Tuberculosis screening in China for UK settlement visa applicants
Pre-entry tuberculosis (TB) screening starts in China for UK settlement visa applicants from 1 July 2013.
Pre-entry tuberculosis (TB) screening starts in China for UK settlement visa applicants from 1 July 2013.
- UK introduces tuberculosis (TB) screening for residents of China who apply for a UK settlement visa from 1 July 2013
- Testing is not required for those going to the UK as a tourist or other type of visitor
The Home Office’s UK Visas and Immigration directorate has today (14 June) announced the arrangements for the introduction of pre-entry TB screening for residents of China who intend to apply for a UK settlement visa from 1 July 2013.
This follows the UK Government’s announcement in May 2012 that it would be extending the pre-entry TB screening requirement to an additional 67 countries, including China, based on the figures for high TB incidence provided by the World Health Organisation.
This brings the UK in line with the practice of a number of other countries including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The pre-entry TB screening requirement will start on 1 July 2013 only for those residents of China applying for a UK settlement visa. Settlement visa applicants include those applying for a visa to settle permanently in the UK as a spouse, partner, fiancé (e) or proposed partner, armed forces dependent, a child or adopted child dependent or a parent, grandparent or other dependent relative.
A TB test is currently not required by those applying to join family in the UK on a time-limited basis (eg dependents of students or people working in the UK) or by applicants in any other non-settlement visa category.
The process will require settlement visa applicants to be screened and obtain a certificate from an approved health clinic in China to show that they are free of TB before they make a UK settlement visa application. They will need to include the TB certificate with their visa application.
Applicants who require pre-entry TB screening should contact one of the health clinics listed on the UK Visas and Immigration website. A fee will be payable directly to the health clinic.
Further details can be found in the news article published on the UK Visas and Immigration website.
Pre-entry TB screening will extend to applicants of other long term visa categories (visas with a validity of more than 6 months) towards the end of 2013. Students applying for a visa to study in the UK this summer will not be affected.
Testing is not required for those going to the UK as a tourist or other type of visitor.