Today, UKBA announced the introduction of tuberculosis testing in Nepal. From 31st December 2012, if you are resident in Nepal and would like to apply for a visa to come to the UK for more than 6 months you must be tested at an approved clinic and be free from tuberculosis before you apply for a visa. To read UKBA’s announcement, and to find out more about the testing procedures in Nepal, please click here.

UKBA’s announcement:

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If you are coming to the UK for less than 6 months you do not need to be tested for tuberculosis. This includes people applying for 2, 5 and 10 year visitor visas, because the maximum stay in the UK at any one time is still 6 months.

Tuberculosis testing requirements will form part of the visa application process for people planning to come to the UK for more than 6 months from 31 December 2012.

This follows the UK government’s announcement in May 2012, to introduce tuberculosis testing as a requirement of the visa application process for certain countries. Nepal is one of the 67 countries, who according to the World Health Organisation has a high incidence of tuberculosis.

The UK Border Agency will only accept TB screening and certificates from two clinics operated by the International Organisation for Migration in Kathmandu and Jhapa in Nepal.

For detailed information about the testing process and requirements, see the TB testing page.

You do not need a tuberculosis test if you plan on travelling to the UK for less than 6 months, for example on business or for tourism.

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