English Test for UK Spouse Visa

[Guemlum]

My wife is currently in the UK on a family visit visa. It has become apparent that she would be able to sit an English Test here in the UK which would give her the necessary certificate when applying for a spouse visa in the early part of 2016.

I do understand that she is not allowed to study for this test whilst she is here, and that she can simply apply/walk in to a test centre and sit a basic A1 test in speaking and listening.

My question is, has anyone tried this before? and which courses are available? From what I can see it is either the IELTS Life Skills with the IELT SELT consortium or the Graded Examinations in Spoken English with Trinity College London.

Is the ESOL Skills for Life Entry 1 no longer accepted?

Guemlum

[theoldgit]

Yes, a friend of mines wife did a test whilst visiting the UK last week.

Not sure that you can just walk in though, the test needs to be booked online, though there seems to be plenty of availability.

The test lasted about six minutes and her certificate was sent to an address she was staying at a couple of days later.

[maderaroja]

Try Youtube.com for English language lessons.

[7by7]

Any test on the list of approved providers is acceptable, whether taken in the UK, Thailand or anywhere else.

Table 2 of that document lists test centres in the UK.

[12DrinkMore]

I do understand that she is not allowed to study for this test whilst she is here

Duh?????

Even in Thailand studying is allowed.

[7by7]

Those in the UK with a standard visitors visa cannot undertake a course of study in the UK.

To study in the UK a non EEA nationals needs the appropriate visa or be a UK resident.

Can I undertake a course of study if in Thailand as a visitor, e.g. 30 day visa waiver, or would I need some type of student visa?

[12DrinkMore]

Those in the UK with a standard visitors visa cannot undertake a course of study in the UK.

To study in the UK a non EEA nationals needs the appropriate visa or be a UK resident.

Can I undertake a course of study if in Thailand as a visitor, e.g. 30 day visa waiver, or would I need some type of student visa?

Lots take short courses in cooking, Thai, Muay Thai and diving.

But I've just checked, and a study visa is required in the UK.

Ridiculous. If somebody is on holiday and wants to pay to learn something, I really can't see an issue.

I guess it is the good old Nanny State exerting its power over the people.

[theoldgit]

But you need a visa to study in most countries, Thailand for instance.

[7by7]

But we are not talking about leisure activities; we are talking about a course of study at a, usually, state funded educational establishment. (I am, of course, aware that foreign students usually have to pay higher fees than British ones.)

Correct me if I am wrong, but as I understand it any person in Thailand as a visitor who wishes to study at an educational establishment for more than 30 days has to switch to a study visa within that time. (source)

But those are the rules; any person in the UK as a tourist or family visitor cannot undertake a course of study or work. If they want to do either then they need to obtain the appropriate visa before travelling to the UK.

A visitor is a visitor; a student is a student; a worker is a worker.

Whether you consider this to be the actions of a 'nanny state' or not is a matter of opinion.

[brewsterbudgen]

IELTS Life Skills (A1/B1) can only be taken outside the UK. Both IDP and British Council run IELTS Life Skills tests in Bangkok. If she's in the UK I believe it has to be Trinity.

[7by7]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

[elephant53]

If you are in UK get a book/CD from ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xenglish+language+test.TRS0&_nkw=english+language+test&_sacat=0

[brewsterbudgen]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

I stand corrected! Good news for me, as I'm now an IELTS Life Skills examiner and hadn't realised they ran tests in the UK, as we had been told Trinity had it exclusively, Good news if I have to return "home"!

[bobrussell]

Trinity run B1 tests in many places within the UK. If the potential applicant has anything more than basic English B1 is quite achievable.

Not sure if there are pre-test courses for A1. They do have preparation exercises on the website. There are short courses for B1, usually on the day where candidates can practice their answers!!!

[Guemlum]

Thanks for the replies guys. Trinity seem to have appointments daily for the next couple of months. Will more than likely use them.

Guemlum

[DagonKhan]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

Apologies for jumping in on someone else's thread, but as my question pertains to the same subject I hope no one minds.

Am I correct in saying that either "IELTS" or IELTS Life Skills" is okay for a spouse visa? If so, which one do people go for? Is one easier than the other?

[brewsterbudgen]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

Apologies for jumping in on someone else's thread, but as my question pertains to the same subject I hope no one minds.

Am I correct in saying that either "IELTS" or IELTS Life Skills" is okay for a spouse visa? If so, which one do people go for? Is one easier than the other?

IELTS Life Skills is for A1 or B1 visa requirements. It only has Speaking & Listening components. The main IELTS exam is for academic / university or general training / employment and is far more difficult, with Writing and Reading parts as well as Speaking & Listening.

[DagonKhan]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

Apologies for jumping in on someone else's thread, but as my question pertains to the same subject I hope no one minds.

Am I correct in saying that either "IELTS" or IELTS Life Skills" is okay for a spouse visa? If so, which one do people go for? Is one easier than the other?

IELTS Life Skills is for A1 or B1 visa requirements. It only has Speaking & Listening components. The main IELTS exam is for academic / university or general training / employment and is far more difficult, with Writing and Reading parts as well as Speaking & Listening.

I believe IELTS Life Skills A1 is a slightly easier test to take, in that there is no need to plan an activity. Is this the test most people who are applying for a spouse visa take?

[brewsterbudgen]

IELTS tests can be taken in the UK, see table 2 of the list of approved providers.

However, it does not, of course, matter who one takes the test with in the UK, Trinity or IELTS, as long as one achieves the required grade!

Apologies for jumping in on someone else's thread, but as my question pertains to the same subject I hope no one minds.

Am I correct in saying that either "IELTS" or IELTS Life Skills" is okay for a spouse visa? If so, which one do people go for? Is one easier than the other?

IELTS Life Skills is for A1 or B1 visa requirements. It only has Speaking & Listening components. The main IELTS exam is for academic / university or general training / employment and is far more difficult, with Writing and Reading parts as well as Speaking & Listening.

I believe IELTS Life Skills A1 is a slightly easier test to take, in that there is no need to plan an activity. Is this the test most people who are applying for a spouse visa take?

Yes, A1 is significantly easier. The B1 test has a planning activity but A1 is basically just conversation and listening.

However you first need to determine with UKVI which test is required.

[DagonKhan]

Yes, A1 is significantly easier. The B1 test has a planning activity but A1 is basically just conversation and listening.

However you first need to determine with UKVI which test is required.

I believe, but am not sure, that B1 is necessary for a spouse settlement visa whereas A1 is not? Just been reading about it on the British Council's website.

[7by7]

A1 is the minimum required for the initial visa and for FLR.

B1 is the minimum required for ILR.

It can be confusing because when UKVI say 'settlement' they mean ILR.

For the initial visa, FLR and ILR only speaking and listening are required, but for ILR the applicant also needs to have passed the written Life in the UK test.

If one passes at B1 for the initial visa, then there will be no need to take the test again as this pass can be used for ILR; unless the government change the rules again in the meantime!

See Approved Secure English Language Tests and Test Centres; those in Thailand are all in Bangkok, unfortunately, and their addresses etc. can be found on page 11 of that document.

Edited September 6, 2015 by 7by7