The yearly rates
- £1,035 a year for most visa and immigration applicants.
- £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and anyone under 18 at the time of application.
The surcharge is paid up front as part of the application, for the whole length of the permission you are asking for.
Part years
- 6 months or less: nothing if you apply from outside the UK; half the yearly rate if you apply from inside the UK.
- More than 6 months and up to a year: a full year, wherever you apply from.
- Over a year: the yearly cost plus half a year if the permission is 18 months or less; two full years if it is more than 18 months but under 2 years.
- GOV.UK examples for longer periods: 2 years 6 months is charged as 2.5 years and 2 years 9 months as 3 years.
| Length of permission | Adult rate | Student, dependant of a student or under 18 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months (inside the UK) | £517.50 | £388 |
| 1 year | £1,035 | £776 |
| 18 months | £1,552.50 | £1,164 |
| 2 years | £2,070 | £1,552 |
| 2 years 6 months | £2,587.50 | £1,940 |
| 3 years | £3,105 | £2,328 |
| 5 years | £5,175 | £3,880 |
Who pays
You usually pay if you apply for more than 6 months from outside the UK, or for any length of time from inside the UK. Private medical insurance does not replace the payment.
Visitor visas and applications for indefinite leave to enter or remain do not carry the surcharge. Health and care workers who qualify for the Health and Care Visa, and their dependants, are also exempt. The full list of exemptions is on the page on who needs to pay, and includes asylum seekers, victims of trafficking or slavery, and dependants of UK armed forces members.
If you apply for indefinite leave to remain but are given limited leave, the surcharge is due before the leave is granted.
Refunds
- Full refund: you paid twice for the same application, the application is refused, or you withdraw it before a decision.
- Partial refund: you are granted less time than you applied for, or a dependant is refused (you get that person's share back).
- No refund: you withdraw after the visa is granted, you do not travel, you leave before the visa ends, or you apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Refunds usually arrive within 6 weeks of the decision and go back to the account or card used. The IHS refund page covers student, health and care worker and S1 certificate cases.
Updated: 4 Nov 2026