English Status
ENGLISH
If you are applying to enter or remain in the UK then it is very likely you will need to provide evidence of meeting the English requirements.
English levels do depend on your visa type and some visas do not require English evidence and some applicants will be exempt.
To help you with understanding the English requirements, click on the 'Learn More' tabs below
Different rules and levels of English are required if you are applying under the points-based system, family visas,
visas outside of the immigration rules etc
IT IS CRITICAL YOU SUBMIT THE RIGHT ENGLISH EVIDENCE OR YOUR VISA WILL BE REFUSED
If you are unsure, you should contact us for free advice
If you have a burning question that you need an answer to, contact our lawyer today and claim your free 30 minute telephone consultation.
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English Guidelines
Understanding what is required for English, who can do this for me and who is likely to need a visato enter or remain in the UKand level of English required
It is very important you understand who needs to provide English evidence and more importantly the right type of evidence as the Home Office has set strict rules on how you can obtain it.
Further down this page we have covered the countries automatically approved for English as long as you hold a valid travel document for that country, who are exempt from having to provide English evidence, levels of English required and this can vary from entry visa to visa renewal.
Who must provide English as part of their visa application?
- Innovator and Start-ups
- Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
- Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)
- Tier 2 (General)
- Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
- Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
- Tier 4 (General)
- Representative of an overseas business
- Partner
- Parent
- Settlement
- Citizenship
English Rules Change
As from the 6 April 2015, you are only permitted to process your English test via 2 approved routes:
- UK only (Trinity College London)
- UK entry (IELTS SELT Consortium)
Trinity college
The approved Trinity College London tests are Integrated Skills in English (ISE) and Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE).
Key links to help you further:
IELTS SELT Consortium
These are IELTS for UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration) and Life Skills.
Key links to help you further
Family Visa Route - entry
- If you are applying to enter the UK under the family visa route, your English must be at A1 level.
- If you decide to remain in the UK when your entry visa expires, you will need to obtain A2 level.
- If you decide after 5 years to stay in the UK under the family route and you want to apply for settlement status, you need to be at B1 level.
Family Visa Route - further leave to remain
- If you are already in the UK and require to extend your first family visa or Parent of a dependant, you are required to obtain English at A2* level.
*A2 test can only be taken in the UK.
Points-Based System (Working) Tier 1
- If your entry visa falls under Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur, your entry English level must be B1 level.
- If your entry visa falls under Tier 1 Investor or Tier 1 Exceptional Talent, you do not need to provide any evidence of English, but if you plan to settle in the UK, you need to have English to B1 level.
- If your visa falls under Tier 2 General, your English level must be B1 level.
- If your visa falls under Tier 2 Sportsperson, your English level must be A1 level.
- If your visa falls under Tier Minister of Religion, your English level must be B2 level.
- If your visa falls under 'Innovator' or 'Start-up', your English level must be B2 level.
- If your visa falls under Tier 2 Intra-company Transfer you do not need to provide any evidence of English.
- If your entry visa falls under PBS Dependant visa (direct family members), you do not need to provide any evidence of English, but if you plan to settle in the UK, you need to have English to B1 level.
Points-Based System (Studies) Tier 4
- If your entry visa falls under Tier 4 General (Adults 18+) we have 2 levels you must achieve and these levels depend on your planned UK studies. Levels are:
- Degree level or above - B2 level
- Below degree level - B1 level
- If your entry visa falls under Tier 4 General (Child) you are exempt from providing evidence of English.
Short-term study visa
- If your entry visa falls under this visa type, you are exempt from providing evidence of English.
Points-Based System (Studies) Tier 5
- If your entry visa falls under Tier 5, you are exempt from providing evidence of English.
Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker
- If your entry visa falls under this visa route, you are exempt from providing evidence of English, but if you plan to settle in the UK, you need to have English to B1 level.
UK Ancestry
- If your entry visa falls under this visa route, you are exempt from providing evidence of English, but if you plan to settle in the UK, you need to have English to B1 level.
Aged 65 or have a physical condition
If you are aged 65 or over or have a long-term physical or mental condition*, you are exempt from providing evidence of English.
*This will all depend on your original evidence that you provide as part of your visa application.
English Exemption
If you believe you fall under one of these categories, you do not need to provide evidence of passing the relevant English level requirements:
- Adult Dependant - relative aged between 18 and 64 of someone who is present and settled in the UK, is a refugee or has humanitarian protection; or
- Commonwealth citizen - on discharge from HM Forces, including Gurkhas; or
- Discretionary Leave - living in the UK hold this visa type; or
- Domestic Violence
- a victim of domestic violence as the partner or spouse of a British citizen or someone settled in the UK; or
- Exceptional Circumstances - e.g. as an orphan, widow or over-age dependant; or
- HMSP - highly skilled migrant applying under the terms of the highly skilled migrant program (HSMP) judicial review and your dependants; or
- Humanitarian Protection - someone living in the UK under this route; or
- Partner death
- the partner or spouse of a person who has died who was either a British citizen or someone settled in the UK; or
- Refugee - living in the UK
- Retired Person - someone who has permission to stay in the UK as a retired person of independent means.
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
English Speaking Countries
Home Office approved countries that are deemed to beEnglish speaking
If you are a non-EEA or Switzerland national you can apply for this visa if you qualify by gaining enough points. You can apply from overseas or from within the UK if you have permission to be in the UK.
If you are a national of one of these listed countries and you can provide a travel document as your evidence, you do not need to provide any other evidence to meet the English requirements for entry visa, further leave to remain, settlement or naturalisation.
The approved countries are:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- USA
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
UK Qualifications
Understanding if you obtained a UK qualification and how tofind key information.
If you have studied in the UK and obtained a UK qualification, this may meet the English requirements.
You must have the original qualification certificate or certified copy.
The training institute also needs to be UK regulated and on the approved list.
If you would like to know the levels for England, Wales and Northern Ireland
click here.
In Scotland the structure is different, to learn more
click here.
Compare qualifications from other countries
click here.
If you need to find a regulated qualification
click here.
If you have not studied in the UK or your qualification is below the required level, you do not meet the English requirements to enter or remain in the UK.
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
Non-UK Qualifications
What documents and evidence do I need for this visa?
If you have studies taught in English outside of the UK, this evidence might meet the entry visa requirements.
Any overseas qualification needs to be cross-checked with
UK NARIC.
Who are UK NARIC and their purpose?
UK NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) is the designated United Kingdom national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills. It performs this official function on behalf of the UK Government. They are the only body approved to cross-reference overseas qualifications taught in English.
UK NARIC has two routes to verify overseas qualifications, they are:
BLUE ROUTE
If you are looking to work or study in the UK, you need to use this route.
Do not use this route if you are applying for a UK entry visa.
RED ROUTE
If you are looking to settle in the UK or require a UK visa, you need to use this route.
If you need an entry visa, you should be applying through this route.
If you have studies taught in English that are outside of the UK, this evidence might meet the entry visa requirements and a UK NARIC report must be provided or you cannot use this evidence to enter or remain in the UK.
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
English Outside the UK
Who can I use to obtain English if I do not have a qualificationtaught in English and whatdo I need to achieve?
Home Office has an
approved list of places where you are permitted to take your English test. If you have a test certificate not listed in the approved list of places, the evidence cannot be used unless exceptional circumstances applies.
The majority of people applying to enter the UK will apply via
IELTS.
If you decide to use IELTS, go to this
link and select IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills. This is the correct route if you need A1 entry for:
IELTS Life Skills - A1: is for the family route
- Family life as a partner of a settled person (spouse/partner)
- Family life as a parent (parent of a dependant).
IELTS Life Skills – A2: is for the family route (extension)
- Family life as a partner of a settled person (spouse/partner)
- Family life as a parent (parent of a dependant).
IELTS Life Skills – B1: Indefinite leave to remain
- Settlement/permanent residency.
IELTS Life Skills – B1: British Citizenship
- Naturalisation
IELTS Life Skills - Family route & Tier 2 Sportsperson
If you are applying for an entry visa or switching into this visa route, you are required to obtain A1 level and score 4.0 or above in these 2 areas:
- Listening
- Speaking
If you score less than 4.0 in any of these 4 areas, your visa will be refused, however, if you take a second test and you score 4.0 in the areas you initially scored low in, this will meet the entry English requirements. As long as both test certificates show a score of 4 collectively in all 2 areas this is the key and the overall score states 4 and above and A1.
IELTS for UKVI - Tier 2 Minister of Religion
If you are applying for an entry visa or switch into this visa route, you are required to obtain B2 level and 5.5 or above in these 4 areas:
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking
- Writing
If you score less than 5.5 in any of these 2 areas, your visa will be refused, however, if you take a second test and you score 5.5 in the areas you initially scored low in, this will meet the entry English requirements. As long as both test certificates show 5.5 collectively in all 4 areas this is the key and the overall score states 5.5 and above and B2. You must provide both original certificates with your visa application.
IELTS for UKVI - Tier 2 General
If you are applying for an entry visa or switching into this visa route, you are required to obtain B1 level and 4.0 or above in these 4 areas:
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking
- Writing
If you score less than 4.0 in any of these 4 areas, your visa will be refused, however, if you take a second test and you score 4.0 in the areas you initially scored low in, this will meet the entry English requirements. As long as both test certificates show 4.0 collectively in all 4 areas this is the key and the overall score states 4.0 and above and B1. You must provide both original certificates with your visa application.
IELTS Life Skills - Indefinite Leave to Remain / Citizenship
If you are applying for UK Indefinite or to be naturalised, you are required to obtain B1 level and 4.0 or above in these 2 areas:
- Listening
- Speaking
If you score less than 4.0 in any of these 2 areas, your visa will be refused, however, if you take a second test and you score 4.0 in the areas you initially scored low in, this would meet the English requirements. As long as both test certificates show 4.0 collectively in all 2 areas this is the key and the overall score states 4.0 and above and B1.
Note: IELTS scoring starts from 2.5 to 9. Scores are marked in levels of 0.5 so 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 etc.
Do IELTS certificates expire?
Yes they do. IELTS certificates are only valid for 2 years.
If you not entered the UK before under a visa application requiring proof of your English level and you took your IELTS over 2 years ago, you must retake the IELTS test.
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
English inside the UK
If I need to take an English test in the UK, who can I use?
Unless you use the approved English test centre, your English certificate will not be valid. To learn more about approved test centres
click here. Majority of people use
Trinity college and if you select this
link, it is the right link for visa applications. All you need to do is select the appropriate visa type you are applying for to ensure you book the right English test.
If you need to book a test urgently, Trinity college normally have good availability in the coming week.
All UK tests are now electronically logged so no need to send your test certificate to the Home Office with your visa application, all the caseworker requires is the UKVI test number on your test certificate.
We hope this section has been of help and answered your question?
