If you are in the process of receiving your residence permit, you must be prepared to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test. Depending on your nationality, part of the immigration process for you and your family (if applicable) will require undergoing a mandatory TB test.
Residence permits in the Netherlands are granted under the expressed condition that you, and if applicable your family, will undergo a TB test within three months after receiving your residence permit. If you fail to take a TB test within three months, it may result in cancellation of the permit granted to you and your family.
Therefore, during onboarding, you must complete and sign a declaration of intent tp undergo a TB test.
Read below to learn more about where to get your TB test, required documents, exemptions, and total costs.
Understanding Tuberculosis (TB)
TB is an abbreviation for the medical condition called tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious and easily spreadable infectious disease that causes infections in your lungs or other tissues. TB spreads through the air and is transmitted when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings. When left untreated, TB is deadly.
While treatable with a combination of intensive antibiotics, the treatment duration is long. Patients with TB will be on antibiotics anywhere from six to nine months.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 4400 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Since COVID-19 estimated TB incidence and deaths have increased globally. Therefore, testing is becoming more important.
To-date, TB is the second biggest infectious disease after COVID-19.
Getting Tested in the Netherlands
If you have received a letter from Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) requiring you to get a TB test, you need to make an appointment at the Tuberculosis Department of the Dutch Municipal Health Service (GGD).
There are 25 GGD Municipal or Joint Health Service regions in the Netherlands, so where you live will determine what GGD branch you will visit.
The role of the GGD, according to their main website, is to monitor, protect and promote the health of everyone, with special attention to risk groups. That’s why most highly skilled migrants from countries where TB is a high-risk are asked to undergo testing in order to obtain a residence permit.
On the map below you can find where your nearest GGD is located.
Exemptions TB Test
Not everyone needs to undergo a TB test and possibly treatment to obtain a residence permit.
The obligation to undergo a TB test doest not apply to individuals who are nationals from one of the countries of the ‘Exemption from the obligation to undergo a TB test’ list.
Other circumstances for exemption from testing include people that hold an EU residence permit for long-term residents issued by another EU member state.
Also, if you are a family member of someone who holds this EU residence permit and have already been admitted to another EU member state as a family member of the long-term resident, you do not need to get tested.
Costs TB Test
Although the obligation to undergo a TB test is being required by IND, there are out-of-pocket costs that you will incur.
As of January 1, 2024, the price breakdown is as follows:
(prices may differ per GGD location)
Normally, GGD offices will only accept debit card payments.
If further medical examination or treatment is necessary, you can claim the costs on your health insurance. Further medical examination and treatment of children below 18 years of age are free of charge if they are insured by a Dutch Health insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You only get tested (if required by IND) during your first residence permit application.
Yes, all ages need to undergo an TB test. Children under the age of 18 will be tested by means of a tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test). This test can reveal whether your child has been infected with the tuberculosis bacteria. You will need to return to the tuberculosis department two or three days later.
The tuberculin skin test is not dangerous or invasive and can then be assessed by the GGD official. Please note, you will not be able to make an appointment with GGD for the TB test outside of school hours. Therefore, the school should accommodate for this testing.
If you are handling your onboarding with All About Expats, you only need to bring the TB referral document you filled. Alternatively, for those navigating residence permits alone, you need to bring your passport or ID, the completed TB test referral form and a debit card..
Video: Instruction video of a tuberculosis test
The instructional video was developed by GGD region Utrecht in collaboration with KNCV Tuberculosis Fund and Pharos.
High-Risk Countries for TB
The following countries are on the list for widespread tuberculosis:
Angola
Bangladesh
Botswana
Cambodia
Central-African Republic
Congo-Brazzaville
Congo-D.R.-Kinshasa
Djibouti
Ellice Islands
Equatorial Guinea
Swaziland
Philippines
Gabon
Guinee-Bissau
India
Indonesia
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Mongolie
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nigeria
North Korea
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
South Africa
If you are from a country mentioned above than the GGD advises to have yourself tested for tuberculosis every six months for two years. You will receive a request to attend the GGD for this follow-up test.
