs, although any existing medical conditions aren't likely to be covered.

Se the official guidance on NHS charges for overseas visitors in the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... pital-care

Yes. I am aware that the maximum they can stay in the UK is 6 months during any single visit. (and about the rolling window period).

My dad had a heart attack in late 2010. Since then, he is on expensive heart medicines, and needs to make frequent follow-up visits to the doctor. My mom also has a few afflictions, but nothing major. Their monthly regular prescription bills amount to a significant sum. I was hoping that if I pay the 2-year NHS health surcharge (and the prescription charges in the UK), they'll be able to see a UK GP regularly and get their monthly medicines on the NHS.

The cost of private insurance is high, and not many cover ages above 70. I am wondering what my options are to help keep these medical costs reasonable, and being able to be with my parents here in the UK.

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:38 pm

CR001 wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:17 pm
They are unlikely to be granted a 2 year visitor visa having only visited the UK once 5 years ago. They need a proven track record before getting a longer term visa.

There is no visitor visa option that permits free NHS use.

If they use the NHS and default on their payments, they will likely be refused a visit visa in future. They will be billed directly in their names for NHS use.

Okay. What type of track record will they need? I understand that it's not hard & fast and is subjective. I think, if they visit me again next year as standard 6-month visitor visa holders, maybe the next time after that, they can go for a 2-year visa?

secret.simon · Post by **secret.simon** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 8:35 pm

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:38 pm
What type of track record will they need?

Essentially a track record of leaving the UK before their visa expires OR the length of time they said in their application that they will leave the UK. So, for instance, if, in their application, they said that they will visit the UK for 2-3 weeks and stay for 2-3 months, that will count against them.

In the main, they should convince the ECO that they are genuine visitors, especially keeping in mind the requirement that they "will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home;".

Think of it like building up a credit score with the Home Office? Can they be trusted to return home before the end of their visa? Do they tend to linger over in the UK longer than a visit?

Keep their visits short and sweet.

To answer your main question, visitors can register with GPs and are eligible for free A&E emergency treatment, but will be charged 150% of cost for any other medical treatment, including if they are referred for post emergency treatment from A&E or by their GP. That may be much more expensive than private health insurance.

And as mentioned above, they can be refused future visit visas if they have any outstanding debts with the NHS.

JB007 · Post by **JB007** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:15 am

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:00 pm

Is the cost of NHS treatment standardised and published somewhere officially? Will the 150% NHS cost be billed directly to them? They can't afford to pay, and will probably have to default on their payment.

Be careful. Somebody on here posted they were having to pay their visiting father's NHS debt for emergency treatment for a stroke, as their father had left the UK. He didn't have insurance to claim the money back. From what I recall, the debt was about 30k.

Since then there have been rule changes and an NHS Trust must now ask for the full payment up front and refuse treatment if it is not paid. If it is considered life saving treatment, like a stroke, some treatment is given/patched up so that they can return home, but is still billed.

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm

JB007 wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:15 am

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:00 pm

Is the cost of NHS treatment standardised and published somewhere officially? Will the 150% NHS cost be billed directly to them? They can't afford to pay, and will probably have to default on their payment.
Be careful. Somebody on here posted they were having to pay their visiting father's NHS debt for emergency treatment for a stroke, as their father had left the UK. He didn't have insurance to claim the money back. From what I recall, the debt was about 30k.

Since then there have been rule changes and an NHS Trust must now ask for the full payment up front and refuse treatment if it is not paid. If it is considered life saving treatment, like a stroke, some treatment is given/patched up so that they can return home, but is still billed.

Legally, I am not sure the debt from unpaid medical bills of an adult can directly be passed onto another adult. Only in the case of minors, legal guardians of children below18 years of age shall be responsible for the children's private medical bills, and that's about it.

I think the only repercussions if a visitor leaves the UK without paying up a medical bill would be that their subsequent visa applications will not be successful.

Let me make it clear that my goal is not to defraud the NHS or anything. We owe them our gratitude for the yeomen service, and it is an organisation that we cherish. The point is that I'd like my parents to be with me without putting them through cumbersome visa applications and biometric appointments at their advanced age every single time, without sacrificing a life and career that I have built in the UK, and would like them to receive similar treatment as I currently have in the UK, just in case they need hospitalisation.

secret.simon · Post by **secret.simon** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 6:00 pm

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm
would like them to receive similar treatment as I currently have in the UK, just in case they need hospitalisation.

That's the bit that is unlikely. They will need to either move to the UK on a non-visit visa longer than six months and having paid IHS or have private health insurance coverage.

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm
I'd like my parents to be with me without putting them through cumbersome visa applications and biometric appointments at their advanced age every single time

The UK doesn't really do chain immigration (one member of the family immigrating and then bringing the rest of the family in with them). It is practically impossible to sponsor adult dependent relatives (rejection rate of ~80% after appeals, ~94% before appeals). Keep in mind that even regular, frequent visits, with each visit lasting six months, may cause issues as it may appear to the Immigration Officer at the airport that the person is trying to reside in the UK and not merely visiting.

Even sponsoring spouses and children has relatively high income requirements. See this thread of a British citizen having issues sponsoring their non-EEA spouse to the UK.

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm
Legally, I am not sure the debt from unpaid medical bills of an adult can directly be passed onto another adult.

The NHS Trust likely got the UK resident sponsor child to sign an undertaking to pay the charges if the parent left the UK without paying the charges.

The NHS is under pressure from the UK government to ensure recovery of fees from people who are not eligible for free treatment. See this recent thread about a non-British spouse receiving a bill for fertility treatment, even though they had paid the IHS (fertility treatment is explicitly not covered by the IHS), years after the treatment.

JB007 · Post by **JB007** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:20 am

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:00 pm
Will the 150% NHS cost be billed directly to them? They can't afford to pay, and will probably have to default on their payment.

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm
and would like them to receive similar treatment as I currently have in the UK, just in case they need hospitalisation.

They can receive that treatment, but they will have to pay the full estimated cost up front before treatment is given. The UK brought that rule in for NHS England in October 2017, which now stops people using the NHS and planning to default on that debt.

The UK goverment recommends that these people should make sure they are covered by personal health or travel insurance, so they can recover their NHS cost from their insurers. They are charged at 150% of the national tariff if their country does not have a reciprocal health agreement with the UK.

There is a limit to what care will be given if it is a life saving emergency, to enable them to retun home to continue their emergency treatment. They are still billed.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... l-15731625

The details of the person with unpaid NHS debt of £500 or higher and where no repayment plan is in place and being kept to, is reporterd to the Home Office.

krishnakumarg · Post by **krishnakumarg** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:32 am

JB007 wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:20 am

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:00 pm
Will the 150% NHS cost be billed directly to them? They can't afford to pay, and will probably have to default on their payment.

krishnakumarg wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:44 pm
and would like them to receive similar treatment as I currently have in the UK, just in case they need hospitalisation.
They can receive that treatment, but they will have to pay the full estimated cost up front before treatment is given. The UK brought that rule in for NHS England in October 2017, which now stops people using the NHS and planning to default on that debt.

The UK goverment recommends that these people should make sure they are covered by personal health or travel insurance, so they can recover their NHS cost from their insurers. They are charged at 150% of the national tariff if their country does not have a reciprocal health agreement with the UK.

There is a limit to what care will be given if it is a life saving emergency, to enable them to retun home to continue their emergency treatment. They are still billed.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... l-15731625

The details of the person with unpaid NHS debt of £500 or higher and where no repayment plan is in place and being kept to, is reporterd to the Home Office.

Agree.

It's just very hard to

a) Get a decent overseas travel cover with pre-existing medical conditions
b) To make successful claims with the foreign insurer. Therefore, overseas visitors who require hospitalisation are likely to be out of pocket for a significant amount of time before they hope to fight and recover some of the costs.

From previous experience, private travel insurance providers in India try to cite petty excuses in denying as much of the claim amount as they can. They can ask further supporting evidence/letters from the treating doctors, supplementary forms in triplicate counter-signed with numerous photocopies.

It's all pretty kafka-esque.

blondesafari · Post by **blondesafari** » Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:11 am

Quite frankly, it’s offensive to expect the British taxpayers to fund your foreign parents’ healthcare via the NHS. Why would you think it’s ok to do this? My parents are foreign, and when they come to visit me, or go to visit my brother in Australia, they purchase travel insurance. The NHS is specifically for the British taxpayers who pay into it.

JB007 · Post by **JB007** » Sun Aug 22, 2021 12:22 pm

blondesafari wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:11 am
Quite frankly, it’s offensive to expect the British taxpayers to fund your foreign parents’ healthcare via the NHS. Why would you think it’s ok to do this? My parents are foreign, and when they come to visit me, or go to visit my brother in Australia, they purchase travel insurance. The NHS is specifically for the British taxpayers who pay into it.

British citizens also have to pay to use the NHS at 150% of cost when visiting the UK (unless they have an exemption).

secret.simon · Post by **secret.simon** » Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:22 pm

JB007 wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 12:22 pm
British citizens also have to pay to use the NHS at 150% of cost when visiting the UK (unless they have an exemption).

I think that @blondesafari elegantly sidestepped that boobytrap by referencing "British taxpayers", which could include non-British citizen residents who may work and/or live in the UK for the long-term, while excluding non-resident British citizens.

blondesafari wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:11 am
the British taxpayers who pay into it

JB007 · Post by **JB007** » Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:16 pm

secret.simon wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:22 pm

JB007 wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 12:22 pm
British citizens also have to pay to use the NHS at 150% of cost when visiting the UK (unless they have an exemption).
I think that @blondesafari elegantly sidestepped that boobytrap by referencing "British taxpayers", which could include non-British citizen residents who may work and/or live in the UK for the long-term, while excluding non-resident British citizens.
blondesafari wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:11 am
the British taxpayers who pay into it

That is indeed what British taxpayer means: those who pay their working taxes to Britain.

I should have made it clearer that my resposne was referring to the part where they said that they had "parents who are foreign" who had to pay when they visit Britian, when I said that British citizens have to pay too when they visit.

I could have gone further and said some of these British citizens whould have paid all their working taxes to the UK for 40 plus years, still have to pay to use the NHS when they visit.

Or that these seem annoyed when they see older people arrive in the UK and get free NHS in their old age, when those people haven't paid (much or none) of their workling taxes to the UK - and that includes those with British citizenship who do that.

I was always surprised that Britain didn't follow the Australian example of protecting their healthcare system, as the UK have have done with their visa points system and now want to follow what Australia does with asylum seekeers. The Austalians won't give a visa to foreign national if they don't pass a medical as those will be a burden to their national healthcare system. Even if they do pass, the older people (and returning Austalian citizens) pay a higher amount on the required health insurance.

JB007 · Post by **JB007** » Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm

Health grounds are one of the more commons reasons why a visa is rejected for Australia. A visa application may be denied if that person may be a financial drain or burden on the Australian medical system. An applicant can have their visa rejected if potential treatment exceeds over $21,000 over five years for those aged under 75. Generally, two thirds of those people denied a visa on health grounds are rejected because of potential treatment costs. Medical conditions which may prevent an individual from receiving a visa include those with HIV, cancer, major heart issues and even mental health illness.
https://visaenvoy.com/how-to-bring-pare ... australia/

That A$21,000 over 5 years, is about £10.900.

blondesafari · Post by **blondesafari** » Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:30 am

You are 100% correct, JB. My sister was rejected from emigrating to Australia because she has a special needs child.

THO · Post by **THO** » Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:03 am

blondesafari wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:11 am
Quite frankly, it’s offensive to expect the British taxpayers to fund your foreign parents’ healthcare via the NHS. Why would you think it’s ok to do this? My parents are foreign, and when they come to visit me, or go to visit my brother in Australia, they purchase travel insurance. The NHS is specifically for the British taxpayers who pay into it.

Precisely. People seem to forget that the NHS is not free, the UK tax payer pays for it and while I sympathise with the OP for wanting the best for his parents, it's not on to expect them to be able to pay a small IHS charge that gives them access to £K's worth of treatment, or everyone in his situation would do it.

To many years the UK put up with healthcare tourism.

Xterra · Post by **Xterra** » Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:53 pm

I experienced this twice i.e with my dad and my mother in law (two seperate occasions). For both, the hospital made it clear either the patient or the next of kin will be required to pay the bill. My dad had a heart attack here in 2012, and was in CCU for a couple of nights ( it costs approx £3 per night then). My mom in law was hopitalised in 2017 for 2 weeks. We were requested to put a deposit to cover the projected bill (total bill approx £20k).
Note that although you have medical insurance, it is most likely you need to settle the bill first and submit the claims afterwards and in my dad's case, the claim was rejected because the insurance claim it was due to pre existing conditions.

So now, we go visit them instead...

THO · Post by **THO** » Wed Aug 25, 2021 8:34 am

I'm sure you mean more than £3 per night, otherwise you would have claimed for £6, which is not a lot of money.

Xterra · Post by **Xterra** » Thu Aug 26, 2021 6:51 am

Xterra wrote: ↑
Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:53 pm
I experienced this twice i.e with my dad and my mother in law (two seperate occasions). For both, the hospital made it clear either the patient or the next of kin will be required to pay the bill. My dad had a heart attack here in 2012, and was in CCU for a couple of nights ( it costs approx £3k per night then). My mom in law was hopitalised in 2017 for 2 weeks. We were requested to put a deposit to cover the projected bill (total bill approx £20k).
Note that although you have medical insurance, it is most likely you need to settle the bill first and submit the claims afterwards and in my dad's case, the claim was rejected because the insurance claim it was due to pre existing conditions.

So now, we go visit them instead...

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Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment?

Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment?

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment

Re: Do long-term visitor visa holders have to pay health surcharge? If yes, are they eligible for GP reg & NHS treatment