Following a Parliamentary debate and as a result of that debate the UK parliament has approved a law increasing the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees. This law may come into force no earlier than 21 days after the law was passed in Parliament, thus the increased IHS fees will now come into effect on 6 February 2024. The new fees are set to replace the current ones as follows:
   

• Adult applicants will increase from £ £624 to £1,035 per person per year 

• For children and student applicants (and their dependents) as well as for the YMS applicants will increase from £470 to £776 per person per year

The IHS increase is mandatory for people on work visas with the exception of Health and Care Job categories. However, most applicants applying for family or student visa categories they MUST pay the surcharge in full when applying for their visa or visa extension, and there is no provision to opt out.

The applicants with visas of 6 months or less to the UK are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), this exemption is also valid for certain other visa category groups such as asylum seekers, healthcare workers and people applying for certain human rights and family visas which can apply to the Home Office prior to their visa and can get a Fee Waiver if they can prove they cannot afford to pay or are destitute, however, there appears to be a great increase and delay in the fee waiver applications.