In a recent development, the United Kingdom has further raised the costs of visas for Indian and other non-European Union (EU) migrants.Now this rise will come into force from today i.e.from 8th January 2019.
The hike will be caused as a result of an increase in immigration health surcharge (IHS) by upto 400 pounds. The IHS which was introduced in 2015, entitles migrants to have the benefit of the National Health Service (NHS) during their UK stay.
Until now the IHS has been able to raise over £600 million from Indian and non-EU migrants with UK visas with validity over six months.
Speaking to reporters a Home Office spokesperson said the hike would come into effect from tuesday. The surcharge will be doubled i.e. a increase from £200 to £400 yearly,but students and people on Youth Mobility Scheme have to to pay with a discounted rate,but a increasing fee of £150 to £300” per year.
The hike is now a big concern for all visa applicants from India including professionals, students as well as family members. Now an Indian professional with a family of three, for example, if moving to UK to engage in a job, will have to pay £1200 per year apart from other visa-related charges.
However the IHS is not applicable to immigrants who get the status of permanent residents in course of a legal stay in the country. The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (Bapio) has been opposing this move and expressed their discontent with a written appeal to home secretary Sajid Javid to drop it.Bapio, reacted with this further surcharge of £200 per head, saying it as unfair and discriminatory.
As anticipated by Home Secretary Sajid Javid the new measures would persuade the employers “to look at the domestic workforce first”.
