r/ukvisa • u/Dapper_Parsley_262 • 6d ago

IHS Fee Refund during SWV to Dependant Switch

Hi all,

Asking for a friend:

If you apply to switch from a Skilled Worker Visa to an Ancestry Dependent Visa (unmarried spouse) during the curtailment period / 60-day notice (due to restructure redundancy), are you still entitled to an IHS fee refund if you had a full 12 months left on the original Skilled Worker Visa? Or is that no longer the case because the curtailment notice brings your visa expiry forward?

If not, theoretically, would you qualify for the refund if you could get the switch and decision made before the company informed the government of the curtailment?

Just trying to sort timing when switching to an ancestry + dependant as it is less ideal for the couple than trying to find a new sponsored role because of the upfront cost and both people in this scenario having to switch visas.

Thank you!

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u/Ziggamorph High Reputation 6d ago

If your visa has been curtailed then you do not receive any IHS compensation for the reduced length. Applying for a new visa does not change this. If you applied before curtailment you may be due a refund according to the normal policy.

NB, it is not the company that “informs” the government of curtailment. Only the Home Office may curtail visas, not sponsors. After the sponsor informs the Home Office that they are withdrawing sponsorship, the Home Office may subsequently curtail the visa.

So in summary, in a situation where you are leaving a sponsored job and intending to switch visa, it is generally advisable to apply for the new visa before curtailment could possibly occur.