Timeline for TB screening for UK visa is 6 months

The UK on Wednesday announced the timetable and arrangements for the introduction of pre-entry tuberculosis (TB) screening from August 16 in India, which as per World Health Organisation parameters falls is a 'high-TB incidence' country.

"Pre-entry TB screening is only required by individuals who are travelling to the UK for more than six months", the British High Commission said in a release. It said that this follows the UK government's announcement in May 2012 that it would be extending this requirement to an additional 67 countries on the basis of WHO figures for high-TB incidence.

"Anyone who is going to the UK for six months or less, for example on business, family or tourism visitor visas, is not required to undergo a pre-entry TB test," it said.

"Anyone who wishes to travel to the UK for longer than six months must be screened and obtain a certificate from an approved clinic in India to show that they are free of TB before they make a UK visa application."

"A phased introduction of pre-entry TB screening will begin on August 16, 2012, for the UK settlement visa applications in India. All settlement applications from this date must be accompanied by a TB clearance certificate," the High Commission said.

The screening requirement will be extended to applications for the UK work visas (tiers-1, -2 and -5 of the points-based system) from September 10, 2012, and student visas (tier-4) from November 1, 2012.

The start-date for students will, therefore, come after the main recruitment period to UK higher education institutions. The UK Border Agency has established a wide network of approved TB screening facilities across India.