Health & vaccination requirements

Who needs a TB test

You need a TB test before you apply if all three of the following are true: you are coming to the UK for six months or more, you have lived in a country on the UK's listed-countries list for at least six months, and you were living in that listed country at some point within the last six months. If any one of these does not apply to you, the standard rule does not require a test.

• The requirement depends on where you have been living, not your citizenship.
• There is a separate published list of countries whose residents must be tested. Check whether your country of residence is on the current list before you apply.
• Some applicants must be tested regardless of length of stay (see below).

Applicants who must test regardless of the six-month stay

A few routes require a TB certificate even if the six-month rules above do not fit your situation, provided you have been living in a listed country. If you fall into one of these groups you should assume a test is needed and check the guidance for your specific route.

• People applying for a Returning Resident visa.
• People applying on the family route as a fiancé, fiancée, or proposed civil partner.
• British National (Overseas) visa applicants who are already in the UK and did not provide a TB certificate when they first arrived.

Who is exempt

You do not need a TB test in a number of situations. These are exemptions built into the rule rather than optional guidance.

• You are a diplomat accredited to the UK.
• You are a returning UK resident who has been away for two years or less.
• You are coming from a country that is not on the UK's listed-countries list.
• You are staying in the UK for less than six months (unless you fall into one of the special routes listed above).
• You are applying under a Ukraine support scheme.

What the test involves

For most adults the test is a chest x-ray to check for TB in the lungs. If the x-ray result is not clear, you may also be asked to give a sputum sample (coughed-up mucus) for further testing. The clinic issues a certificate confirming the result.

There are specific arrangements for children and for pregnant applicants, decided by the clinician at the approved clinic:

• Children under 11 will not normally be given a chest x-ray, but must be seen by a clinician who decides whether any testing is needed.
• Pregnant applicants can choose a chest x-ray with an additional protective shield (usually in the second or third trimester), a sputum test instead (which may carry an extra fee and can take up to eight weeks for results), or to wait until after the baby is born before being tested.

Where you must be tested

The test only counts if it is carried out at a clinic approved by the UK Home Office for TB testing. There is an official list of approved clinics arranged by country. A test or x-ray from an ordinary hospital or GP will not be accepted, so you must book directly with an approved clinic in the country where you are applying.

How long the certificate is valid

The TB certificate is valid for six months from the date of your x-ray. You need to make sure you submit your visa application while the certificate is still valid, so it is sensible to arrange the test close to when you plan to apply rather than far in advance.