Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
Feb 11th 2016, 1:43 am
#16
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
I have a few aussie friends and a few years ago one had to pay for their knee operation. Another was suprised the NHS did this for free as the oldies over there have to take out insurance to pay for this, which she said they didn't take out when they are younger as it is "too bl@@dy expensive".
When I asked what happened if they needed a knee operation when they were younger, she said they had to pay for it.
It was that conversation that made me wonder how this exemption from the IHS would work.
When I asked what happened if they needed a knee operation when they were younger, she said they had to pay for it.
It was that conversation that made me wonder how this exemption from the IHS would work.
Feb 11th 2016, 9:08 am
#17
Aussie Finn Mixture!
Joined: May 2005
Location: Leschenault WA (after few locations around WA and Around Europe!)
Posts: 1,151
Re: Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
Agree, I've had two knee ops in Oz as PR/citizen, through public system for free and very short waiting period (3 weeks each time in Busso, wait was more for the surgeon coming from Bunbury twice a week)
Feb 11th 2016, 11:48 am
#18
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,294
Re: Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
They are Australians - descendants of convicts, not natives.
Last edited by formula; Feb 11th 2016 at 11:51 am.
Feb 11th 2016, 12:03 pm
#20
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Re: Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is presently £200 a year.
You pay up front and for the length of your visa.
Your first visa will be for 33 months and will be rounded up to 3 times the annual health surcharge, so that is presently £600 IHS for your visa.
Your second visa is for 30 months, so that will be 2.5 x the annual IHS.
Once you apply to become a permanent resident 5 years later (Indefinate Leave to Remain) you no longer have to pay the IHS with that application.
When you use the NHS you will need to show your Biometric Residence Permit to show you must not be billed. The hospital will then send your bill to the central government fund that holds the money collected from the IHS, so they don't have to use their own NHS budget to pay for your treatment.
You pay up front and for the length of your visa.
Your first visa will be for 33 months and will be rounded up to 3 times the annual health surcharge, so that is presently £600 IHS for your visa.
Your second visa is for 30 months, so that will be 2.5 x the annual IHS.
Once you apply to become a permanent resident 5 years later (Indefinate Leave to Remain) you no longer have to pay the IHS with that application.
When you use the NHS you will need to show your Biometric Residence Permit to show you must not be billed. The hospital will then send your bill to the central government fund that holds the money collected from the IHS, so they don't have to use their own NHS budget to pay for your treatment.
Last edited by formula; Feb 11th 2016 at 12:20 pm.
Feb 11th 2016, 12:10 pm
#21
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,294
Re: Australians and NZ citizens to pay the NHS surcharge.
Non permanent residents in Oz have to pay for healthcare? I guess that is why they decided during the talks the UK have just had with them, that they didn't want to pay for the healthcare of their own non permanent resident citizens in the UK.
Last edited by formula; Feb 11th 2016 at 12:26 pm.
