United KingdomTB test for a UK visa
Definition
The TB test for a UK visa is a tuberculosis screening, usually a chest x-ray at a Home Office approved clinic, that you need if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more and have been living in a listed country. A clear result gives a certificate, valid for 6 months, that you include with your visa application.
Also called: TB test UK visa, tuberculosis test UK visa, TB certificate UK, UK visa chest x-ray, approved TB clinic
Checked against official sources on
What is the UK visa TB test?
The UK screens some visa applicants for tuberculosis before they arrive. GOV.UK says you get a chest x-ray and, if the result is unclear, you may be asked for a sputum sample. No other TB tests are needed. If you do not have TB you receive a certificate, which you upload or submit with your application for a Health and Care Worker visa or other visa.
Who needs a TB test
GOV.UK says you need one if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more, have lived in a listed country for 6 months or more, and were living there within the last 6 months. The list includes many countries that health professionals are recruited from, including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Africa. Check the current GOV.UK list for your country.
Your family members applying as dependants may need tests too. GOV.UK says a clinician decides whether a child needs an x-ray, and children under 11 normally will not have one, but they must still attend an approved clinic and complete a health questionnaire.
GOV.UK lists some exemptions, including accredited diplomats, returning UK residents who have not been away for more than 2 years, and people coming under the Ukraine support schemes. Some shorter stays still need a test, for example a family visa as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner.
How to get your TB certificate
- Find a Home Office approved clinic on GOV.UK. GOV.UK says you must be tested at an approved clinic; some countries have none, so you would be tested in another country.
- Book an appointment and check the clinic's fee and what to bring on its own GOV.UK listing.
- Have the chest x-ray, and a sputum test if asked.
- Receive the certificate if the result is clear.
- Submit your visa application while the certificate is valid.
How long it lasts and what it costs
GOV.UK says the certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of your chest x-ray. Time it with your certificate of sponsorship and start date so it does not run out before you apply. Fees are set by each clinic and listed per country on GOV.UK; they change, so check the current listing rather than relying on figures from forums. Pregnant women can choose an x-ray with a protective shield in the second and third trimesters, a sputum test, which may cost extra and take up to 8 weeks, or wait until after delivery.
Common problems
- Using a non-approved clinic. The certificate will not be accepted.
- Testing too early. Delays in registration or sponsorship can push your application past the 6 months.
- Forgetting family members. Each applicant from a listed country needs their own clearance.
- Sputum delays. Results can take weeks, so do not book flights before you have the certificate.
Country guides for India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Pakistan and Kenya cover the documents you need, and our Health and Care Worker visa guide shows where the test fits.
Questions
Yes, if you are coming for 6 months or more and have lived in a listed country for 6 months or more within the last 6 months. Most international nurses and doctors from listed countries need one.
GOV.UK says 6 months from the date of your chest x-ray.
No. GOV.UK says you must be tested at a clinic approved by the Home Office. Clinics are listed by country on GOV.UK.
They must attend an approved clinic and complete a health questionnaire. GOV.UK says a clinician decides whether a child needs an x-ray, and children under 11 normally will not have one.
GOV.UK says you can choose an x-ray with a protective shield in the second or third trimester, a sputum test that may cost extra and take up to 8 weeks, or wait until after delivery.
Each approved clinic sets its own fee, which GOV.UK lists on the clinic page for your country. Check the current figure before you book, because fees are updated.