If you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months and have lived in Nepal, you must take a tuberculosis (TB) test at a UKVI-approved clinic before you apply. Approved testing is run through IOM, with centres in Kathmandu and in Damak (Jhapa). Using any other clinic means your visa will be refused. The certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of your X-ray.
Only These Clinics Count
A TB certificate from a non-approved hospital is not accepted and leads to automatic refusal. Book directly through the clinic's official channels - never through a third-party "agent" - and confirm the fee before paying.
Kathmandu
IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre
Norvic International Hospital & Medical College
Damak (Jhapa)
IOM Resettlement Health Assessment Centre
Tips for Your TB Test
- Test early - book several weeks before your application. If your chest X-ray is unclear, you may need a sputum culture test that takes 6-8 weeks for results.
- Same-day certificate - if your X-ray is clear, the certificate is usually issued the same day.
- Bring your passport - the certificate is tied to your passport number, so apply with the same passport.
- 6-month validity - counted from the X-ray date, so don't test too early or it can expire before your decision.
- Children under 11 - usually don't need an X-ray; a clinician assessment is normally enough.
- Pregnant applicants - tell the clinic; options include a shielded X-ray or a sputum test.
Confirm Before You Travel
Clinic addresses and fees change. Always confirm current details and that the clinic is still approved at gov.uk before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
TB testing is run through IOM, with centres in Kathmandu and in Damak (Jhapa), plus Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu. A certificate from any other hospital is not accepted and leads to refusal.
Fees are set by each clinic, not by UKVI, and can change - so confirm the current price directly with IOM or Norvic before booking. Never pay a third-party agent.
It is valid for 6 months from the date of your chest X-ray, not the appointment date. Test a few weeks before you apply, but not so early that it expires before your decision.
IOM centres book online at mymedical.iom.int; Norvic International Hospital by phone. If your X-ray is clear the certificate is usually issued the same day. Bring the passport you will use for the visa.
Yes. If you have lived in Nepal and are coming to the UK for more than 6 months - which covers almost all student visas - a TB test at an approved clinic is mandatory.
Clinic list verified against gov.uk (updated Nov 2025). Last updated: July 2026. Confirm current fees directly with each clinic.