Trinity ESOL for A1 requirement

[stuartsko]

Hi all, just a bit of advice needed about English language requirement.. My wife has just obtained her spouse visa for UK, on her last visit visa I took her to Manchester to get her A1 English at a trinity test centre which she passed... I know the home office have now said this is no longer valid, what I'd like to know is with the 2yr validity, would she have had to pass the test again when it came to the FLR stage anyway????

[7by7]

From UK settlement visa basics

Updated in January 2014, to include an email regarding language certificates.

Thank you for your email correspondence of 30 December regarding the English language requirements for leave to remain and settlement applications.

I am sorry about the conflicting and incorrect information you have received regarding the expiry of English language tests. Our email of 16 December was incorrect. I can confirm that an expired A1 English language certificate can be provided for further leave to remain (LTR) in the UK as a spouse but not for LTR under the points based system.

An expired A1 or B1 certificate can also be provided for settlement and naturalisation applications. All certificates must be originals and issued by a valid provider as given on our list of providers which is subject to change.
(my emphasis)

Current (w.e.f. 1/8/14) list of approved providers.

[stuartsko]

Thank you 7x7... Would have felt better if she would have had to take the test again anyway... Feel like I've been ripped off now grrrrrr...

According to what it says would I be correct in thinking she could take her B1 test for her FLR instead of the A1, and it would still be valid at the ILR stage????

[stuartsko]

Ahhhh got it now, didn't realise with cambribge it's the same test, just a higher pass with reading and writing.. Sorry

[7by7]

The requirement for FLR is A1. There is no problem, of course, if one passes at a higher level.

The requirement for ILR and naturalisation is B2.

If someone passes their first test at B2, not B1, they can use this pass for all their applications; initial visa, FLR , ILR and naturalisation. If they pass their first test at B1 or below, e.g. A1, they will need to take it again and achieve at least B2 for their ILR. They can then use this B2 pass for naturalisation.

All of the above assuming the test provider is still on the approved list!

For ILR and naturalisation, they will also need to have passed the LitUK test. They only need to do this once, as the pass used for ILR can later be used for naturalisation.

[mrskint]

Hi mate,

I've just booked up with them for early next week, they seem to have a lot of test centres with quick availability which wasn't the case with the cambridge ones I looked at. I was in a panic as my wife's visa finishes at the end of sept and I had everything ready to send and just saw about the other certificates not being valid yesterday doh! But happy I at least saw it before I sent everything. Now we have a quick timeline to take the test all should be fine fingers crossed.

Here is the site which tells everything to help people out.

http://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=2094

[malct]

my friends wife is booked for the • GESE Grade 5 (B1) for naturalisation, it come with a 100 plus fee, So lets hope she pass's

[tonyk]

The requirement for FLR is A1. There is no problem, of course, if one passes at a higher level.

The requirement for ILR and naturalisation is B2.

If someone passes their first test at B2, not B1, they can use this pass for all their applications; initial visa, FLR , ILR and naturalisation. If they pass their first test at B1 or below, e.g. A1, they will need to take it again and achieve at least B2 for their ILR. They can then use this B2 pass for naturalisation.

All of the above assuming the test provider is still on the approved list!

For ILR and naturalisation, they will also need to have passed the LitUK test. They only need to do this once, as the pass used for ILR can later be used for naturalisation.

I think the qualification for ILR is B1 plus Life in the UK test pass.

[malct]

can you confirm that B1 level 5 is no good for IIR please. see link http://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=3107 ( i think its B1)

Edited August 29, 2014 by malct

[durhamboy]

Unless 7by7 has some new info that we are not aware of the requirement for ILR is B1 not B2.

Also it is just for speaking and listening.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182545/statement-of-intent-koll.pdf

[7by7]

Mea culpa; it is B1.

I have no idea why I said it wasn't and it was B2.

Many apologies for my mistake and the confusion it may have caused, and thanks to those who have corrected it.

[stuartsko]

Thanks for all the info guys, we gonna aim for b1 over the next two years... Keep our fingers crossed we don't have to piss more money up the wall at the ILR stage, just because the home office want to start moving goal posts... I'm sure others will agree the costly exams and travelling were taken in good faith..

Edited August 29, 2014 by stuartsko

[stuartsko]

Hi mate,

I've just booked up with them for early next week, they seem to have a lot of test centres with quick availability which wasn't the case with the cambridge ones I looked at. I was in a panic as my wife's visa finishes at the end of sept and I had everything ready to send and just saw about the other certificates not being valid yesterday doh! But happy I at least saw it before I sent everything. Now we have a quick timeline to take the test all should be fine fingers crossed.

Here is the site which tells everything to help people out.

http://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=2094

I think it's bad practice to just tell everyone a month before with no grace period.. There will be many people who are in the same situation.. How many people are gonna get visas rejected because they haven't got a clue.. Trinity website still says their exams are valid, I bet they're still taking test fees off people now who are expecting to use them for spouse visa applications.. Hope you get sorted out Edited August 29, 2014 by stuartsko

[cdnvic]

Had to remove a reply because the quotes were too messed up to tell who was saying what.

[mrskint]

Hi mate,

I've just booked up with them for early next week, they seem to have a lot of test centres with quick availability which wasn't the case with the cambridge ones I looked at. I was in a panic as my wife's visa finishes at the end of sept and I had everything ready to send and just saw about the other certificates not being valid yesterday doh! But happy I at least saw it before I sent everything. Now we have a quick timeline to take the test all should be fine fingers crossed.

Here is the site which tells everything to help people out.

http://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=2094

I think it's bad practice to just tell everyone a month before with no grace period.. There will be many people who are in the same situation.. How many people are gonna get visas rejected because they haven't got a clue.. Trinity website still says their exams are valid, I bet they're still taking test fees off people now who are expecting to use them for spouse visa applications.. Hope you get sorted out

Pretty sure that all the ones on Trinity are still valid mate, at least I thought so when I looked the other day. I'm just happy I spotted it, could easily have missed it and I bet many in my situation have. Actually the main inconvenience is the extra 150 quid or whatever, but after the amount I've spent over the last couple of years it doesn't seem too significant I guess lol.