UK to raise health surcharge on visas

LONDON: A leading organisation representing Indian and international doctors has termed the increase in immigration health surcharge payable at the time of applying for a UK visa from January 8 from £200 to £400 as “unfair and discriminatory”.

The surcharge is levied since April 2015 on Indian and non-eu citizens seeking a UK visa valid for at least six months. It is paid by all professionals, students and each of their family members per year of stay, adding to the overall cost of a UK visa.

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (Bapio) wrote to home secretary Sajid Javid, calling for the removal of what it called the “unfair and highly discriminatory tax”. It added that the surcharge will deter Indian and other non-eu doctors from coming to the UK at a time of severe staff shortage in the National health Service. The surcharge is applicable to all non-eu professionals - not only doctors - and their families; for example, a family of four moving to the UK will pay £1600 per year, besides other visa-related costs.

The surcharge is intended to meet part of the cost of any medical treatment the visa holders may need during their stay in the UK. It was levied amidst public furore over increasing strain on the National Health Service’s finances and its capacity to deliver.

Parag Singhal, Bapio secretary, said: “This surcharge is unfair and discriminatory as it does not apply to EU nationals.”