# Issues with IHS Payment



## kat2014 (Mar 1, 2013)

Hello all,

We have had an issue paying the IHS surcharge while trying to book a premium service centre appointment for FLR(M) this evening and could use some help if this has ever happened to you.

After imputing all my details, we moved onto the IHS surcharge page and were asked if we already had one. We clicked the link saying that we did not already have one, and were taken to the external GOV.uk site where the payment is made. We made the payment and were then taken to an Error Page which read:

Error

Sorry, we are experiencing technical problems

Sign into your application and try again

Contact UKVI if you's like help with this


I did receive and email with a payment transaction number (which looks like an IHS reference number) and the payment has been taken out of our bank account. However the email states the following:

"On completion of your IHS application you will also be emailed a copy of your IHS reference number, which you will need for your immigration application."

However, I have not received this email.

When we go onto the Gov.uk IHS surcharge page and try to log-in it advises again of the error message. Has anyone has ever had this problem and ask what you did in the end to sort this? We cannot call until Monday now as it is Friday evening. Will we end up having to pay again as we never received a second email or is there a chance the email will come through once their technical issues are sorted?


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## Whatshouldwedo (Sep 29, 2013)

I just checked back to see what emails we received. We did receive the second email giving the IHS reference number but I notice that the first email also gives it. It begins with IHS followed by nine digits. I would wait until Monday when hopefully the system will be up again.


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## bluesky2015 (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi,

I have the same problem. After paying the IHS I received the first email mentioning I will be getting the second one and I am still waiting. I paid on 27th and when I called them asking them about the second email they said I have to wait a few days. Let's see how long.


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## kat2014 (Mar 1, 2013)

Thank you both for your replies. They are most appreciated.

Whatshouldwedo: Did you get your second email right after the first or did it take a few days and did your complete your booking before receiving the second email?

Bluesky2015: have you received your email yet and did you receive the same error message as me after paying or did your IHS number come up on the screen like I think it it supposed to? Have you completed your booking without the second email?

Thank you both again for your help. We are a bit nervous to proceed as we dont want to pay for the whole appointment only to be told we need to start over.


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## bluesky2015 (Sep 3, 2013)

I haven't received the second email yet. I have booked my premium service appointment already and I hope to hear from them soon. I will let you know once get the email from them. When I login to my IHS page it just shows the date I paid and the payment reference number nothing else. Try to logout and login again and refresh your page and hope it will work. Also if they have taken out the money from your account you don't need to pay again just wait and hopefully we will get the second email. Good luck


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## kat2014 (Mar 1, 2013)

I do not have a login to the IHS site as I did it as part of the premium booking. We have basically just paused the booking so we can come pack later to complete because of the error message we received paying the IHS. I dont want to complete the booking with the number we received in the first email as part of the transaction reference only to be told later we have to start again.

Oh well, no use if fretting this weekend I guess. We will call Monday to get some advice before moving forward. 

Please do keep us updated on if you receive the second email. Just out of curiosity was did the appointment availability look like?


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## bluesky2015 (Sep 3, 2013)

Ok, makes sense. Regarding the in person appointment, It depends on which center you are booking, I guess. Shifield had many openings last week for April and May. I will keep you posted regarding IHS email.


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## Whatshouldwedo (Sep 29, 2013)

Our second email came pretty much immediately after the first. However, if the email you have gives you your IHS number and confirms payment, I would have thought that would be fine but I would still call on Monday to confirm that.


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## demha112 (Sep 25, 2016)

I had exactly the same problem, last night I went to pay for the IHS surcharge and after making payment I got a error message same as the OP, I did get one email from Worldpay stating that my payment has been processed although it is still showing as a pending transaction in my online bank account. I have not received a 2nd email from them with the IHS reference.

Now the problem is I have to book the appointment again for the BRP again, which will mean the next stage after that is the 'Pay For IHS', which will mean I can't move to the next stage until I do that again, so that means I have to pay it a second time!?

Does anyone know what number it is to contact them?

I am thinking of asking them of cancelling the transaction and sending me a refund, and once the refund comes through book the appointment and then go to the 'Pay For IHS' stage again, but only after they have refunded this transaction or otherwise I will double charged for the IHS.


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## bluesky2015 (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi,
This is the number 0300 123 2241 I called and the operator told me to wait at least three working days before you get the second email. Good luck.


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## demha112 (Sep 25, 2016)

bluesky2015 said:


> Hi,
> This is the number 0300 123 2241 I called and the operator told me to wait at least three working days before you get the second email. Good luck.


thanks


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## demha112 (Sep 25, 2016)

bluesky2015 said:


> Hi,
> This is the number 0300 123 2241 I called and the operator told me to wait at least three working days before you get the second email. Good luck.


how did you manage to get through to an adviser, I tried calling today and it is absolute nightmare to get through to speak to an adviser, what option did you choose to get through?


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## neilcperks (Aug 7, 2014)

Was there ever a resolution to this as the same issue seems to keep constantly reoccurring at the moment ?

Cheers


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## Aphrodite_1 (Jul 23, 2014)

neilcperks said:


> Was there ever a resolution to this as the same issue seems to keep constantly reoccurring at the moment ?
> 
> Cheers


Also curious about this - and what people's experience was like with appointment availability once they went to book. Thanks!


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## Brom143 (Oct 21, 2016)

Same problem with me. I just booked my appointment. Proceed to book it in the end even if I did not receive the second email.

Can you confirm please if you received the second email after 3 days. Thank you. 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk


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## bluesky2015 (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi,
I never received any second email. When I called on the number I mentioned before the second time the operator told me that the first email I received which includes the reference number is the number I can use and I shouldn't be waiting for the second email. So on my application I wrote the same reference number from the first email I got from them. Hope this information helps.


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## hippoman (Mar 20, 2017)

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has had this problem. Fortunately, I read the thread before paying IHS so didn't have the minor panic attack I might otherwise have had.

I'm booking a Premium Service appointment when my desired date becomes available, so I'll bring along a print out of the IHS transaction confirmation just in case. I should think that as the translation is linked to applicants details, they would be able to look it up on their system anyway (as I'm sure they do when assessing an application).


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## Brom143 (Oct 21, 2016)

A friend of mine confirmed that she didn't print any email from the IHS and she got away with it. The booking checklist is more important and as long as you have IHS number there shouldn't be any problem.

I still didn't receive the email from them.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk


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## hippoman (Mar 20, 2017)

Tell a lie. I just logged into the IHS page and it came up with a bit tick and complete with my IHS Reference number. Then I received the illusive second email!


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## ReSa (May 5, 2017)

Same thing happened to me today evening.. I paid the IHS and as soon as the payment was complete, I see the following message and don't get redirected to Visa4Uk .
"Error
Sorry, we are experiencing technical problems.
Sign in to your application and try again.
[Contact UKVI] if you'd like help with this."

Now, I don't know what to do. I have to book my Biometric appointment again and pay for IHS again to complete the application. Did you have to do the same or how did you resolve it. Please answer asap as I have finish my online application by tomorrow.


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## Srna (May 20, 2018)

*They asked me to pay IHS on fiance visa*

Thank you for sharing your experiences. 
I just want to share my experience regarding my Fiance visa and IHS and to ask did anyone had the same experience and how it was resolved?
We applied in the middle of April, and on my printed online application it is written:
CATEGORY: SETTLEMENT
TYPE: MARRIAGE
I payed 1814 EUR for my visa application (they increased the fee once more from 6th April 2018).
Few days ago, at the same time, I received 2 email from Visa Sheffield office:
First email said: Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) payment needed, giving me 7 days to do it, with a link to do the payment.
I opened the link and it showed my name as a main applicant and that I need to pay 714 EUR for IHS.
Second email said: Your online application has been received at the UK Decision Making Centre. Your application is currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.
I was so shocked, I checked their website regarding IHS again and based on what I read, I shouldn’t pay for it as a fiance.
So, I emailed them, saying that I’m applying as a fiancé (and my visa, if granted, will be valid for 6 months only, not for more than 6 months), and that I read that I should not pay for IHS while I am on my fiancé visa.
I also wrote that I made my visa application outside the UK (from Serbia), and on a gov.uk website it is written:
“For visa applications made outside the UK, you need to pay if:
· you’re a national of a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
· you’re applying for a visa to work, study or join your family in the UK for more than 6 months (but you’re not applying to remain in the UK permanently)”
I also wrote that I read on gov.uk website the following:
“When you must pay
If you apply for a visa online, you pay the surcharge as part of the application”
And I wrote to them that I made my application online, over Visa4UK service, and I didn’t had/got an option to pay for IHS online.

My fiance also called them, cause we wanted a quick reply, and after a call, we were even more confused. He said to them that I am applying as his fiance, in order to get an entry clearance which will allow us to get married in the UK within 6 months. They said to him if I received such email from them, then I need to pay it by following the link they provided me, otherwise, my application will be refused. If not required, I will get a refund as it is a settlement visa for 2 and 1/2 years!!!
So, since the time was ticking, I payed those 714 EUR today. I got just a confirmation mail of my payment with a reference number which looked like IHS number (9 digits)… In that email they also said: “On completion of your IHS application you will also be emailed a copy of your IHS reference number, which you will need for your immigration application.”
However, I didn’t received any further information in order to “complete my IHS application and get a IHS reference number”.
So, quite strange thing… First, I thought that I made a mistake regarding visa type I am applying for, but, I double checked – it is:
CATEGORY: SETTLEMENT
TYPE: MARRIAGE
I am wondering did anyone else had a similar experience and how it was solved?
Thank you all in advance for an answers!
Good luck to everyone!


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## Saif Ullah (Dec 2, 2019)

Hi all, 
I paid my Immigration Health Surcharge (450£) on 28th November 2019. Later, when I opened my visa application again to pay embassy fees than they asked me to pay IHS once more. I had confirmation emails both from UKVI and IHS. I contacted UKVI, they told me to wait for 48-72 hours to allow for the payment to settle down. If there is no change after this time than pay IHS again and you will be refunded after 6 weeks automatically, as you paid it twice. Now it's been 72 hours, but payment hasn't settled yet. What if I pay Immigration Health Surcharge one more time and afterwards face this problem again? Need your suggestions please!


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## Chinobi274 (5 mo ago)

I apply for student Visa, during application my was unable to pay for IHS fee due to technical error I have wrote to UKVI three times no good reply, but Sheffield decision making centre as me to pay before 5 days with a link,I have emailed since Sunday for link no reply, please what should I do


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