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The short answer
GOV.UK says you get a full refund of the Immigration Health Surcharge if your visa application is refused, or if you withdraw it before a decision, and you do not have to do anything to get it. The refund usually arrives within 6 weeks of the decision, paid to the card or account used. If it has not arrived after 6 weeks, contact UK Visas and Immigration.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is often the biggest single payment in a UK visa application. A student pays it at £776 a year and most other applicants at £1,035 a year, according to GOV.UK, so a refusal can leave a lot of money in limbo. The good news is that the IHS is treated differently from the visa fee. This guide sets out exactly when it comes back, how long it takes and what to do if it does not.
The rule: full refund on refusal
GOV.UK's IHS refunds page says you get a full refund if:
- your visa application is refused, or
- you withdraw your visa application before a decision is made.
It also says you may get a partial refund if your application succeeds but you are given less time on your visa than you asked for. The page does not set out how a partial amount is worked out, so treat any figure you calculate yourself as an estimate.
The visa application fee itself is a separate payment. The refund rule above is about the surcharge, not the fee.
Do you need to apply for it?
No. GOV.UK states that if you are due a refund, "you do not have to do anything to get it." There is no form to fill in for an ordinary refusal. Be wary of anyone in Nigeria who offers, for a fee, to "process" your IHS refund: the Home Office does not ask you to apply.
How long it takes
| Situation | When you should expect the refund (GOV.UK) |
|---|---|
| Application refused | Usually within 6 weeks of the decision |
| Application withdrawn before decision | GOV.UK gives the general timing: usually within 6 weeks |
| Appeal or administrative review made from outside the UK | Up to 6 weeks after your visa application is refused |
| Appeal or administrative review made inside the UK | Up to 6 weeks after the appeal or review is dismissed |
Where the money goes
The refund is paid to the account or card you paid with. If someone else paid, for example a parent or a sponsor abroad, GOV.UK says they will receive the refund. This matters in Nigeria because many applicants pay with a relative's card or a dollar card. Before you pay, decide whose card you will use, and make sure that card will still be active in two months' time. If the card has been cancelled or replaced, speak to the issuing bank about how it handles a refund to a closed card.
Because the IHS is charged in pounds, a refund to a naira card is converted back by your bank. The naira amount you see may differ from what you paid, because exchange rates and card charges move. That gap is between you and your bank, not the Home Office.
Worked example
Example only. Amaka applies from Lagos for a Student visa for a course that leads to a visa of 1 year and 4 months. GOV.UK's rules charge more than one year and up to 18 months as a full year plus half a year, so her surcharge at the student rate is £776 + £388 = £1,164. She also pays the £558 application fee (Home Office fees table, October 2026). Her application is refused. Under the refund rule, the £1,164 surcharge comes back to the card she used, usually within 6 weeks. The refund rule on this page covers the surcharge, not the £558 fee.
When there is no refund
GOV.UK lists cases where the surcharge is not refunded:
- you withdraw your application after your visa is granted;
- your visa is granted but you do not come to the UK;
- you leave the UK before your visa ends;
- you are applying for indefinite leave to remain;
- the applicant dies in the UK or before arriving.
The second point catches people out. If your visa is granted and you then decide not to travel, the surcharge is not refunded, even though you never used the NHS.
Steps if your refund has not arrived
- Count six weeks from the date on your decision letter, not from the date you received your passport back.
- Check the statement of the card or account used to pay, including any dollar or pound sub-account. Ask the payer, if it was someone else.
- Keep your IHS reference number and GWF reference to hand.
- If nothing has arrived after six weeks, contact UK Visas and Immigration through the GOV.UK contact page for applicants outside the UK. Note that the Home Office fees table lists the international contact centre at £2.74 per email query and £0.69 per minute by phone (October 2026).
- If you plan to reapply, budget for the new surcharge in full: the refund and the new payment are separate transactions.
Where Pryme fits
If you are paying UK costs from Nigeria, holding pounds can reduce how often you convert back and forth. A Pryme account holds GBP alongside NGN, USD and EUR with local details for each, and Swap shows the rate and fee before you approve. For what to show in a new application, read the 28-day rule for UK student funds and common financial refusal reasons.
Questions people ask
Is IHS refunded if my UK visa is refused?
Yes. GOV.UK says you get a full refund of the surcharge if your visa application is refused, and you do not need to do anything to get it.
How long does IHS refund take to reach Nigeria?
GOV.UK says you usually get it within 6 weeks of the decision. It goes back to the card or account used to pay; your bank's own processing can add time.
Is the UK visa fee refunded after refusal?
The GOV.UK refund rule covered in this article is for the health surcharge. The visa application fee is a separate payment; check GOV.UK's guidance for your route.
Who gets the IHS refund if my sponsor paid?
GOV.UK says that if someone else paid, they will receive the refund, to the card or account they used.
Sources
- Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: refunds (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: how much you pay (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 8 October 2026 (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.