Question
Can I invite my HIV-positive partner to live with me in the UK?
9 June 2008. Related: Access to treatment, All topics.
Can I call over from abroad my HIV-positive partner to join me in the UK for permanent residence?
Answer
The UK does not put a ban on positive people, as long as they reside here legally. Also, although HIV testing is rare, I think that the UK reserves the right to include a health test, including HIV, if they think someone is travelling here who is not well.
There may also be differences depending on where your partner lives and whether you have a legally binding partnership. If you are married or are civil partners, then health issues like HIV-status may be fine, but if this is not a formally recognised relationship, then your partner’s HIV status could limit how easily they can enter the country, if this is something you disclose on the application form.
If your partner is a citizen of an EU country, he/she can come to the UK without a visa and this is much more straight-forward as EU citizens can travel freely between other EU countries.
If he/she is a citizen of a non-EU country, the process is more complicated. You will have to send him/her an invitation letter and go through the partnership visa procedure. It varies slightly by country, that is why you will have to check the exact documents necessary in the local British embassy.
If you are successful in your partners application to stay, according to the legislation, your partner will not legally be able to access HIV treatment for one year after arriving in the UK. Sometimes it is possible to be treated anyway, but this varies by hospital, region and other factors. If they are on treatment, then making sure that he/she has enough medications for that period may be important.
This is a specialist area and it might be useful to contact the National AIDS Trust (www.nat.org.uk) for their advice.
Best of luck!
Will be traveling to the uk this month. We’re can I put my arv. In my hand laugage or suit case. And hope immigration won’t harass me
Hi Evelyn, your status will not be a barrier. Being HIV positive will not stop you having a visa for the UK. You will not even need to disclose your status or have an HIV test on entry. The UK has no law requiring that you do this.
Hi am a Nigerian woman am married with kids,am on Arvs am undetectable, am planning on processing my visa to uk , will my status be a barrier? ,If yes which other country will be easy for me.
Hi Franklin, each country will have their own regulations. Which countries in Europe do you want to travel?
I want to the European countries I can enter with my HIV status
Hi Robert, access to HIV medication in the UK is relatively simple. You can gain access by attending HIV registered sexual health clinics and these are found all over the UK. HIV medication is free regardless of residency status and no referral from a family medicine (general practitioner) will be needed to attend these clinics.
It is possible you can get the same medication however this will be down to the discretion of the clinic you attend. Healthcare funding and allocation is not uniform across the NHS and prescription of medication is offered on a cost based approach. As you are stable on Bitarvy this will be taken into account, however I cannot confirm what the prescribing doctor will issue. HIV treatment in the UK is very personalised and a number of factors are accounted for when giving medication – your HIV care will not be compromised by moving to the UK.
I will be relocating to UK from US for work. I’m planning on bringing 3 months worth of medication with me. I would like to know about the process of getting access to HIV medication in the UK. Will I need to pay any amount since I am a non-citizen on a work visa? Should I have to reach out to a Family Medicine doctor and get a Infectious diseases referral? What is the general frequency that we can get the medication for? My Viral load is Undetectable and in US, I get medication delivered to me every 3 months. I’m on Biktarvy. Can I get the same medication without changes?
Hi Marc, do you know if the sexual health clinic you have spoken is an HIV centre? Not all sexual health clinics are registered to provide care for HIV positive people. Since the start of the pandemic there has been some difficulty accessing sexual health services; GPs and sexual health clinics requiring the other for a referral.
The GP will acknowledge what you choose to disclose. Your status does not affect you registering with them. Choosing to disclose does add the benefit of the GP being able to offer more suitable care for yourself. This will include providing support for how to access ART.
Hii,
So it has been about 4 months since I arrived in the UK. I asked before on this thread how to avail HIV treatment and was told to contact the sexual health clinic nearest me. I contacted them about my status and about how I just moved here and is religiously and currently taking the treatments. I also told them I want to avail of my maintenance ART for me to be able to stay UD.
However, they told me that I should contact my local GP where I am registered and the GP will sort out everything for me. But here’s the thing, when I registered to the GP Surgery, I did not disclose anything about it since I have the right not to disclose it if I am not comfortable. Now that the situation is I have to contact my GP about it, do you think they will still acknowledge? Knowing that I did not disclose any medication I am currently taking when I was still registering to the GP Surgery?
Please advise. I’m so confused what to do. :/
Hi Mjj, yes it is. Depending on the type of nursing an HIV disclosure may be required. However this will not prevent your employment, in stead it will only require regular screening to ensure you are undetectable and keeping up with your medication.