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Changes to the UKBA English Language Visa Requirement for Partners

New English language requirement for partners

 

You must now show that you can speak and understand English if you are a non-European migrant and you want to enter or extend your stay in the UK as the partner of a British citizen or a person settled here.

This requirement was introduced on 29 November 2010. You must meet the requirement if:

  • you are a national of a country outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland; and
  • you are in a relationship with a British citizen or a person settled here; and
  • you want to apply to enter or remain in the UK as that person’s husband, wife, civil partner, fiance(e), proposed civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner.

The new requirement applies to applications for entry clearance, leave to enter, leave to remain and further leave to remain. It does not apply to indefinite leave to remain or citizenship applications where the existing Knowledge of Life requirement continues to apply.

For more information see the new English language requirement for partners (PDF 86KB opens in a new window).

What do you need to do?

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country or do not have a degree taught in English (see below), you must pass an acceptable English language test with one of our approved test providers.

In the test, you will need to demonstrate a basic command of English (speaking and listening) at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference. This is a basic level, which is judged to require 40 to 50 hours’ tuition for most learners. Someone assessed at level A1 can understand and use simple, everyday expressions and very basic phrases.

You will not need to demonstrate your reading and writing skills.

Our list of acceptable tests and approved test providers (PDF 144KB opens is a new window) contains details of acceptable tests, and the countries where they are available at level A1. The information in the list has been supplied to us by the test providers, and is subject to change. Test providers may start to offer testing in more countries, so you should contact the test providers for the most up-to-date information about the countries where their tests are available.

Tests can be taken in the majority of countries, but there are special arrangements for applicants from the small number of countries where there is no test centre – see ‘Exemptions’ below.

When you make your application to us, you will need to provide evidence that you have passed an acceptable test.

You will need to pay for your own English language test. The cost of a test will vary according to your test provider and country.

The Home Office YouTube channel contains a video which outlines how applicants already in the UK can meet the requirement. Overseas applicants required to take a test will need to do so before they apply to come to the UK.

What happens if you take a test at a higher level?

The minimum standard that you must meet is in speaking and listening at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

The list of approved tests and providers includes some tests above A1 level. This is because we will also accept tests in speaking and listening, or speaking and listening with additional skills such as reading or writing, taken at a higher level with an approved test provider.

This is to give people as wide a choice as possible and to provide for those who have already taken a test at a higher level with one of our current approved test providers. It also allows for people who want to take a higher-level test for work or study reasons.

What is a majority English-speaking country?

If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, you meet the English language requirement automatically. You do not need to take a test.

For this purpose, we consider that the following countries are majority English-speaking countries:

  • 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
  • the USA

Degrees taught in English

If you have an academic qualification which is deemed by UK NARIC to meet the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s degree, we will accept this as evidence that you can speak and understand English to level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference. Therefore you do not need to take a test.

We will not accept Master’s degrees and PhDs as evidence, because UK NARIC can only assess whether Bachelor’s degrees (and not Master’s degrees or PhDs) were taught in English.

This is different from the points-based system, where Master’s degrees and PHDs are currently accepted as evidence of English language skills. We intend to align the English language requirement for the points-based system with the new requirement for partners, and we will amend the Immigration Rules in due course.

Exemptions

You will not need to meet the English language requirement if you provide satisfactory evidence that:

  • you are aged 65 or over at the time when you make your application; or
  • you have a physical or mental condition which would prevent you from meeting the requirement; or
  • there are exceptional compassionate circumstances which would prevent you from meeting the requirement.
Countries where there is no test centre

If you are a long-term resident of a country with no test centre, and you are applying from that country for a visa as a partner, you are exempt from the requirement to have passed an English language test. The list of countries where no test centre is available is subject to change, and currently includes:

  • Angola²
  • Burkina Faso²
  • Cambodia²
  • Cape Verde²
  • Central African Republic²
  • Chad²
  • Comoros¹
  • Equatorial Guinea²
  • Gabon¹
  • Guinea³
  • Guinea-Bissau¹
  • Ivory Coast³
  • Kiribati¹
  • Lesotho¹
  • Liberia³
  • Madagascar²
  • Maldives¹
  • Samoa¹
  • Sao Tome Principe¹
  • Seychelles¹
  • Sierra Leone³
  • Somalia¹
  • Swaziland¹
  • Togo¹
  • Wallis and Futuna Islands¹

You are not exempt from the requirement if you are applying from inside the UK for permission to extend your stay here as a partner.

 

¹ These countries have been exempt for applications made from 29 November 2010. ² These countries were added to the exemption list on 28th January 2011. ³ These countries were added to the exemption list on 10th February 2011.