Visa Application Costs

Thanks for your prompt reply. Anyone know the planned date for increased IHS costs? Also the time we should allow for standard initial spouse visa application from the Philippines? Many thanks.

I did look into this talk of an increase prior to sending in our application, only heard or read of any increase on forums and nothing official i.e. government website. Breakdown of my costs as follows and I bank with Nationwide and got charged for a non sterling transaction. I find it difficult to get my head around payment having to be made in US Dollars, I mean what other country immigration rules would insist on GB Sterling as payment?

£1569.53 for wife (visa application)
£31.39 (Non-Sterling transaction fee for the above)
£618.21 IHS charge for wife

We did not pay for priority, our hope has always been to begin 2019 together so we have time plus I am planning to spend Christmas and New Year in the Philippines. Whilst we don't have a decision yet I have found everything to be going okay thus far.

https://www.parliament.uk/business/...written-statement/Commons/2018-10-11/HCWS995/

This is where it gets confusing, it states: 'seeks to double the IHS to £400 per annum' whereas when converted I paid £618.21 for my wife and £615.22 for my step-daughter? The step-daughter payment was requested at a later date hence the slight difference.

This is most likely due to the fall in the value of the pound, but why on earth we have to pay the UK IHS in Dollars beggars belief, when they have to convert the Dollars back into pounds... I can understand the logic if the IHS payment is made in foreign currency, but when its made in GBP surely the NHS is losing out when converting back from Dollars to pounds ?.

I think you're being a tad optimistic. You will need your certificate of marriage which will be issued by the PSA and is nomally available a month or so after the event.

It will double from £200 per annum to £400 and then you will pay what ever charges your bank incur on you!
The 3 year charge will shift from £600 to £1200 plus charges

That's a very good point Markham. We got our marriage certificate a week later but it is the NSO certified copy that is required which came through a month later.

Not losing out as they aim to charge about 4 % over the interbank rate to make sure they do not lose out.

Almost certainly adding to the overall profits the home office make.

The NHS is nothing to do with the HO!, and paid in Sterling

Just had to pay it and definitely charged in usd when applying from the philippines and no option to pay in gbp. If there was I would have paid in uk pounds. In my opinion charges should be in GBP as detailed in the official list of charges and since everything is done on line with electronic payment no reason for charging in non UK currency or giving an option to pay in GBP.

If you convert from fiance to family when in uk then you will pay in pounds. And like wise on fkr m when applying in the uk then you will pay in pounds. If applying from overseas then visa fee and nhs charge depend on what country you apply from but in philippines both are charged in usd at a conceversion rate which is mostly 3 to 4 % above market rate.

If you read the order to increase the fee then it references the home office policy which is to set fees in foreign currency at 4% above market rate and change when it goes above 5% over market rate or goes one % under.

The only real question is who is getting the additional benefit. Home office collecting it or the NHS.

Done it twice from the Philippines and never been charged in dollars! Also paid it once from the UK so am aware of how those charges work also! Did you use the right site?

Yes. Only one option and system guides you to the relevant paynent sites as part of the process and quotes all costs in usd with no option to pay in anything but usd. Also home office policy to charge applications from philippines in Usd.

Email from home office for step children directs to a site that only quotes cost in usd and costs are not a conversion of the gbp 600. Usd figure was the figure quoted for wife and pound has gone down since then so usd figure should have been lower.

Trust me if there was an option to pay in pounds would have taken it for both nhs surcharge and visa application as I make sure I use zero or low cost cards when overseas and dont like paying a penng more than I have to. The accountant side of me.

There is no option of paying in Uk pounds. Stevembe also got charged in usd although he got a better rate at 798 usd as opposed to 810 usd I got hit for.

From the email link sent for step child.

Make a payment
You need to make a top-up payment due to: Corrected Applicant Data
Changes to your application
Previous New
XXX XXX
Lead Applicant
Exemption Status TRUE FALSE
Exemption Reason Exempt based on lead applicant being 18 or under and applying under visa Route: Settlement - Child or dependant of settled
Amount 0.00 (USD) 810.00 (USD)
Total Liability 0.00 (USD) 810.00 (USD)
Payments Received 810.00 (USD)
Balance Outstanding 0.00 (USD)

this business of paying in dollars for a settlement visa---is because the application is made outside the UK--so it standardises the currency instead of hundreds of different currencies depending where the applicant lives.

but--in lots of cases--the application is--in fact--made by the sponsor--in the UK, as it was in our case. but it still counts as an application from outside the UK--which it has to be: you cannot make a settlement visa application from within the UK.

as far as flr goes--we are applying tomorrow for my wifes online application. so then i will know for certain if it will be in ££ or $$.
watch this space.

I must of got lucky twice then! I assume that converts down to£600 plus charges? See if you dont go to the directed site and go to Pay NHS Surcharge and get your number that way the charge is in ££££££££££££££

go to the NHS site that will be in ££££££££ and give them the number you get


https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application

Useful for other applicants so may want to make a sticky.

Process in visa application required me I'm sure to pay as part of the process of completing. No option implied as to other ways of paying.

Figure in $ converts down to 3% to 4% more than exchange rate which is why I feel ripped off. In the case of step children if was 5% as rate had moved since application.

Pretty sure will be in pounds as have to apply for flr from within uk. Could not justify charging in another currency when applicant is in uk. Useful to have it confirmed just in case.

https://www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/Single

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Nationality Philippines
Visa Type Settlement
DOB
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