Registering with a GP as a Visa Holder
Registering with a GP (General Practitioner) is one of the most important things to do when you arrive in the UK on a visa. It gives you access to free primary healthcare. This guide explains how to register, what rights you have, and what to do if you face problems.
- Section
- Practical Life in the UK
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 3 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- Everyone in England can register with a GP, whatever their immigration status.
- GP registration and appointments are free, surcharge or no surcharge.
- A surgery does not have to ask for proof of identity, address or immigration status, and cannot refuse you for not having them.
- The Immigration Health Surcharge puts you on a UK resident’s footing. It does not make the NHS free: prescriptions cost £9.90 an item in England, and dental treatment is charged.
- If a surgery refuses you, the NHS England contact centre is 0300 311 22 33.
Everyone in England can register with a GP, regardless of immigration status. If you have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge, you are entitled to NHS services on the same terms as a UK resident. Registration is free, and you do not strictly need documents to register, though having them helps. This guide covers the full process.
Your Right to NHS Care
If you are in the UK on a visa and have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) (details on GOV.UK) as part of your visa application, you are entitled to NHS healthcare as outlined in the migrant health guide on the same basis as a permanent UK resident. This includes:
- GP appointments, at no charge
- Hospital treatment, at no charge
- Mental health services, at no charge
- Prescriptions, at the resident's price of £9.90 an item in England, and free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- NHS dental treatment, at the resident's price: £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10 a course in England
The surcharge is not the same as free healthcare. It buys care on a resident's basis, and residents pay for prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.
Whether or not the surcharge was paid, some things are free to everyone: registering with a GP and being seen there, accident and emergency treatment up to the point of admission as an inpatient, treatment for listed infectious diseases, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and family planning services.
How to Find a GP
You can read the official NHS guide on registering with a GP and use the NHS "Find a GP" tool to search for GP surgeries near your address. The tool shows:
- Surgeries in your area
- Whether they are accepting new patients
- Contact details and opening hours
- Patient reviews and ratings
You can register with any GP surgery that covers your area. You do not have to choose the nearest one. Consider factors like opening hours, appointment availability, and proximity to your work or home.
How to Register
- Contact the surgery. Call or visit the GP surgery you have chosen. Ask to register as a new patient.
- Complete the registration form (GMS1). The surgery will give you a GMS1 form to fill in with your personal details, medical history, and contact information. Some surgeries allow online registration.
- Provide documents (if you have them). While not strictly required, the following will speed up the process:
- Passport or eVisa details
- Proof of address (utility bill, tenancy agreement)
- NHS number (if you have one from a previous registration)
- Wait for confirmation. The surgery will confirm your registration, usually within a few days. They will assign you to a GP within the practice.
You Do NOT Need Documents
This is worth emphasising. NHS England's guidance is clear: GP surgeries must not refuse registration because a patient cannot provide identification, proof of address, or an NHS number.
In practice, some surgeries may ask for documents as a matter of routine. If you have them, providing them makes the process smoother. But if you do not (for example, because you have just arrived and do not yet have a utility bill), the surgery should still register you.
The migrant health guide on GOV.UK puts it plainly: GP practices are not required to ask for proof of identity, address or immigration status. If a surgery still refuses, the NHS England customer contact centre is 0300 311 22 33.
What Happens After Registration
Once registered, you can:
- Book appointments. Most surgeries offer phone, online, and in-person bookings. Some also offer video consultations.
- Get prescriptions. Your GP can prescribe medication. In England, each prescription item costs £9.90. A prescription prepayment certificate caps that: £32.05 for 3 months or £114.50 for 12 months, however many items you need.
- Get referrals. If you need specialist care, your GP refers you to a hospital consultant.
- Access mental health services. GPs can refer you to NHS Talking Therapies and other mental health services. In England you can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without going through a GP.
- Get vaccinations. Routine vaccinations and travel vaccines may be available through your GP.
The NHS App
Once you are registered with a GP, download the NHS App (available on iOS and Android). The app lets you:
- Book and manage GP appointments
- Order repeat prescriptions
- View your medical records
- Find NHS services near you
Setting up the NHS App requires your NHS number, which the GP surgery can provide after you register.
Prescription Exemptions
While most adults in England pay for prescriptions, some people are exempt:
- Children under 16, and 16, 17 and 18 year olds in full-time education
- People aged 60 and over
- Pregnant women and women who have had a baby in the last 12 months
- People with certain medical conditions (diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and others)
- People on low incomes (apply for an HC2 certificate)
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, prescriptions are free for everyone.
This page describes the position in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own health services, and each registers patients through its own family doctor arrangements.
Urgent and Emergency Care
If you need urgent care outside GP hours:
- NHS 111: Call 111 (or use the 111 online service) for urgent medical advice when it is not a life-threatening emergency.
- Urgent treatment centres: walk-in centres for urgent but not emergency conditions. No appointment needed, and free to everyone.
- A&E (Accident and Emergency): For life-threatening emergencies. Call 999 or go directly to your nearest A&E department. Accident and emergency treatment is free for everyone, whatever their immigration status; the charge starts on admission as an inpatient. See our emergency care guide.
Common Problems
The surgery says they are not accepting new patients
Some surgeries genuinely have a closed list due to capacity. This is not related to your visa status. Try another surgery in your area. If all nearby surgeries are full, contact NHS England who can help you find one.
The surgery asks for my visa or immigration documents
They can ask, but they cannot make it a condition of registration. Providing your documents voluntarily is fine and helps with administration, but lack of documents is not a valid reason to refuse registration.
I do not have an NHS number
You will be assigned an NHS number when you register with a GP for the first time. You do not need one in advance.
Next Steps
Register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK — it is on our first week checklist. Do not wait until you are ill. Having a GP registration in place means you can access care quickly when you need it. Download the NHS App after registering to manage appointments and prescriptions. For mental health support, your GP can provide referrals.
Related guides:
Questions and answers
Can I register with a GP on a visa?
Yes. Everyone in England can register with a GP, regardless of their immigration status. GP surgeries cannot refuse to register you because you are on a visa, do not have proof of address, or do not have an NHS number. GP registration is free.
Do I need to pay for GP appointments?
No. GP appointments are free for everyone registered with a practice, whatever their visa status. Paying the Immigration Health Surcharge does not make the rest of the NHS free either: it puts you on the same basis as a UK resident, so hospital treatment carries no charge but you pay the resident’s price for prescriptions (£9.90 an item in England) and for NHS dental treatment.
What documents do I need to register with a GP?
Strictly, you do not need any documents to register. A GP surgery should register you even without ID, proof of address, or an NHS number. However, bringing your passport, proof of address, and visa details will make the process smoother. If a surgery refuses to register you without documents, this is against NHS England guidance.
How do I find a GP near me?
Use the NHS 'Find a GP' tool on the NHS website (nhs.uk). Enter your postcode and it will show GP surgeries near you, whether they are accepting new patients, and their contact details. You can register with any surgery in your area, not just the closest one.
What if a GP surgery refuses to register me?
If a GP surgery refuses to register you, ask them to explain why in writing. A surgery can only refuse for a reasonable ground, such as a closed patient list or your living outside its catchment area. It cannot refuse because of your immigration status, or because you have no identity document or proof of address. The NHS England customer contact centre is 0300 311 22 33, open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and from 9.30am on Wednesdays.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.