The United Kingdom requires foreign nationals to pay for healthcare as a requirement for immigration applications. The government has announced a plan to double the upfront Immigrant Health Surcharge from £200 to £400 per year for individuals outside the European Economic Area who are seeking to live or extend their temporary status in the UK for six months or more. Other classifications such as asylum seekers and refugees remain exempt from this increase. Health minister James O’Shaughnessy has emphasized that the higher fees are not meant to deter immigration, but rather to take the burden off of British taxpayers to ensure healthcare costs are fairly distributed.
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