Guidance

Tuberculosis testing in Sierra Leone

Updated 20 August 2024

Your test must be from a clinic approved by the Home Office and you will need to obtain an IOM medical certificate confirming that you are free from TB. We will not accept a TB test certificate from a clinic we have not approved.

You do not need a certificate if you:

• are a diplomatic passport holder travelling on official business or on a posting to the UK
• qualify for an exempt visa
• are applying for a certificate of entitlement

There are no approved clinics in Guinea so if you’re from there you’ll need to travel to Sierra Leone to be tested.

Approved clinic

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

18A New Signal Hill Road
Freetown
Sierra Leone

Mobile: +232 99 606064

Email: uktbfreetown@iom.int

Website: http://register-uktb.iom.int/uktbdp-register

Operating hours:

• enquiries: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm
• registration and initial examination: Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 11:30am

Test fees

11 years and above	Below 11 years
140 USD	50 USD

The test fee does not cover treatment if you have TB.

Payment

Payment must be made before the medical examination in US dollars (USD) or equivalent in Sierra Leone Leones.

Please pay by bank deposit to the following account:

Name of the Bank: ECOBANK Sierra Leone Limited

Branch: Main Branch (3 Charlotte Street Freetown, Sierra Leone)                    

Account Holder: International Organization for Migration

Account No: 6364010995 for USD and 6364010994 for SLE

Please show proof of the payment to IOM office when reporting for your registration.

Attending the clinic

You should contact the clinic to book an appointment and make it clear you need the test for a UK visa application.

You can expect to get an appointment within a few days of your request. At busy times you may have to wait 10 days for an appointment, especially during the UK student visa peak season between July and October.

If you need to cancel your appointment, you should contact the clinic as soon as possible.

If you would like an appointment with a female clinician, please ask the clinic when you schedule your appointment.

You’ll be given a chest x-ray to test for TB. If the result of the x-ray is not clear, you may also be asked to give a sputum sample (phlegm coughed up from your lungs).

If your test shows that you do not have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.

What you should bring with you

• proof of identification, which contains your photograph, such as your passport
• UNHCR/MHA registration documents if you are a refugee applicant
• if you have had TB in the past or have any other lung disease, you should provide details of your previous screening and, if possible, your medical notes and x-ray results

Step-by-step procedures

• medical examination will be processed on Monday through Thursday
• all visa applicants must present themselves to the clinic for assessment with the required identification document
• the initial examination will comprise of a counselling session and signing of consent for all
• applicants aged 10 and under will undergo a medical examination by the physician before a certificate is issued
• Applicants 11 and above will have a chest x-ray done; applicants will then be reviewed by the doctor with the chest x-ray result before issuance of a certificate
• additional diagnostic procedures (sputum smears and cultures) may apply in case of abnormal chest x-ray findings and will take up to 8 to 10 weeks to get the final result
• a TB clearance certificate will be issued to the applicant on the same day after the examination or as advised by the medical staff if the examination result is considered free of active pulmonary TB disease
• if you fail to return within 7 days for sputum collection, you will forfeit the chance to obtain a TB clearance certificate
• advice will be given for further testing or follow up with the applicant’s own health care provider as needed if the examination results are abnormal but the abnormality not related to TB disease
• the TB clearance certificate expires 6 months from the chest x-ray date for applicants who have had a chest x-ray done, or 6 months from the physical examination date for applicants whom a chest x-ray is not applicable/done
• the above TB clearance certificate’s validity is 3 months for applicants who have been in contact with a family member with active pulmonary TB
• please note that female applicants of childbearing age may be requested to undergo a pregnancy test, in case there is uncertainty as to whether they maybe currently pregnant
• pregnant applicants may opt not to get a chest x-ray done and instead either give sputum for TB testing done on 3 consecutive mornings or postpone the TB screening until after delivery

Read more information on TB screening requirements for people applying for a UK visa in countries where TB is common.