Do you need to be screened for tuberculosis (TB)?
If you are a resident of one of the following countries, and you want to come to the UK for longer than 6 months, you must obtain a certificate confirming that you are free from infectious TB beforeyou apply for a visa:
- Bangladesh
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Laos
- Niger
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Uganda
The only exceptions are children under 11 years old, diplomats and their families (but not other members of diplomats' households, such as domestic staff), returning residents, and holders of certificates of entitlement.
TB is common in these countries. It is an airborne infectious disease, which can be spread by close contact with other people. The UK wants to encourage greater awareness and treatment of TB in the countries in which we test, as well as protecting people in the UK. Testing before you travel also ensures that our procedures when you arrive in the UK will be much quicker.
You should contact the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which will arrange for you to have a chest X-ray at an accredited clinic or hospital. If the X-ray shows signs of infection, the clinic will carry out other tests to find out whether you have infectious TB. This testing may require you to return on 3 consecutive days.
(If you are pregnant, you will be offered a chest X-ray with abdominal shielding to protect your unborn child. If you decline, other tests may be carried out or delays may occur.)
You will need to pay a fee when you are screened.
Contact IOM
IOM Karachi Sub Office
House F-8/1, KDA Scheme I
Tipu Sultan Road
(adjacent to Karsaz Road)
Karachi
Telephone: +92 21 3452 2393
Fax: +92 21 3454 9848
Email: MHDislamabad@iom.int
If the screening shows that you do not have TB, the IOM will give you a certificate. You must submit this certificate with your visa application form. The certificate is valid for a period of 6 months. If you do not submit the certificate, we will refuse your application.
If we grant you a visa, you must bring your certificate in your hand luggage when you come to the UK. If you do not, you may be delayed when you arrive here. We also advise that you bring your chest X-ray, in case you need to see a doctor in the UK.
If you do have TB, you will not be able to apply for a visa until you have been cured. The IOM will give you advice and tell you how to get treatment. A full course of treatment usually takes 6 months. After you have been cured you must pay to be screened again - if this shows that you are free of infectious TB, the IOM will give you a certificate and you can apply for your visa.
If you have an urgent need to travel here for compassionate reasons, you will need to give us full details of the reasons. We will take these into consideration when we decide whether to give you a visa.
You are likely to have an urgent and compassionate reason for travel if you have a close family member in the UK who is seriously ill, or your travel to the UK cannot be delayed for exceptional reasons.
If we do allow you to come to the UK, we will expect you to begin treatment for TB when you arrive here
|
