TB testing, IHS payment and biometrics: the application order

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

First establish whether a TB test is required

Nationality alone does not determine the requirement. GOV.UK ↗ normally requires testing for a stay of at least six months where you lived in a listed country for six months or more and lived there, or in another listed country, within the last six months. Certain shorter routes also require testing, while some categories are exempt.

Check your residence history and immigration route before paying a clinic. If testing is required, use an approved clinic linked from the government guidance. An ordinary chest examination at an arbitrary medical facility does not replace the prescribed certificate. Children and pregnant applicants have particular medical procedures; discuss these with the clinic beforehand.

Obtain the certificate and prepare the documents

A certificate confirming no TB is normally valid for six months from the x-ray date and is included with the visa application. Schedule testing so it remains valid when you apply. Further investigations can take time, so the last appointment immediately before biometrics is an unreliable planning target.

Prepare the passport, route-specific evidence, translations, CoS or course information and family documents alongside the test. Reconcile names and birth dates throughout. Keep a checklist distinguishing information needed in the form, evidence uploaded later and documents required for identity verification.

Pay IHS within the online application process

The IHS payment guidance ↗ explains that the form takes you through surcharge calculation and payment before you finish the application and pay the visa fee. Save the IHS reference and both receipts. The IHS reference is specific to an application; you cannot simply reuse it for a fresh application.

The amount depends on the category and immigration permission length, which may exceed the course or employment dates. The official calculation guidance ↗ specifies £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility applicants and applicants under 18, and £1,035 for most other applications. Check exemptions and the form's total instead of automatically charging only complete years.

Follow the identity instructions after submission

The application tells you whether to use the ID Check app or arrange an appointment through the relevant visa service. The process depends on the route and identity document; biometrics does not mean an identical procedure for everyone. Book through the official route supplied, follow the document-upload deadline and bring the required originals.

A TB certificate, IHS payment and biometrics serve different purposes. IHS provides NHS access under the applicable conditions ↗, but does not replace a visa decision, private travel insurance or payment for every healthcare service. Save confirmation of each completed step and monitor UKVI requests. An appointment booking alone does not establish that the application has been fully completed.