Uk Flr Speaking And Listening Test Exemption

[rostifa]

Dear forum members,

I seem to have got caught in a strange flaw in the VISA requirements...

My wife is currently in the UK on a fiance VISA and we have recently married and are now looking to apply for a further leave to remain before her current VISA expires in early march. When we applied for the fiance VISA, she did not have to meet the A1 speaking and listening language requirement, as she is a Cambodian national and there are no approved test centres in the country, so she received an exemption for this criteria.

The problem is that the exemption no longer applies now that she is resident in he UK. The soonest that she could complete the test while here, is at our local college at the end of January. I have booked her into the test and I am confident that she will pass, as her english skills are reasonable, but she would not receive her results until the end of Feb, by which time it will be too late to apply for the FLR before her current fiance VISA expires and she will have to return home.

Does anyone know what the best way to go about this would be? It seems there is nothing I can do or would be able to do to prevent her from having to return to Cambodia and reapply for a spouse VISA again over there - where she would once again be exempt from the requirement!? This seems like a lot of messing about and expense for something I couldnt possibly do before her current VISA expires and that wont matter once shes back in asia.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[rostifa]

I'm guessing from the lack of responses that I am snookered and have no choice but to send my wife back to asia and apply for a Spouse VISA from there.

[Eff1n2ret]

I'm guessing from the lack of responses that I am snookered and have no choice but to send my wife back to asia and apply for a Spouse VISA from there.

Good heavens, no! There is no requirement to sit a course of study prior to taking the test, but some colleges will only offer a test to those who have done a course.

If your missis can speak basic English easily, she can take the test as soon as she likes, it's a case of finding a test provider where she can do this. I don't know for sure the best place to go in the UK, and it may depend on whereabouts you are, but I have seen a mention on this forum more than once that the Trinity College test is user-friendly.

I suggest you hunt around a bit. The companies authorised to provide the test are here:-

http://www.ukba.home...glish-tests.pdf

Look on their websites for info on where and when you can take a test, and look at any practice materials to assess your wife's capability.