Malawians seeking UK visa to get TB screening
Malawians wishing to travel to the UK could be screened for tuberculosis before being granted a visa, the British government has announced.
The new rules will apply to those who wish to spend over six months in the UK starting from July 1, 2013, Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner to Malawi, Kirk Hollingsworth said in a statement made avaible to Nyasa Times from Lilongwe.
The announcement followed a decision by the UK Government in May to extend its pre-entry TB screening to Malawi and 66 other countries on the basis of the World Health Organisation figures of “high TB incidence” in these countries.
Infectious TB sufferers and those diagnosed with active TB will be denied entry to the UK.
“Pre-entry TB screening is not required for those going to the UK as a tourist or other type of visitor, except for those applying for a fiancé (e) visa,” Hollingsworth said.
“It will be required for all individuals in Malawi who are applying for a UK visa which is longer than six months including those applying for a Tier 4 student visa.”
Hollingsworth explained that the process will require individuals to be screened and obtain a certificate from an approved International Organisation for Migration (IOM) health centre in Malawi to show that they are free of TB before they make a UK visa application. They will need to include the TB certificate with their visa application.
He advised that Visa applicants who require pre-entry TB screening should contact: Partners In Hope Hospital on M1 Blantyre Road, Area 36 in Lilongwe. E-mail: [email protected]
The costs of screening and any subsequent treatment will be met by applicants, Britain said.
“A US$113 fee is payable. The fee will be payable in US dollars. No appointments will be available until 1 July 2013,” Hollingsworth said.
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