4jtam

I wonder whether I have missed the NHS payment for my two boys age 8 and 11 for the settlement visa application. In fact, we followed the payment via online application system and it did not show the NHS for 2 children application but only my husband application.

BritInParis

The short answer is no.

The Gruffalos Mum

I'm sorry to intrude on someone else's thread, but rather than start another thread... we *were* charged the NHS fee for our pre-schooler in May. Was this a mistake? Should we be seeking a refund?

Thank-you!

SanDiegogirl

I'd like some clarification on this issue too:

On the NHS surcharge website:

https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigr...ou-need-to-pay

the only time it refers to under 18's is:

You still need to use the payment service to get an immigration health surcharge (IHS) reference number but you won’t need to pay if:

you’re a child under 18 who has been taken into care by a local authority

(and the majority of people who ask this question on the forum are not putting their under 18 year old in care)


I don't see that it says anywhere specifically that children (non Brits) under 18 do not pay for the charge.

(Unless of course all children are determined to enter the UK under "adequate maintenance" rules) ??

SanDiegogirl

Unless rules have changed since April 2016, Brit in Paris answered this question last year...??

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz...person-876625/

BritInParis

If one parent is a British citizen and the other is applying to settle in the UK at the same time then any child who is not a British citizen should be granted Indefinite Leave to Enter the UK. Anyone applying for ILE (ILR) is exempt from the IHS.

The Gruffalos Mum

"Amazing!" said the Gruffalo.

I wonder if I can get my 600 quid back. That would be kinda useful right about now.

The UK immigration system can be almost impenetrably labyrinthine at times, can't it.

SanDiegogirl

Thanks for this. Can I run another member's situation by you?

"Britflyer" over in Sheffield 2017 forum states:

26 June 2017 email received “Unfortunately, the processing of your application has not been straightforward and we will be unable to decide your application within our customer service targets. We are continuing to work on your application and aim to make a decision as soon as possible”.

26 June 2017 Instructed to pay the 804.00 USD NHS surcharge for my partners 11yr old daughter (system bug when making initial payments) paid and acknowledged same day.

July 02 2017 Instructed to pay further 804.00USD NHS surcharge for my partners 9yr old son, and given only 24 hours to do it or -“your visa application may be rejected or refused, and you’ll have to apply again”
With the payment made on June 26 we had already paid in full for all three applicants but with no one you can talk to, and with a 24 hour deadline we had no option but to pay again and hopefully will get it refunded at some stage.

From what I understand Britflyer is a Brit, and has applied for a settlement visa for his unmarried partner and presumably settlement visas for her children. He has been charged the NHS surcharge for the children.

Since the children are not Brits, he has applied for a settlement visa for each of them.

Should he not have done so and just applied for ILE? Can one do just this.

How confusing....

BritInParis

You can't apply for ILE per se, you apply for a child settlement visa, but if you meet the requirements for ILE then it will be granted. That the spouse visa wasn't able to be processed is probably what prompted the system to ask for IHS payments for Britflyer's partner's children. Whether this is do to with the backlog or 'not [...] straightforward' is code for 'you don't meet the financial requirements but you have children' and therefore waiting for a Home Office policy decision off the back of the Supreme Court ruling I can't say.

4jtam

Thanks all. My advisor also said NO. But I am confused with other member's post who requested to pay for the children.

4jtam

We finally received the case is not straightforward email and another email asked for IHS payment for my two children age 8 and 11.

Therefore, the final conclusion is children have to pay IHS payment. Unfortunately, there is a bug with the IHS portal where children appear to be exempt from the IHS payment.

BritInParis

The opposite is true - children who are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Enter don't have to pay the IHS but the delays in processing their parent's settlement visa applications makes the system think they do.