My Thai girlfriend needs to apply for a fiance visa to come to the UK. Having checked the UKBA website I understand that she will need to pass language tests at A1 or above. I know there have been threads on this topic before - I have read them.

The UKBA website lists several approved qualifications of which BULATS and KET appear most suitable. Cambridge KET appears to be the better option - based on price and exam format - but my girlfriend is under the impression that KET will not be accepted either now or in the near future. I am not sure where she is getting this information but I suspect it comes either directly or indirectly from a BULATS test centre. (I won't name the company here.)

I am 100% sure that KET A1 is currently accepted (it is stated as a fact on the UKBA website) but does anyone know whether this exam is due to be retired or any other reason to take the BULATS exam instead?

Regarding the KET test, I have checked the Cambridge website and found authorised test centres in Bangkok. I contacted Normington - and so did my girlfriend - and was told the date and location of the next test. She was told to book the test immediately and pay a fee for late entry - and make the payment by electronic transfer only. This appeared irregular and we decided against booking. The test was scheduled to take place at a guest house (!!!!) and leads me to think that Normington is an admin centre and not a testing centre per se.

Comments?

This is the current (since 20/11/13) list of UKBA test providers; and any test on that list will suffice.

Unfortunately, though, most of those tests are not available in Thailand; see under 'Language' in UK Settlement Visa Basics.

A1, or the equivalent, is a very basic level, and if she can hold a conversation with you in English she is quite capable of passing without any extra tuition. Whether or not test providers in Thailand will allow her to take the test without first paying for a course, I don't know.

I do know that although the requirement for a settlement visa is just speaking and listening, for some reason all the test providers in Thailand insist on candidates taking reading and writing as well and will not issue a pass certificate unless all four elements are passed.

However, the British embassy have confirmed that as long as the applicant has a test report showing that they achieved at least A1, or the equivalent, in speaking and listening, their score in reading and writing is irrelevant; even if they failed these and so did not receive a pass certificate.

She passed the test without taking any tuition (other than from me). Everyone else at the test centre was taking the test for the purpose of applying for a UK visa.

KET turned out much cheaper than other options.

Congrats Cat5,

Just wondering what level your wife score at? Was she higher than A1?

Did you get a separate score for the individual language skills?