LONDON Mar. 20 （People's Daily Online）-- British government has taken steps in the Immigration Act 2014. From 6 April, the health surcharge will be paid by non-EEA nationals who apply to come to the UK to work, study or join family for a limited period of more than 6 months. It will also be paid by non-EEA nationals who are already in the UK and apply to extend their stay.

The surcharge is set at £200 per year and £150 per year for students, with dependents generally paying the same amount as the main applicant. Payment of the surcharge will be a mandatory requirement for affected groups and will be paid as part of the immigration application process. It's estimated that the surcharge will raise £1.7 billion towards the running of the NHS over the next ten years.

The surcharge will not apply to visitors, such as tourists or those coming to the UK for less than 6 months, or to EEA nationals residing in the UK. Tier 2 - intra-company transfer migrants and their dependents are also exempt.

Those who pay the surcharge will be able to access the National Health Service (NHS) in the same way as a permanent UK resident.