Life In Uk Test

[Rj 81]

Hi folks

My wife's settlement visa is due to expire in June this year. The problem is that we sat down to go through the "Life in the UK, a journey to Citizenship" book and I'm afraid that her reading skills are no where near good enough to get through this book. I have tried to go through it with her but as I read a paragraph to her then ask if she understands, she doesn't even understand most of the words let alone the content.

As I see it we have about 5 months to learn the book but at this rate by the time we've got through it she will have forgotten anything she might have learnt. It recommends that applicants should be at the equivalent of ESOL level 3 before attempting the test but my wife's reading and writing is not even past basic yet.

We did manage to get her on a ESOL with Citizenship course last September, however due to work she had to stop it. Although now I wish she could have stayed on the course big time, as it would have been completed by now, I think.

I really don't know how she's going to pass this test. The only thing I can think of is not even bothering applying for ILR, just apply for FLR and then get her on the ESOL course again in September. I know this is going to cost but I bet thats what the slack jawed PM wants. Is it only me, or does anybody else think this test is a load of money making red tape bureaucracy? Surely it should apply to everyone that is foreign, not just ones that need a visa?

The other option is to slug our way through this book and hope that by some miracle she actually passes it. My wife can have a perfectly good conversation with anybody, she works hard and has paid her taxes for the last year and a half, I can't see the problem.

[the scouser]

It probably is a bit late in the day for your wife to start an ESOL course now and complete it by June. What you may wish to consider is to plug away at the book and just drum the content in to your wife. The Life in the UK test is, if I recall, £34.00 so she may wish to have a stab at it in say mid-May, and if she doesn't pass, perhaps another dart in early June.

Scouse.

[rockwellrob]

Hi RJ81,

My wifes visa is due in March, we have the same problem although my wifes reading is quite good.

Our friend has used a service on the life in the uk site where she payed £20.00 and was able to have the questions read to her, it also gave help and hints for the correct answers.

We are going to give this a go, maybe it would help you.

Regards Rockwellrob

[mrbojangles]

Rj, really feel for you buddy.

My Mrs is in exactly the same situation and it get's me <deleted> angry about this government. The test is fine for native english speakers but for others it's a freakin nightmare.

Let's see if some moron in the government could learn Thai within 2 years, to a standard that they could pass a test. Actually, as the test came in force last April and they didn't notify us, they gave my mrs 6 months to do it in. Couple this with many Thais trying to work full time, attempting and failing to get on a course as they are full of assylum seekers and Eastern Europeans (the local college's words not mine). It just really get's your back up

As for your question about is this a money maker. Yes absolutely. As you might be aware, we have gone down another option (albeit reluctantly) as that of a EU Spouse. The moron at Croydon who called me up, had to repeat himself continually as his English was so poor I couldn't understand much of what he was on about. He had to ask his line manager for advise at every step and they both tried to push us down the line of "paying" for an extension to the wifes SV, instead of giving us the "free" EU residency permit which is our right.

I'm going to stop now, as i fear i might go into overdrive venting my frustration about those useless...........No i said i would stop there and i wouldn't want Scouse to have to edit me

[BIG SPUDS]

i feel for you all, as a previous post said it came in last year and they did not notify us this was really unfair. I wrote countless complaint letters to mps and the government and recieved the same copied response from all of them. It was a waste of time. My mrs cannot read or write english too. The way we got round it was to go on a ESOL course. They only have to progress one level. So my mrs played it thick and went in for her assesment pretending her english was a lot worse than it was. They entered her on entry level. She went to college for about 12 lessons, then was examined. She had to have a conversation with someone else about various things ie TV shopping hobbies. The exam lasted 4 minutes and she passed. This in my opinion is the easiest and quickest way around this bull££££ the government make them do. Good Luck

Edited January 8, 2008 by BIG SPUDS

[ged]

Rj, really feel for you buddy.

My Mrs is in exactly the same situation and it get's me <deleted> angry about this government. The test is fine for native english speakers but for others it's a freakin nightmare.

Let's see if some moron in the government could learn Thai within 2 years, to a standard that they could pass a test. Actually, as the test came in force last April and they didn't notify us, they gave my mrs 6 months to do it in. Couple this with many Thais trying to work full time, attempting and failing to get on a course as they are full of assylum seekers and Eastern Europeans (the local college's words not mine). It just really get's your back up

As for your question about is this a money maker. Yes absolutely. As you might be aware, we have gone down another option (albeit reluctantly) as that of a EU Spouse. The moron at Croydon who called me up, had to repeat himself continually as his English was so poor I couldn't understand much of what he was on about. He had to ask his line manager for advise at every step and they both tried to push us down the line of "paying" for an extension to the wifes SV, instead of giving us the "free" EU residency permit which is our right.

I'm going to stop now, as i fear i might go into overdrive venting my frustration about those useless...........No i said i would stop there and i wouldn't want Scouse to have to edit me

Same Same Mr Bojangles,

I called the borders and immigration office for advice about "switching" to an EU visa and the guy said "Why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to do that! she would have to wait 5 years for citzenship"

This was grunted down the phone and i diid'nt have the patience to explain all the reasons in the previous posts so i put the phone down on the moron!

Also my wife has a daughter in LOS and we would like her to come to live here .

How much money and stress would all this take going the UK way ?

Stuff them and thank god for my Irish grandparents!

BTW nearer the time i will have some questions for you if that is ok!

[mrbojangles]

Same Same Mr Bojangles,

Also my wife has a daughter in LOS and we would like her to come to live here .

We are in the same boat ged. Hoping to bring "Step Jangles" over in early April

BTW nearer the time i will have some questions for you if that is ok!

If i can help in any way, i'd be only too happy to ged

[Mossfinn]

I'm afraid that her reading skills are no where near good enough to get through this book. I have tried to go through it with her but as I read a paragraph to her then ask if she understands, she doesn't even understand most of the words let alone the content.

She doesn't really need to understand the content, just try and learn it by rote, read it enough, it will stick and get easier, trust me on this. A lot of it is Horse Hockey and some of it incorrect, so no need to understand it, it is not relevant to everyday life, just relevant enough to suit your future purposes.

As I see it we have about 5 months to learn the book but at this rate by the time we've got through it she will have forgotten anything she might have learnt.

5 months is a long time RJ, my advice is to stick at it, it will stick over time if you both work at it, my wife did it in a lot less time than this.

It recommends that applicants should be at the equivalent of ESOL level 3 before attempting the test

The wife wasn't at this level when she passed.

I really don't know how she's going to pass this test.

Read and revise, ask her questions, then do it all again, then again and then once more.

The other option is to slug our way through this book and hope that by some miracle she actually passes it. My wife can have a perfectly good conversation

Important statement that RJ, if she can hold a conversation, once she gets passed the word blindness, she will pick it up, then just slug your way through it again.

I wish you luck.

she works hard and has paid her taxes for the last year and a half, I can't see the problem.

Genghis Khan once said, 'Don't fight battles you can't win, just the ones you can'.

Fighting the rights and wrongs of the system, or who is doing it or who is exempt, is a potless exercise and a waste of energy, beating the book is a winnable exercise.

Good Luck

Moss

[Rj 81]

Thanks everyone for the advise, it is appreciated. We are just going to have to try and learn the book and like scouse said maybe take the test early in the hope she might pass it on the second attempt, if not the first.

rockwellrob you mentioned the website, is it this site? www.britishness-test.co.uk I've heard that these sites aren't very good because they are not the actual questions? Has this site worked for you and your wife?

Goodluck to everyone else and well done to anyone already past.

[Rj 81]

Just an update incase anyone else is in the same predicament.

I phoned the test helpline from the official website and the guy gave me a number for Bolton college. I thought it would be no good as the courses start in September but he said this one runs all year round. So I spoke to the college and the lady said its a 40hr course, 4 days a week, 3 or 6 hrs a day, morning and/or afternoon at £10 per hour, so thats £400. For us this is a life saver really, even though its £400 at least the missis gets to learn better English and if she took the LIT UK test she would probably fail and end up having to apply for an extension which I believe is in the region of £400 anyway. The lady said its a verbal exam at the end of the course and so far none of her students have failed. The only problem for us now is working the course around her job, but thats better than trying to learn that dam_n book.

[the scouser]

Before you pay up, make sure that the course provides the right qualification, otherwise the BIA won't accept it when your wife comes to apply for her indefinite leave.

Your wife has to receive an ESOL award from one of the recognised awarding bodies (not the college itself) and show that she has moved up a notch on the ESOL ladder. Additionally, she will have to have a letter from the college which confirms that the ESOL course was taught within a citizenship context. Your missus may be a quick learner, but it is reckoned that for the average student 200+ hours of classroom-based study will be required.

Scouse.

[Mossfinn]

So I spoke to the college and the lady said its a 40hr course,

What kind of course is it Rj?

Is it an ESOL course? If it is ensure it has the Citizenship part tacked on, or the only thing it will do is improve the wife's English.

Moss

Whilst typing Scouse has given a much more comprehensive answer.

Edited January 13, 2008 by Mossfinn

[Rj 81]

Thanks for the concern guys. I forgot to mention its definately the right course.

1st, I got the number from the advisers on the LIT UK helpline.

2nd, The woman said that after the course is complete the missis will receive 3 certificates, or 2 plus a letter, I can't remember. But she did say that she is approved by the home office and that an outside body comes down to do the assesment. The lady also talked about the specific requirements for ILR, she knew what she was talking about.

I'm going to phone her tomorrow to check about the number of hours the course is. If it is 40hrs then that means if she does it full time, 6hrs a day, 4 days a week, she could have it done in under 2 weeks! Does that sound too good to be true? It does but I think that they may have started making it easier. I will let you know. Thanks.

[scooty]

Hi RJ.

I can only tell you about my wifes situation.my wife studied an ESOL course and it was for 12 weeks and she attended two classes per week at 2 hours per class. At the end of the course she took a classroom test involving interaction between the students.The college teacher assures me that my wife will now recieve a certificate from one of the recognised bodies , the certificate will be issued this coming summer.The teacher told me that she had attended a home office semina and was given the latest instruction for the requirements for students attending the ESOL course with regards to ILR, she will also issue my wife with the letter from college stating that the ESOL course was taken and included the "life in the UK citizenship" content.It seems to me that the ESOL course comes in different parts , ie. listening/ writing/ reading.my wife has completed the 12 week course which was about listening but we have decided that it would be good for her to attend the next term on a new course which this time involves reading.The first course cost £115 but the second course will cost £62.50 for 12 weeks but she will attend one time per week for 2 hours per time.The teacher says that in the summer she will now recieve 2 ESOL certificates and also the letter from college.

I hope this helps. It also seems to me that each college seems to have different rules and courses and fees for ESOL students so i guess it all depends on where you live in the UK.

good luck

regards

Scooty

[Rj 81]

Just to let you know, this course was too good to be true. The bloody teacher said she had a meeting with the home office on the second day of the course so class was cancelled that day. Then on the Thursday she called my wife to tell her not to come in as she was sick. So that means my wife is 12 hours behind already and it's causing us a nightmare with her work getting the time off. If she passes though it will be worth it.

[Eastender]

I agree with a previous post, it is possbile to pass the Life in UK test learning by rote whithout actually understanding it all. My wife did this, studied on her own with a Thai - Eng dictionary picking out key words, then was able to relate certain key words in th Q to the A. Passed first time - but to give her credit she did learn a lot too.

I think some kind of test is not a bad thing, particulalry as some foreigners enter the UK with no English at all and don't want to contribute in any way. What angers me though, is that my wife has been working and paying taxes for 2 years prior to her ILR application. Surely this sort of contribution to the British system eliminates the need for a test?

Could someone please explain this EU visa as I hadn't heard about this???

Thanks.

Edited January 26, 2008 by Eastender

[the scouser]

Could someone please explain this EU visa as I hadn't heard about this???

Are you a dual national? If so, Britain and which other country?

Scouse.

[Eastender]

No, single nationality. Just plain British, old chap.

[Rinrada]

Couple of Test Questions from Life/Live in the UK.......Same as in LOS really with a couple of minor diffs

What you need to know

Migration to Britain:

Where have migrants come from in the past and why?

What sort of work have they done?

The changing role of women:

Do women have equal rights in voting, education and work, and has this always been the case?

Children, family and young people:

Do many children live in single parent families or step-families?

When do children take tests at school?

How many go on to higher education?

What are the minimum ages for buying alcohol and tobacco?

What drugs are illegal?

Population:

How many people live in the countries of the UK?

What is the census and how is census data collected and used?

How many people belong to an ethnic minority and which are the largest minority groups?

Where are there large ethnic communities?

The regions of Britain:

Where are Geordie, Cockney and Scouse dialects spoken?

What languages other than English are spoken in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

Religion and tolerance:

How many people say they have a religion and how many attend religious services?

What are the largest religious groups?

What is the Church of England and who is its head?

What are the main Christian groups?

Customs and traditions:

What sports and sporting events are popular in the UK?

Do people tend to live in the cities or in the country?

What and when are the Patron Saints' Days of the four countries of the UK?

What are bank holidays?

What and when are the main Christian festivals?

What other traditional days are celebrated?

How the United Kingdom is governed:

What type of constitution does the UK have?

What is the Queen's official role and what ceremonial duties does she have?

What is the House of Lords and who are its members?

What are MPs? How often are elections held and who forms the government?

How do elections for the House of Commons work?

What do the Speaker and Whips do?

What is the role of the Prime Minister?

Who advises them and what are the main roles in the Cabinet?

What is the Opposition and what is the role of the Leader of the Opposition?

What is the civil service and how do civil servants work with government?

What are the powers of the devolved administrations?

Which areas of policy remain under the control of the UK government?

How the United Kingdom is governed:

What is proportional representation and where is it used?

What services are provided by local authorities?

How do judges apply the law?

How are the police organised?

What are quangos and non-departmental public bodies?

How is political debate reported?

Are newspapers free to publish opinions or do they have to remain impartial?

Who has the right to vote and at what age? How and when do you register to vote?

Who can stand for public office?

How can you contact an elected member?

How can you visit Parliament?

What are the roles and powers of the main institutions of Europe?

How is European law organised?

What rights do citizens of European Union states have to travel and work?

What is the Commonwealth?

What is the United Nations and what is Britain's role within it?

Housing:

How many people in the UK own their own home?

What is a mortgage?

What do estate agents do?

What do solicitors and surveyors do?

How is the process of buying a house different in Scotland?

Which organisations can people rent houses from?

How do people apply for council accommodation?

What is a shared ownership scheme?

What is a tenancy agreement?

Which organisations offer help to homeless people?

Services in and for the home:

Where can people find information on how to pay for water, gas, electricity and telephone services?

What are the different ways to pay these bills?

How and where is refuse (rubbish) collected?

What does local government spend council tax on?

What does the amount of council tax charged depend on? Which groups of people can receive council tax reductions or benefits?

What is buildings and household insurance?

Money and credit:

What are the values of the UK bank notes? Where can people get or change foreign currency?

How can people open a bank or building society account?

What is a cash card or debit card?

What is a credit card or store card?

What is a credit union?

What types of insurance do people buy?

What is social security and who receives it?

How can people get information about benefits?

Health:

What is the NHS?

What is the role of a general practitioner (GP)?

How can people find their local GP?

How do people receive medicines from a GP?

Which groups of people receive free prescriptions?

What is NHS direct, and NHS direct online?

How can people find a dentist? Which groups of people receive free dental treatment?

What services are available to pregnant women?

Which organisations offer information on maternity and ante-natal services?

How can people register births?

Education:

What are the ages of compulsory education? How does this differ in Northern Ireland? Who is responsible for ensuring a child attends school?

What are the different stages of education?

At what age do children leave school?

Where can people get details of local schools?

At what age do children go to secondary school?

How does this differ in Scotland?

What are faith schools?

What are independent schools?

What is the national curriculum?

At what ages do children take key stage tests in England? At what age do children take GCSEs and A levels?

How is education different in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

What is the role of a school governing body (or a school board in Scotland)?

What do further education colleges offer?

What is ESOL? What are adult education classes?

How do university students pay their tuition fees?

[the scouser]

No, single nationality. Just plain British, old chap.

In which case, you aren't going to be able to benefit from the European legislation unless you and your wife establish yourselves in another EEA country before then seeking to return to the UK.

Scouse.

[sweetchariot]

OMFG, I am not eligible to live in the UK anymore (which is good as I live over here). I am a very well educated man, but would probably score around 50% on this test - the q's are all so ambiguous!!

OK, put in perspective, one of the biggest gripes (and biggest vote winner) in the UK at the moment is immigration. This legislation is designed to deter the Romanians and Poles etc, etc, from taking the piss.

But as a national, paying taxes for umpteen years, surely we have a right to take our wives to live with us, wherever they may originate. This sh1t makes my blood boil and confirms my reasons for leaving the most government controlled society in the world.

RIP England

[Mahout Angrit]

OMFG, I am not eligible to live in the UK anymore (which is good as I live over here). I am a very well educated man, but would probably score around 50% on this test - the q's are all so ambiguous!!

Remember it is a test of the understanding of the English language not the content matter (you understood the questions didn't you?) so don't put yourself down too much, they are multiple choice answers, ( so the answer is in front of you) and how many real tests would you be able to pass without swotting up on the syllabus a bit. I'm sure if you read the book you would fly through.

[mrbojangles]

OMFG, I am not eligible to live in the UK anymore (which is good as I live over here). I am a very well educated man, but would probably score around 50% on this test - the q's are all so ambiguous!!

Remember it is a test of the understanding of the English language not the content matter (you understood the questions didn't you?) so don't put yourself down too much, they are multiple choice answers, ( so the answer is in front of you) and how many real tests would you be able to pass without swotting up on the syllabus a bit. I'm sure if you read the book you would fly through.

Sorry Mahout i got to disagree with you. If it was just about understanding the language, they would have made the test simpler i.e. you sit down at the computer and you read a passage, then answer a question. This could be something like "john is 25 years old, lives in London, has 2 sisters and works in a bakery". You then have to answer, "how old is John" etc.

That would be about understanding the language. The mere fact that most UK citizens, born and bred here, couldn't answer the question's without studying, is what makes this test a mockery.

[Mahout Angrit]

Sorry Mahout i got to disagree with you. If it was just about understanding the language, they would have made the test simpler i.e. you sit down at the computer and you read a passage, then answer a question. This could be something like "john is 25 years old, lives in London, has 2 sisters and works in a bakery". You then have to answer, "how old is John" etc.

I wont disagree with you Mr Bo but if the B & IA did such a test, to your statement you would have to answer

"what is the name of Johns oldest sister"

"what is the price of a loaf"

Edited January 28, 2008 by Mahout Angrit

[mrbojangles]

Sorry Mahout i got to disagree with you. If it was just about understanding the language, they would have made the test simpler i.e. you sit down at the computer and you read a passage, then answer a question. This could be something like "john is 25 years old, lives in London, has 2 sisters and works in a bakery". You then have to answer, "how old is John" etc.

I wont disagree with you Mr Bo but if the B & IA did such a test, to your statement you would have to answer

"what is the name of Johns oldest sister"

"what is the price of a loaf"

You have a very valid point there Mahout. I never thought about that

[Frotting]

How can people register births?

Education:

What are the ages of compulsory education? How does this differ in Northern Ireland? Who is responsible for ensuring a child attends school?

What are the different stages of education?

At what age do children leave school?

Where can people get details of local schools?

At what age do children go to secondary school?

How does this differ in Scotland?

What are faith schools?

What are independent schools?

What is the national curriculum?

At what ages do children take key stage tests in England? At what age do children take GCSEs and A levels?

How is education different in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

What is the role of a school governing body (or a school board in Scotland)?

What do further education colleges offer?

What is ESOL? What are adult education classes?

How do university students pay their tuition fees?

I'm English as are my family all the way back into recorded history. However, I would have trouble answering more than half the above questions. I feel very sorry for anyone coming from Thailand who has to go through this ridiculous examination. I used to think that the criteria for gaining Permanent Residency (the blue book) of Thailand a bit over the top, but it's nowhere near as bad as this.

[mrbojangles]

I'm English as are my family all the way back into recorded history. However, I would have trouble answering more than half the above questions. I feel very sorry for anyone coming from Thailand who has to go through this ridiculous examination. I used to think that the criteria for gaining Permanent Residency (the blue book) of Thailand a bit over the top, but it's nowhere near as bad as this.

Yep, if you haven't got kids those questions about schooling etc.

[Rj 81]

Hi folks

Today the missis passed her ESOL course. It was a verbal exam in which she had to answer questions posed by the lady who came down from the home office. Then they had to have conversations with each other about various different everyday life situations.

In total she had to attend college for 6 full days plus a day yesterday for revision and today for the exam itself. The teacher said she would phone her a week on Friday with her actual score and she will receive her certificates 3 weeks from now. So for anybody in the same situation this course is definately worth it.

All thats left to do now is gather all our letters and bank statements in prep for applying for ILR. The teacher also said that if my wife wants to apply for British Citizenship (ie, British Passport) then she can do the second level of ESOL course as the one she has just undertaken was ESOL level 1. For British Citizenship, level 2 is required. Is this correct? Also can we apply for British Citizenship instead of ILR or at the same time as ILR, thus saving applying for it in the future? Cheers guys.

[Mahout Angrit]

The teacher also said that if my wife wants to apply for British Citizenship (ie, British Passport) then she can do the second level of ESOL course as the one she has just undertaken was ESOL level 1. For British Citizenship, level 2 is required. Is this correct? Also can we apply for British Citizenship instead of ILR or at the same time as ILR, thus saving applying for it in the future? Cheers guys.

It would seem that to apply for British Citizenship as a spouse of a UK citizen she must show that she has moved from one ESOL level to the next in addition to passing the course which includes citizenship materials. If she simply passes the 'Life in the UK test' then no other study is required.

Unfortunately for you, your wife must obtain ILR and have lived in UK for 3 years in addition to the life in UK qualification before she can apply for British Citizenship.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Mahout Angrit

[up2me]

Hello, compared to you guys I'm only at early stage where my fiancee and I are currently applying for a fiancee visa.

Sorry if this question seems a bit daft right but, I understand the importanc eof getting ILR but what is so important about becoming a British citizen. What is to be benefitted from that. I know there must be reasons, please let me know.