Approved tuberculosis testing clinic

Hi guys, wondering if anyone could help us with this..

I know that US citizens don't need TB testing BUT me and my wife were both living in South Korea until November and South Koreans DO need to be tested. She's now moved back to the US and is starting the visa application process. On the gov.uk website it mentions that US citizens don't need the test as long as they've been in the US for 6 months which she hasn't, it doesn't say what you should do if you're in the situation that she is! The website has a list of approved clinics but not for the US because normally you wouldn't need a test. Does anybody have any ideas as to what we should do? I tried ringing the citizens advice bureau here in the UK today but I was on hold for 30 minutes before I gave up...

Many thanks,
Tom

Hi guys, wondering if anyone could help us with this..

I know that US citizens don't need TB testing BUT me and my wife were both living in South Korea until November and South Koreans DO need to be tested. She's now moved back to the US and is starting the visa application process. On the gov.uk website it mentions that US citizens don't need the test as long as they've been in the US for 6 months which she hasn't, it doesn't say what you should do if you're in the situation that she is! The website has a list of approved clinics but not for the US because normally you wouldn't need a test. Does anybody have any ideas as to what we should do? I tried ringing the citizens advice bureau here in the UK today but I was on hold for 30 minutes before I gave up...

Many thanks,
Tom

I wonder if you could use one of the USCIS approved clinics? I don't know if that would be considered acceptable though. Failing that, I suppose you would either have to travel to the closest country or wait until 6 months have passed before applying.

I wonder if you could use one of the USCIS approved clinics? I don't know if that would be considered acceptable though. Failing that, I suppose you would either have to travel to the closest country or wait until 6 months have passed before applying.

Thanks for the USCIS idea! Hopefully it won't come to going to a third country or having to wait 6 months! It seems pretty stupid that all it would take to cure you of any potential TB you might have is a 6 month stay in the US... we shall see. I paid the £5.48 to email the UKVI contact centre and I'll post what they say here in case anyone else has the same problem and is searching for a solution!

Thanks for the USCIS idea! Hopefully it won't come to going to a third country or having to wait 6 months! It seems pretty stupid that all it would take to cure you of any potential TB you might have is a 6 month stay in the US... we shall see.

Oh, they don't expect a six-month US stay to cure you of TB... six months just gives you long enough to die of it because you can't afford the cost of treatment. 

"On the gov.uk website it mentions that US citizens don't need the test as long as they've been in the US for 6 months which she hasn't, it doesn't say what you should do if you're in the situation that she is! "

@Marris42 Where did you see the requirement that there must be a 6 month wait for US citizens? Asking because this may be relevant in my case. Thank you!

"On the gov.uk website it mentions that US citizens don't need the test as long as they've been in the US for 6 months which she hasn't, it doesn't say what you should do if you're in the situation that she is! "

@Marris42 Where did you see the requirement that there must be a 6 month wait for US citizens? Asking because this may be relevant in my case. Thank you!

It's here.

.Who does not need to be tested
You will not need a TB test if any of the following apply:

you’re a diplomat accredited to the UK
you’re a returning UK resident and have not been away for more than 2 years
you lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required by the UK, and you’ve been away from that country for no more than 6 months

https://www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa

Thanks for the USCIS idea! Hopefully it won't come to going to a third country or having to wait 6 months! It seems pretty stupid that all it would take to cure you of any potential TB you might have is a 6 month stay in the US... we shall see. I paid the £5.48 to email the UKVI contact centre and I'll post what they say here in case anyone else has the same problem and is searching for a solution!

I didn't notice this the last time I was looking but it does say the following-

.Some countries do not have approved testing centres so you’ll need to get tested in a neighbouring country.

https://www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa/countries-where-you-need-a-tb-test-to-enter-the-uk

Thanks, Larrabee. I've seen that page before, but I thought the 6 month clarification was for those who are residents of a listed country but have spent time outside of their country of residence.  If the applicant is a U.S. citizen living in the U.S., would they not then be considered a U.S. resident and thus have no need to submit the test?

Thanks, Larrabee. I've seen that page before, but I thought the 6 month clarification was for those who are residents of a listed country but have spent time outside of their country of residence.  If the applicant is a U.S. citizen living in the U.S., would they not then be considered a U.S. resident and thus have no need to submit the test?

If you are a US citizen living in the US for the most recent 6 months, you don't need to test.

Just to update what I found out and reiterate what people have pretty much already said here. I got in contact with the international helpline (00 44 203 481 1736) and they basically just read the information on the website back to me. My wife will either have to go to a "neighbouring country" to get the test (in practice that's the Dominican Republic, Panama or Haiti which don't exactly neighbour the US) OR she can wait until she's been out of South Korea for 6 months. We're thinking we're just going to risk it and apply this month anyway once our proof of income requirements are ready.

You will not need a TB test if any of the following apply:

you’re a diplomat accredited to the UK
you’re a returning UK resident and have not been away for more than 2 years
you lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required by the UK, and you’ve been away from that country for no more than 6 months

This was the part of the website which confused us because you could read that as meaning that if you're a US citizen that has ever lived outside the US in a TB test country for more than 6 months then you need the test. The lady I spoke to eventually confirmed that that isn't the case but she had to put me on hold for quite a while to go and find out and she didn't seem very certain about it when she spoke to me again anyway! At the end of the day I think it'll just depend on who processes my wife's application, hopefully we'll get lucky! If I've learnt anything it's to not bother contacting the helpline, it ended up costing over £20 and they seemed to know less about everything than I did!

If I've learnt anything it's to not bother contacting the helpline, it ended up costing over £20 and they seemed to know less about everything than I did!

It's just "the call line" as they aren't helpful. 

At the end of the day I think it'll just depend on who processes my wife's application, hopefully we'll get lucky!

I think this will be the case. They may not put two and two together regarding your travel history and the date of your application but on the other hand, they might.

I don't know if they did work it out whether they would refuse your application or give you a chance to provide a test result but I feel that you're potentially leaving a lot to luck.

In your shoes, I'd either bite the bullet and get the test or wait the extra month.