TOEIC No longer accepted by UKBA - best alternative?

[lisu]

More bad news for us... My wife passed the Listening part of the test last year, and has been sooooo damn working hard the past six months preparing to take the Speaking part this month. However, we have just found out that thanks to a BBC Panorama episode, the UKBA no longer accepts TOEIC....

TOEIC seemed to be the best option since only Speaking/Listening results were required. So, my question is, can anyone suggest a viable alternative? She's not comfortable having to take a written exam - are there any other speaking/listening only accepted by the UKBA? The only other one I can find is the City & Guilds IESOL (Speaking and Listening), but I can't find a test centre in Thailand (preferably Chiang Mai, but anywhere will do at the end of the day!)

Thanks for any information.

Edited May 4, 2014 by lisu

[durhamboy]

As I understand it, ETS have themselves a couple of weeks ago stopped offering the TOEIC test for UK visa purposes. Sounds like ETS have jumped before they were pushed i.e. if they hadn't stopped offering the test UKBA would have barred them. This begs the question - will UKBA still accept TOEIC test results for FLR and pipeline SV applications?

Lisu - the test can be done at Vantage (Bulats) and Pearsons who are both in Bangkok. As with TOEIC all 4 disciplines must be taken - reading, writing, speaking and listening - but only speaking and listening need be passed. There are no other approved test centres in Thailand. Good luck.

[lisu]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated. I've done some more research today regarding IELTS, but now I'm unsure with you stating that nothing other than results for Pearsons and BULATS in the BKK test centres are valid... Does this mean that the IELTS exam offered by the British Council in Chiang Mai can't be used for the visa?

Thanks again

[neilbla]

Hi lisu.

I have many students that have taken IELTS for immigration to the UK. Your wife will need to take the general test for IELTS. The test is more difficult than the TOEIC so best of luck to her.

Edited May 4, 2014 by neilbla

[lisu]

Hi lisu.

I have many students that have taken IELTS for immigration to the UK. Your wife will need to take the general test for IELTS. The test is more difficult than the TOEIC so best of luck to her.

Thanks for the reply - does the UKBA only count the Listening and Speaking part (as with BULATS etc.), or do all four parts need to be passed?

[Rob180]

Hi Lisu. The UKBA agency requirement for a UK Spouse/Settlement Visa is A1 level in Speaking and Listening. There is no test centre which tests only these aspects, all of them test on these and reading and writing. The only reason they test all 4 (in my opinion) is to justify charging candidates more money than they could for a speaking and listening test.

However, if you score 0 on reading and writing and A1 on both speaking and listening, that still meets the UKBA requirements in full.

The best place to do the test is Vantage Siam (BULATS). If you are concerned about your wife passing, I would recommend she do the Vantage Siam 3 day prep course, followed by the test on day 4. It may work out cheaper and because the course is specifically aimed at getting people to A1 she will pass. From memory I think the test is about £150 and the prep course is about the same, ie £300 in total. If your wife sits the test without doing the prep course and fails, it will cost you £150 then another £300 for the prep course and resit test, £450 in total. This is what happened with my wife last October. She didn't pass the first time, but did after doing the prep course. Hence if you have doubts, I would just pay the further £150 for the prep course, then your maximum outlay will be £300 and it's almost certain she will pass.

Another reason I recommend the prep course is because these tests are all done on computers and contain business related questions (which don't even need to be answered correctly to meet A1, but create major stress for candidates), hence if your wife is unfamiliar with computers she may struggle. By doing the prep course she will also get used to the accents she will hear. I am Scottish, but when my wife sat the test the first time she couldn't understand some of the English accents on the test computers because she was used to listening only to me speaking English!

If a candidate passes only speaking and listening at A1 they do not receive a certificate from Cambridge University. However, the test centre reports showing passes at A1 in speaking and listening are acceptable to the UKBA for Visa purposes. The scores achieved for reading and writing are irrelevant for Visa purposes, IE you can score 0 in both and it won't have any bearing on meeting the English requirement of the UKBA.

If you want to know anything more let me know.

Cheers

Edited May 5, 2014 by Rob180

[PeeJay1959]

Yes I would agree with Rob180, my wife did Bulats with the 3 day prep course, her English is not good, but she passed, even got A2 in speaking, in addition to the money Rob mentions you may have to factor in hotels, Vantage Siam have a list they can send you, most below 1000b, if you're close to applying she can even get the TB test whilst she's there, I don't think tat the IOM is far from there.

Pete and Tia

[lisu]

Thank you all SO much for the detailed replies! You have really settled my mind. My Wife is currently finishing a 100+ hour English course (they had originally customised the course for her to pass TOEIC, but have now very kindly changed to target the BULATS questions), so hopefully, along with the three day prep from Vantage Siam, she'll have no problem passing next month. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again.

[keithsimmonds]

As I understand it, ETS have themselves a couple of weeks ago stopped offering the TOEIC test for UK visa purposes. Sounds like ETS have jumped before they were pushed i.e. if they hadn't stopped offering the test UKBA would have barred them. This begs the question - will UKBA still accept TOEIC test results for FLR and pipeline SV applications?

Lisu - the test can be done at Vantage (Bulats) and Pearsons who are both in Bangkok. As with TOEIC all 4 disciplines must be taken - reading, writing, speaking and listening - but only speaking and listening need be passed. There are no other approved test centres in Thailand. Good luck.

This may answer your question

Applied for Flr 3 weeks ago after my wife failed Lituk Test. We received a letter from the Home office yesterday stating 'Discrepancies with some evidence from the ETS TOIEC test provider are under investigation and your application has been put on hold. Although we would normally decide your application within 8 weeks from the date it was sunmitted,unfortunately this is not going to be possible in your case''

They also state that we can take the test again or.....' You don,t have to take a new test but this does mean thast your application may not be decided quickly '

If you have any questions about this letter or the other tests you can take,you can telephone us on 0114 207 3463 Oh No You Can,t cos this number is no longer available...ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh priceless.

Not only that but i included in our Flr 35 page (16 pages not required) application form and 20 page supporting evidence documents a Pass Certificate ESOL at Entry level 1, which i have been informed rightly or wrongly is equivilent to an A1 pass?

[durhamboy]

I presume your wife took her TOEIC test at CPA in Bangkok.

Sounds like, yet again, the Home office don't really know what they are doing about TOEIC test results. Somewhere in the guidance notes for your wife's FLR application I think you will find something about her English Language Test Qualification must be from a test centre/provider that is currently approved at the time of the FLR application. Frankly I think that that is totally unfair but that is what they say. Now it seems that they are trying to make their minds up as to whether they should strictly enforce this rule.

Would you mind keeping us up to date with developments on your case? I think there may be a lot of people in the same boat and I'm a bit surprised that yours is the only case we have heard of so far.

[keithsimmonds]

I presume your wife took her TOEIC test at CPA in Bangkok.

Sounds like, yet again, the Home office don't really know what they are doing about TOEIC test results. Somewhere in the guidance notes for your wife's FLR application I think you will find something about her English Language Test Qualification must be from a test centre/provider that is currently approved at the time of the FLR application. Frankly I think that that is totally unfair but that is what they say. Now it seems that they are trying to make their minds up as to whether they should strictly enforce this rule.

Would you mind keeping us up to date with developments on your case? I think there may be a lot of people in the same boat and I'm a bit surprised that yours is the only case we have heard of so far.

I can,t remember who she took her test with other than it was near Asoke? So her pass was good enough to get her a Settlement Visa but now may or may not be good enough for FLR.

I will update you on any further developments.

Edited June 13, 2014 by keithsimmonds

[wilcopops]

Check out IELTS.