Visa medical: what to bring and how long it takes

Your job offer abroad has come through, or your sponsor has sent the paperwork, and somewhere on the list is a medical. Most embassies and sponsors ask for one before they'll issue a visa, as a fitness-to-work or residency examination.

The good news is that preparing for it is mostly about bringing the right documents. At 117a Harley Street, visa medical packages start from £325 and run as a single appointment covering the consultation, examination, laboratory tests and chest X-ray.

What should I bring to a visa medical?

Your original passport comes first, because the clinic can't complete the medical report without it on the day.

After that, bring whatever applies to you. If you wear glasses or contact lenses for distance vision, bring them. If you have a health condition, have had recent surgery or take regular medication, mention it when you book and bring any letters or test results, so the report reflects your care accurately.

What to bring, at a glance.

How does the appointment work?

Allow about an hour. You'll see a doctor for a consultation and physical examination, give blood samples, provide a urine sample if your destination needs one, and have a chest X-ray.

The X-ray is taken at a partner radiology facility a five-minute walk from the clinic. Our team books it for you on the day, and the cost is included in your package. Any documents you sent in advance are checked during the appointment, so the tests match what your destination asks for.

How much does a visa medical cost?

Packages start from £325. Every package includes the consultation, examination, listed laboratory tests, chest X-ray and the signed medical certificate. Two of our most requested destinations:

• Saudi Arabia visa medical: £395 for men and £445 for women, which includes a pregnancy blood test. It covers a physical examination, urinalysis, chest X-ray, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, liver function tests and bilharzia antibodies.
• Dubai and UAE visa medical: £395 for men and £420 for women, with pregnancy testing included where required. It covers a physical examination, chest X-ray, HIV screening, and hepatitis B and C screening.

Some sponsors ask for tests beyond the standard panel for their destination. If you email your visa documents to info@medicalexpressclinic.co.uk before you come, we can tell you whether anything extra applies before you arrive.

When will I get my signed report?

We prepare your signed report once your laboratory and radiology results are back. How long that takes depends on the tests in your panel.

If you're working to a fixed submission date, expedited processing is available for an extra £100 where the destination allows it. Call us on 0207 499 1991 and we'll arrange the appointment, and any expediting, around your deadline.

Will a health condition or medication stop me getting a visa medical?

Not automatically. Existing diagnoses, recent surgery and regular medication don't by themselves fail a visa medical. What helps is mentioning them when you book and bringing any relevant letters or results, so the doctor can record your care accurately.

Can my employer book visa medicals for a team?

Yes. Corporate accounts are available for HR and global mobility teams, with direct invoicing and payment terms by arrangement. If a project team is moving abroad together, we can arrange block bookings, with the visa documents for the whole group sent in advance.

Moving to the UK rather than from it?

This guide covers the medicals that other countries' embassies and sponsors ask for. If you're applying to come to the UK, your TB test is taken at a UKVI-approved clinic in your own country. If your letter could mean more than one kind of medical, our guide to choosing the correct medical sorts visa, pre-employment and PEME.