# word of warning? trying to book premium appointment when you've already paid IHS



## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

Hi all..

I was planning on booking my appointment yesterday and when I got to the site I saw that the service was down ( actually the website said that it would be down from Saturday the 5th of July to Sunday the 6th of July.... serves as a reminder to always double check those dates on your newly issued residence permits...) 

I also noticed that it said that IHS fee had to be paid before the application was booked. I hadn't noticed that before and up until yesterday I had thought IHS payable anytime before the appointment.... oh well. I duly paid my IHS yesterday, thinking I would be all set to book when the system was back up. Maybe this was dumb and I should have just steered clear knowing that the system may change the next day but I didn't.
As it stands it goes like this:

You sign in
put in name, application type etc do some confirmations..
and then you are taken directly to the IHS portal for payment. There is no place to input an IHS ref number if you've already paid, and you can not progress to booking until you make a IHS payment. 

so you're options if you've already paid IHS are a) pay a second time or b) contact Feedback for IHS and online application support by email and hope some gets back to you and/or fixes the system.

I've chosen the second option for now, I'll try and update if I hear anything. 

so as of today, my advice would be : If you're booking a premium service center appointment online from within the UK, Do not pay your IHS separately before you book your appointment, you will be asked to pay IHS while booking the appointment.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

They keep tweaking the system so things may change again before long, so proceed with caution is probably the best advice.


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

*FLR m Booking Appointment / Surchage Payment Issue*

Hey Guys

Not sure if anyone has made this same mistake... or knows of a way around it, But here goes...

Basically we want to book for the Premium Appointment. And I knew the Surcharge requires paying beforehand.

So last week we went online and followed a link to pay the nhs surcharge. Now I have been paid from work, I want to book the appointment. 
Only to go through the UK premium centre website and then hit a brick wall! - Asking for Surcharge Payment.

I didn't know or think that it would all come under the same application for premium centre - to pay surcharge and then book appointment. So now I cant get past this page. 
As I already have paid the surcharge and have the reference no. I only want to book the Appointment.

Any ideas??? Do I need to call the gov.uk people to help tomorrow.
Or is there a way to input the reference number and bypass the step I am stuck at?

Any ideas, from people who know have done the same or know what to do??

(i hope what I am even saying makes sense!)
Thanks


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

I have literally just put up a post about the same issue. Just hit it now myself!!

Lemme go back and look for page to contact them.


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## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

bamgbsa1 said:


> I have literally just put up a post about the same issue. Just hit it now myself!!
> 
> Lemme go back and look for page to contact them.


sheesh...It's good to know i'm not the only one.... I couldn't find any way of contacting them by phone but i emailed the address I found here : https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi/technical-problems-when-applying-online as well as the technical feedback address for IHS (although that is a no reply address). I will try and post if i get any updates. 

But yeah, it would be great to be able to just phone someone about the problem....


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## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

bamgbsa1 said:


> Did u call them up??? I did and apparently theres nothing they can do.
> Other than to refund the payment made. And to redo the process! Sucks!!


I didn't phone as I couldn't find a number. I've not had any reply to my email either... 
Glad to hear you got a response though, Thanks for letting me know!

Did you get a refund? Or did they tell you how to get it?


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## mjtr (Jun 27, 2015)

*premium appointment and health surcharge*

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I were completing her FLR (M) visa application and went to book a premium appointment. We were asked to enter in the health care surcharge but didnt and decided to wait to book an appointment later. 

A week or so later, when filling in the paper application form, we then paid the health surcharge, got the code and added it to the paper form. This was on the 27th June. 

Changes were made to the process of the 4th July. We are now trying to book a premium appointment time, and it is forcing me to pay for the health surcharge again. It doesnt give us a place to add our health surcharge code. 

Am I doing something stupid? Is there a way of booking a premium appointment and entering in an existing valid health surcharge code? Or do I need to pay it again and claim a refund? How do I claim a refund?

Thanks in advance


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

My wife handled it as I was at work. But she just had to click a refund link.

And we plan to retry agin today.

Only thing is refund can tke up to 10days to get the money back!


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

mjtr said:


> A couple of weeks ago my wife and I were completing her FLR (M) visa application and went to book a premium appointment. We were asked to enter in the health care surcharge but didnt and decided to wait to book an appointment later.
> 
> A week or so later, when filling in the paper application form, we then paid the health surcharge, got the code and added it to the paper form. This was on the 27th June.
> 
> ...


Yes u have to claim a refund. No other way at the moment apparently.
Not sure where the link is. I will ask my wife and post as she did it.


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

SO in terms of how to claim a refund of the IHS.
When you log into the IHS website. There should be a clear link on the home page, as to how to request a refund.

Hope this helps guys!!


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## Princess86 (Apr 29, 2015)

after everything you guys have gone through, what is the correct procedure you have found to be with the online application form, appointment booking and surcharge fee? does this all have to be done together in one goand not at different times?


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## bamgbsa1 (Oct 4, 2012)

You go through this website. And u can start and stop as u want.
https://apply.ukba.homeoffice.gov.u...sun.faces.portlet.NAME_SPACE=tabbedQuestions1

U can start the application and pause it whenever. so long as u go through this main application form.


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## stingmad (Jul 27, 2015)

*Tahir*

I have done the same mistake . So far is there any solution for this. i have emailed them and havent heard anything. Does anybody know how to get rid of this situation

Thanks in advance


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## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

stingmad said:


> I have done the same mistake . So far is there any solution for this. i have emailed them and havent heard anything. Does anybody know how to get rid of this situation
> 
> Thanks in advance


They did eventually get back to me when i sent an email. i was told that I needed to pay the fee again if i wanted to book an appointment. they also gave me a link to request a refund for the first payment . I did all this and got refunded for the first payment a couple weeks later. It's just tough to be out of pocket for that first payment while you wait. 

I am keeping a copy of that email from IHS payment support just in case there is any confusion at my appointment about why I had a refund.

Hope that helps....


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## stingmad (Jul 27, 2015)

Thank you for your help 

So how would we find out If I am looking to book an appointment near in dates between 10th to 15 september

How would I i found out that appointments avaible on dates I want to book its just crazy system.

So how many days I should look to pay and thinking of booking any idea would be great help

Thanks in advance


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## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

stingmad said:


> Thank you for your help
> 
> So how would we find out If I am looking to book an appointment near in dates between 10th to 15 september
> 
> ...


Annoyingly you can't even see the appointments unless you pay the IHS charge (again). If you can manage it and for peace of mind it may be best to just pay a new IHS fee and get your appointment booked. Otherwise you'll need to wait for a refund , I had mine in a couple weeks but they say it can take up to 30 days.

I agree it's very frustrating!


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## stingmad (Jul 27, 2015)

Thank you so much for your help

So If I am looking to book something in mid september .Today it showed appointments are avaiable till 7th Septrember So I think I should think of booking an appointment in 10 days time and pay the surcharge again .


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## ohmy (Jul 19, 2012)

stingmad said:


> Thank you so much for your help
> 
> So If I am looking to book something in mid september .Today it showed appointments are avaiable till 7th Septrember So I think I should think of booking an appointment in 10 days time and pay the surcharge again .


ah! Yes they only release appointments 6 weeks in advance, So yes calculate your date from that. In the meantime you can get the process started with your refund if you already. Maybe you'll even have the first payment back by then.


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## nee901 (Dec 20, 2014)

I've just had the same problem...I paid the surcharge yesterday and then went to book an appointment today and it was asking me to pay the surcharge again. However I phoned the appointment booking number (for groups) and spoke to someone which solved the problem.
Once you've logged into your account, you click on the my account which is at the top right hand corner of the screen. It will then take you to a page where it has the incomplete application and it will show that you've paid the surcharge and have your reference number. Just click to continue and you will be able to complete your booking without having to repay the surcharge.


I hope that this helps and saves everyone grief.


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## Shane28 (Aug 9, 2015)

hiya, 

I made the same mistake as well.I paid yesterday and eventually decided to use the premium service. After following your instructions, i checked my account on the website, it says the IHS reference number is unconfirmed. Is that because I paid on the weekend and its bank holiday today thats why the payment does not reflect on the website? 

I hope someone can answer me. I cant afford to pay it again to be honest... 


thank you.


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## ctimber (Sep 2, 2015)

This exact situation has just happened to me. Paid the IHS fee separately and now can't progress to book the premium service without paying again. I've checked my account section on the website and it still says the IHS number is unconfirmed. I only paid it today so will wait a day or two to see if this updates before taking the hit and paying twice and claiming a refund. I will post again when I have an update.


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## filito (Sep 26, 2015)

You can book your appointment by clicking on My account at the right corner and it will show you your previous appointment which has NHS reference number and click on complete


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## Furi (Oct 29, 2015)

It is STILL like that.
Completely ridiculous.
They employ amateur coders who can't think things through properly.
I am now stuck!!


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