As per the recent updates, the home office has confirmed that the health care professionals and their families who are applying visas would be exempted from IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) payment with effect from 4th Aug 20. It was announced earlier about the introduction of a new visa category called the health and care visa from the 1st of January 2021 for which the applicants can start their process as early as the 1st of October 2020. This decision has been revised again to allow the applicants to start their application from the 4th of August 2020. These applicants are also exempted from paying the IHS and would have to remit only the visa fee which is, 464 GBP. The applicant shall get the visa approved within a period of 3 weeks (approx.)
The other important update is for the applicants who have applied for a Tier 2 visa (for themselves or for their dependents) on or after 31st of March 2020 and have also paid the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge). If you are falling in this criterion, you may apply for the refund of the IHS and the application forms for the same is available in the website. Please follow the link available in the website and complete the refund request form. You may also apply for the refund of the IHS fee paid for your dependents (if paid). The time taken for the refund would be ideally six to eight(6-8) weeks. Once your visa gets approved, you may place your refund request by visiting the website of the UK home office.
If you are already in the UK on a tier 2 visa, a nurse or a person falling under the health and care visa criterion and you wish to bring in your family to the UK in the coming days, then you have to obtain a letter of confirmation from your current employer and submit the letter along with the tier 2 dependent visa application to get your visa approved. The confirmation letter should clarify that you are an employee working under your employer on a tier 2 visa and that your family is also eligible to apply for the health and care visa and avail the IHS exemption or else the application may be refused or stand unapproved.
You are also advised to select the tier 2 (General) category and mark yourself “as eligible” in the column asking your eligibility for “Health and Care Visa” to avail the exemption. When you undertake the TB Test, you are advised to select the “tier 2 (General)” category only.
If you wish to bring your dependents on a Tier 2 visa, we recommend you to contact our affiliate “Visa Roots” located in Kochi, India. Visa Roots would ensure complete support in processing your application at your ease and comfort. Visa Roots provides services to the applicants based in overseas countries also.
Visit: www.visaroots.in Phone: +91 73561 02020
