Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants
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1. Check if you need a TB test for your visa application
You鈥檒l need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if all of the following are true:
- you鈥檙e coming to the UK for 6 months or more
- you鈥檝e lived in any of these listed countries for 6 months or more
- you were living there (or another listed country) within the last 6 months
If you鈥檙e coming to the UK for less than 6 months, you鈥檒l still need a TB test if you鈥檙e applying for a Returning Resident visa, or a family visa as a fianc茅, fianc茅e or proposed civil partner.
If you鈥檙e already in the UK and are applying for or extending a British National (Overseas) visa, you鈥檒l need a TB test if you did not provide a TB certificate when you came to the UK.聽
You鈥檒l be given a chest x-ray to test for TB. If the result of the x-ray is not clear you may also be asked to give a sputum sample (phlegm coughed up from your lungs).
If your test shows that you do not have TB, you鈥檒l be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.
Who does not need to be tested
You will not need a TB test if any of the following apply:
- you鈥檙e a diplomat accredited to the UK
- you鈥檙e a returning UK resident and have not been away for more than 2 years
- you鈥檙e coming on a scheme to support people from Ukraine
Children who need a TB test
All children must see a clinician who鈥檒l decide if they need a chest x-ray. Children under 11 will not normally have a chest x-ray.
You must take your child to an approved clinic and complete a health questionnaire. If the clinician decides your child does not have TB they鈥檒l give you a certificate. Include this certificate with your child鈥檚 UK visa application.
Pregnant women who need a TB test
You can choose:
- an x-ray with an extra shield to protect you and your unborn child in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters
- a sputum test (phlegm coughed up from your lungs) - there may be an extra fee and you could wait up to 8 weeks for results
- to wait until after delivery
2. Countries where you need a TB test for your UK visa application
You must be tested at a clinic that has been approved by the Home Office.
Some countries do not have approved testing centres so you鈥檒l need to get tested in a different country. Some other countries have approved clinics where you can get tested.
Countries and where to find approved clinics
A
B
Benin (get tested in another country)
Burkina Faso (get tested in another country)
C
Cape Verde (get tested in another country)
Central African Republic (get tested in another country)
Congo (get tested in another country)
D
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti (get tested in another country)
E
East Timor (get tested in another country)
Equatorial Guinea (get tested in another country)
Eritrea (get tested in another country)
G
Gabon (get tested in another country)
Guinea (get tested in another country)
Guinea Bissau (get tested in another country)
H
I
K
Kiribati (get tested in another country)
Kyrgyzstan (get tested in another country)
L
Lesotho (get tested in another country)
Liberia (get tested in another country)
M
Macau (get tested in another country)
Mali (get tested in another country)
Marshall Islands (get tested in another country)
Mauritania (get tested in another country)
Micronesia, Federated States of (get tested in another country)
N
Niger (get tested in another country)
P
Palau (get tested in another country)
R
S
S茫o Tom茅 and Principe (get tested in another country)
Somalia (get tested in another country)
South Sudan (get tested in another country)
Suriname (get tested in another country)
Swaziland (get tested in another country)
T
Togo (get tested in another country)
Tuvalu (get tested in another country)
U
V
Z
3. Other countries with approved TB test clinics
You must be tested at a clinic that has been approved by the Home Office.
You can find approved clinics to get a tuberculosis (TB) test in most of the listed countries where you need a TB test for your UK visa application.
You can also find approved clinics in:
Clinics in the UK
You can get a TB test at a clinic in the UK if either:
- you want to check that you do not have TB - find a clinic in the UK
- you鈥檙e applying for or extending the British National (Overseas) visa and you need to provide a TB certificate with your application - find a clinic in the UK for BNO visa applicants