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I remember that two years ago, passport holders of non-EU nationalities were required to present a chest X-ray along with accompanying report on arrival at Heathrow airport. (And if you didn't have one, then you had to wait in queue for hours while they got a chest X-ray done for you.) That was back when there was a bird flu scare going around. Does the directive still stand or has it been lifted? I tried looking up but couldn't find a definitive answer on the situation at present.

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  • I travelled on October 2011, and at that time it was checked at LHR airport. However they didn't check when I travelled during June 2012. Hence I believe it's a random check .
    – user3120
    Sep 6, 2012 at 10:56

4 Answers 4

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As a UK Gov directive it is still applicable.

The UK Border Agency Rules, Para 36 states

A person who intends to remain in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months should normally be referred to the Medical Inspector for examination. If he produces a medical certificate he should be advised to hand it to the Medical Inspector. Any person seeking entry who mentions health or medical treatment as a reason for his visit, or who appears not to be in good mental or physical health, should also be referred to the Medical Inspector; and the Immigration Officer has discretion, which should be exercised sparingly, to refer for examination in any other case

This internal guide for use by entry clearance staff (Last updated 10 March 2010) states

Advise the applicant to carry the original TB certificate (and their chest X-ray) in their hand luggage for presentation to an immigration officer on arrival in the UK to prevent delays or referral to the Port Medical Inspector (PMI).

Whether it is followed in practice at LHR, I'm not sure.

I did travel to UK on a Work Permit between 2002 to 2006 and was not once asked to present the X-Ray even after clarifying my long term stay.

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  • WOW! Good one! Awesome answer.
    – VMAtm
    Jul 27, 2011 at 11:24
  • From my last entry in the UK, I did not have to present an x-ray report when I was entering.
    – Ankur Banerjee
    Aug 19, 2011 at 9:46
  • Never knew this rule existed, but I've never been asked to present an x-ray
    – Rowan
    Jan 29, 2012 at 22:52
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    @Rowan: Perhaps it depends on where you're travelling from, in the Indian subcontinent, people on a long term visa to the UK DO carry their Xrays in their luggage to avoid having to take one again.
    – JoseK
    Jan 30, 2012 at 4:52
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I flew into LHR (as a Canadian national, from Canada, on a Canadian passport) this spring and there was no mention of Xrays.

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Flown into England probably 20 times in the last 4 years, and don't worry - certainly no x-rays any more. And I'm on a non-EU passport too :)

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According to various local forums in Russia, this practice was in the past just to check some people for MTB. Even in the past, not all the people must do such test, and many of problems arose when the X-ray was broken.

In general, only people who going to enter the UK for more than half-year must go to the test. According to current situation, in all the terminals of Heathrow there is no X-Rays tests.

Unfortunately, can't find any official information for this.

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  • Thanks. The x-ray rule, if there, will apply to me because I'm going there to work for the next year.
    – Ankur Banerjee
    Jul 26, 2011 at 16:21
  • @Ankur Banerjee Some people says what, if you have a local X-Ray result, you can just show. But I can't find certain information how much time this result is valid.
    – VMAtm
    Jul 26, 2011 at 16:31

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