New Hurdles For Uk Settlement Visa Applicants

[Mahout Angrit]

This article appeared in the UK Sunday Mirror today

3 December 2006

EXCLUSIVE: MIGRANTS FACE BRIT TESTS TO STAY IN UK

EXCLUSIVE And they must speak English

By Vincent Moss

IMMIGRANTS who want to stay in Britain will have to pass tests in English and knowledge of life in the UK under plans unveiled tomorrow.

Home Secretary John Reid will announce the new rule which will be compulsory from April 2 for people who want to settle here permanently.

The clampdown is the latest in a series of measures by Dr Reid to tighten up immigration rules at the crisis-hit Home Office.

Immigrants will have to pass both tests before they are granted permanent settlement rights in a move which ministers hope will help increase integration between cultures.

The new tests for immigrants who want to settle in Britain moves them into line with those who want British nationality.

They have had to undertake the tests since November last year. A total of 134,615 people have taken the tests in the past year, with a pass rate of 68 per cent. People who already speak English do not have to take the language exam.

Dr Reid said the tests would help immigrants get jobs and fit in with their local communities.

He said: "It is essential that migrants wishing to live in the UK permanently recognise that there are responsibilities that go with this and having a good grasp of English is essential in order for them to play a full role in society and properly integrate into our communities."

In 2005, around 170,000 people applied for settlement - which allows them to remain in the UK indefinitely without the need to renew their visa. Many go on to apply for British citizenship after a further year in the UK.

ARE YOU A TRUE BRIT?

SAMPLE questions from the Britishness test:

1. When did women get the right to vote?

A 1840' B 1901'C 1918' D 1945.

2. What does Boxing Day celebrate?

A Appreciation of gifts received on Christmas Day' B Appreciation of work by servants and trades people' C Recycling the packages used to pack Christmas gifts' D The British Heavy weight Boxing Championship.

3. What do Easter eggs symbolise?

A Fertlity and progress' B Good health' C New life and the coming of spring' D Youth and happiness.

4. According to the Church of England, heirs to the throne are not allowed to marry whom?

A Anyone who is not of royal blood' B Anyone who is not a Protestant' C Anyone who is under the age of 25' D Anyone who was born outside the UK.

5. What is mistletoe traditionally used for at Christmas?

A Burned as an aromatic fuel' B Given to friends as a symbol of generosity' C Hung above doorways under which couples are expected to kiss' D Used as a spice to make Christmas pudding.

6. Who ceremonially appoints a new Archbishop of Canterbury?

A The existing Archbishop of Canterbury' B The Home Secretary' C The King or Queen' D The PM.

7. What does the first visitor of the New Year traditionally bring to a Scottish home?

A A bag of ice and whisk y' B A block of butter and whisky' C Coal, bread and whisky' D Milk, tar tan, cloth and whisky.

ANSWERS 1. C' 2.B' 3. C' 4. B' 5. C' 6. C' 7. C

[email protected]

[The Dan Sai Kid]

What about questions that truly reflect British culture?

EG.

1. Who is Jade Goodey's ex-husband?

2. Who is Jordan married to?

3. Who won the last series of Big Brother?

EDIT: Aren't these actions irrelevant anyway as the real problem comes from migration within Europe?

Edited December 3, 2006 by The Dan Sai Kid

[Mossfinn]

The clampdown is the latest in a series of measures by Dr Reid to tighten up immigration rules at the crisis-hit Home Office.

First, I personally think that if you are requesting settlement then you should show some form of commitment to the country you are proposing to settle.

If you are proposing to go for Brit Cit then it is a necessity, in my opinion of course.

What is failed to be mentioned here, is that there is a book to study from, if you do the hard yards, read and study the three chapters that relate to Brit Cit, then although difficult, it is quite manageable.

I wonder how many people from the UK know what to bring to a Scottish home on Hogmany, but those that read the three chapters would.

What I find more disturbing is the reference to Whiskey in all four potential answers, prejudicial inference on the Scots, I'd say.

Good Luck

Moss

[GU22]

Full details of this can be found inthis document.

A few major points to remember:-

The test has to be passed in order to apply for ILR, not when applying for the initial visa.

If one hasn't passed the test before the time comes to apply for ILR, one cannot apply for ILR (well, one could, but it would be refused). One will have to apply for FLR until the test has been passed. However, in the case of spouses, fiances, civil partners etc. one does have at least two years to get this done.

It is the same test that currently applicants for British citizenship have to pass. If one has passed it in order to get ILR then one wont have to take it again to apply for citizenship.

Only ILR applicants between the ages of 18 and 65 have to take the test.

It appears that the current ability of those who have lived together outside the UK for at least 4 years to get ILE is being abolished. So irrespective of time together, only a 2-year spouse visa would be granted. Followed two years later by ILR; provided one has passed the test.

This requirement applies to all applications made on or after 2 April 2007.

[Rinrada]

The clampdown is the latest in a series of measures by Dr Reid to tighten up immigration rules at the crisis-hit Home Office.

First, I personally think that if you are requesting settlement then you should show some form of commitment to the country you are proposing to settle.

If you are proposing to go for Brit Cit then it is a necessity, in my opinion of course.

What is failed to be mentioned here, is that there is a book to study from, if you do the hard yards, read and study the three chapters that relate to Brit Cit, then although difficult, it is quite manageable.

I wonder how many people from the UK know what to bring to a Scottish home on Hogmany, but those that read the three chapters would.

What I find more disturbing is the reference to Whiskey in all four potential answers, prejudicial inference on the Scots, I'd say.

Good Luck

Moss

and if they cant even get the spelling richt....Deport them. ......eh

och aye the noo mon... aft wi their nappers...sinners an scunners

[the gent]

It's truly extraordinary that a country which has been incapable of exercising any meaningful border control and prohibition of illegal employment should burden genuine immigrants with such trivia that would probably challenge most indiginous British adolescents from the ever burgeoning lower end.

I'm afraid we are probably going to get more of this tosh from increasingly deranged Nu Labour feckwits as they approach their sell by date.

I think most folk realise that the policy developers within the Home Office are no more than unemployable failed social scientists with the most tenuous of grips on reality but this new drivel must represent an even lower depth of mindless moondancing.

Mrs immigrant, the proud mother of 3 children born to her Brit husband, settles in the UK, takes 2 jobs to support the family, doesn't drink or smoke and has no time for watching gormless British TV applies for ILR but fails the test because she doesn't know what drunken Scottish pagan worshippers do on New Year's Eve?

Jesus, you couldn't make it up.

The irritating thing about this tripe is that it has been spawned by a government of cabinet ministers most of whom were card carrying commies in their dope ridden youth.

Hypocritical tossers, the bunch of them.

[Couthy]

The clampdown is the latest in a series of measures by Dr Reid to tighten up immigration rules at the crisis-hit Home Office.

First, I personally think that if you are requesting settlement then you should show some form of commitment to the country you are proposing to settle.

If you are proposing to go for Brit Cit then it is a necessity, in my opinion of course.

What is failed to be mentioned here, is that there is a book to study from, if you do the hard yards, read and study the three chapters that relate to Brit Cit, then although difficult, it is quite manageable.

I wonder how many people from the UK know what to bring to a Scottish home on Hogmany, but those that read the three chapters would.

What I find more disturbing is the reference to Whiskey in all four potential answers, prejudicial inference on the Scots, I'd say.

Good Luck

Moss

Actually, it should be 'Black Bun' (a type of very rich cake) or coal on Hogmanay - shortbread is acceptable.

The host offers the whisky.

Cheers,

Couthy.

[Couthy]

Mrs immigrant, the proud mother of 3 children born to her Brit husband, settles in the UK, takes 2 jobs to support the family, doesn't drink or smoke and has no time for watching gormless British TV applies for ILR but fails the test because she doesn't know what drunken Scottish pagan worshippers do on New Year's Eve?

.

Ain't no pagans in Scotland mate. Not many Christians or Muslims either.

Ain't no football idiots no more.

Racially tolerant society is Scotland.

Engage brain before mouth.

"Fair scunnered sais I am".

Couthy

[Mossfinn]

and if they cant even get the spelling richt....Deport them. ......eh

och aye the noo mon... aft wi their nappers...sinners an scunners

It was actually me who changed the spelling, quite deliberately, as the only decent Whiskey is of the Irish type and that is spelt with an e.

I was wondering who would pick up on it

Good Luck

Moss

[the gent]

Mrs immigrant, the proud mother of 3 children born to her Brit husband, settles in the UK, takes 2 jobs to support the family, doesn't drink or smoke and has no time for watching gormless British TV applies for ILR but fails the test because she doesn't know what drunken Scottish pagan worshippers do on New Year's Eve?

.

Ain't no pagans in Scotland mate. Not many Christians or Muslims either.

Ain't no football idiots no more.

Racially tolerant society is Scotland.

Engage brain before mouth.

"Fair scunnered sais I am".

Couthy

Don't be silly! Scotland has loads of pagans but you may well know them as Roman Catholics......

The rest of your post is contradicted neatly by reference to events taking place on any 12th of July in Glasgow and that dreadful town's football derby match.

Brain fully engaged, thank you.

Perhaps you have a small caber?

[mazo]

Instead of the goverment policing immigration properly they are going after soft targets. This government is a disgrace and coming from a government who trys to put down most things english in fear of insulting foreigners. Blair is just trying to show he is tough when it is way to late hypocritical tossers indeed

Edited December 5, 2006 by mazo

[ling men]

Don't be silly! Scotland has loads of pagans but you may well know them as Roman Catholics......

The rest of your post is contradicted neatly by reference to events taking place on any 12th of July in Glasgow and that dreadful town's football derby match.

Brain fully engaged, thank you.

Perhaps you have a small caber?

Glasgow is a city not a town, you clown

[atlastaname]

I have to agree with the gents original post. I too think its a farce , making an already difficult process even harder for genuine wifes/civil partners etc. I took a mock test on line and failed , took another random one and failed that. So what does that prove ....seemingly that i don't know enough about Britain to be allowed to live here.

CRAZY !!

[mrbojangles]

I have to agree with the gents original post. I too think its a farce , making an already difficult process even harder for genuine wifes/civil partners etc. I took a mock test on line and failed , took another random one and failed that. So what does that prove ....seemingly that i don't know enough about Britain to be allowed to live here.

Me too

So, my mrs applies for her ILR in September. She hasn't studued for the test yet (we thinking it was just for citizenship). What happens if she fails?

I'm getting fciking tired of this country!! Surely they could have put a date on it, that Settlement visas issued after April 2007 would have to do the test. Say someone hasn't studied it yet, theyv'e only got 5 months.

EDIT// P.S. thanks Angrit for bringing this to our attention

Edited December 5, 2006 by mrbojangles

[mrbojangles]

Well, just got off the phone to Learn Direct. She didn't know that it was for ILR and kept telling me the mrs couldn't apply for citizenship until she'd been in UK for 3 years. I reitterated, it will be in force for ILR and the mrs will have to have ESOL Entry 3.

OK got that through to her, now this course will take 6-12 months part-time but the mrs has to apply for ILR in August (september in post above is wrong due to applying 28 days before SV runs out). Also, the nearest one is in Manchester (about a 30mins to an hour away, depending on traffic) How the <deleted> do i hold a full time job down, yet still try to get the mrs to Manchester

Edited December 5, 2006 by mrbojangles

[the scouser]

So, my mrs applies for her ILR in September. She hasn't studued for the test yet (we thinking it was just for citizenship). What happens if she fails?

Providing that the marriage is genuine and subsisting, I don't see how the Home Office can possibly enforce someone's removal from the UK solely because they don't read or write English to a prescribed standard. However, reading between the lines of the announcement, in the case of someone not having the requisite qualification, they will continue to extend the probationary period until such a time as they do. Of course, these applications will have to be paid for.

Scouse.

[the scouser]

... and the mrs will have to have ESOL Entry 3.

With the citizenship element, too; so ESOL Entry 3 with Citizenship.

Scouse.

[the gent]

The essence of Britishness is very much in the eye of the beholder and, frankly, cannot be typified by any singular event or trait. Attempts to define the phenomenon often end in banality or absurdity, characteristics which aptly describe the buffoons responsible for imposing these meaningless tests.

Enforcing standards upon new migrants involving knowledge of trivia which serves no practical purpose does nothing to enhance integration and to many it will represent an unnecessary obstruction to that very end. One is reminded of the cynical Australian bar to unwanted migrants of unpopular ethnic origins who were also compelled to take nationhood tests.......the poor buggers swotted away only to be told at the last minute their test would be conducted in Serbo Croat or some other such like outlandish language.

Anyway, I'm taking the wife off to London today for an airing and to further her integration into our pluralistic society. I had said we were going " up town " but bearing in mind the comments of the dreary pedant Ling Men I suppose that should be " up city "?

Edited December 5, 2006 by the gent

[ling men]

The essence of Britishness is very much in the eye of the beholder and, frankly, cannot be typified by any singular event or trait. Attempts to define the phenomenon often end in banality or absurdity, characteristics which aptly describe the buffoons responsible for imposing these meaningless tests.

Enforcing standards upon new migrants involving knowledge of trivia which serves no practical purpose does nothing to enhance integration and to many it will represent an unnecessary obstruction to that very end. One is reminded of the cynical Australian bar to unwanted migrants of unpopular ethnic origins who were also compelled to take nationhood tests.......the poor buggers swotted away only to be told at the last minute their test would be conducted in Serbo Croat or some other such like outlandish language.

Anyway, I'm taking the wife off to London today for an airing and to further her integration into our pluralistic society. I had said we were going " up town " but bearing in mind the comments of the dreary pedant Ling Men I suppose that should be " up city "?

thats better

[Mossfinn]

The essence of Britishness is very much in the eye of the beholder and, frankly, cannot be typified by any singular event or trait. Attempts to define the phenomenon often end in banality or absurdity, characteristics which aptly describe the buffoons responsible for imposing these meaningless tests.

Enforcing standards upon new migrants involving knowledge of trivia which serves no practical purpose does nothing to enhance integration and to many it will represent an unnecessary obstruction to that very end. One is reminded of the cynical Australian bar to unwanted migrants of unpopular ethnic origins who were also compelled to take nationhood tests.......the poor buggers swotted away only to be told at the last minute their test would be conducted in Serbo Croat or some other such like outlandish language.

Anyway, I'm taking the wife off to London today for an airing and to further her integration into our pluralistic society. I had said we were going " up town " but bearing in mind the comments of the dreary pedant Ling Men I suppose that should be " up city "?

thats better

Which part?

[mrbojangles]

Update. And to make matters <deleted> worse. Because of this news all of the nearest ESOL courses are fully booked up. She said they stopped taking names as the courses would be booked up for 2 years solid.

Again, the government doesn't think about the hassles these actions cause.

[Rinrada]

I know a Philippino lady who finally got around to it after...17 years ....she is now legit......Ma-bu-teeeeee

[Mossfinn]

Update. And to make matters <deleted> worse. Because of this news all of the nearest ESOL courses are fully booked up. She said they stopped taking names as the courses would be booked up for 2 years solid.

Again, the government doesn't think about the hassles these actions cause.

I was going to get a little frivolous on this thread, particularly regarding certain posts, however it would appear to be inappropriate now.

How long have these new rules been in place, I guess I could check, but I find it hard to understand how you can bring in new rules without having the infra-structure to cope with it.

I can only hope that couses will be enrolled to cope with supply and demand, I do hope this has not evolved out of another money making iniative.

Good Luck

Moss

[Rinrada]

and if they cant even get the spelling richt....Deport them. ......eh

och aye the noo mon... aft wi their nappers...sinners an scunners

It was actually me who changed the spelling, quite deliberately, as the only decent Whiskey is of the Irish type and that is spelt with an e.

I was wondering who would pick up on it

Good Luck

Moss

Moss...No prob...actually thought so......

bit of the Paddy stuff is........ OK......me thinks Tullybardine yeah..

..back to immi-grants...

we will need at least an estimated 250,000 more just to build the new terminal 5 ,Stanstead Airport ,Thames gateway,West Coast rail Link,LUL refurb.Gov.decent homes programme as well as /and not forgetting the Oli Games thingy .(2012).......so come all ye..........quickly.....

if ye can use a screwdriver ...even better...

me..... I am gonna pz off to LOS one day and do the retirement course......but not YET

richt now ....time fur a wee one.....afore aa gang

[mrbojangles]

Just had a thought (and yes, my head is hurting)

Is it time MrBoJangles exercised his rights to get an Irish Passsport and therefore MrsBoJangles could get a Schengen Family permit.

Would this avoid her having to do this frigging test? Would she need to go back to Thailand to get the permit? Is this a viable option or am i going nuts

[the scouser]

Mr BoJ,

Certainly EEA nationals will not have to take the test in order to gain indefinite leave and I would wager that, as EEA nationals by association, neither would their non-EEA dependants.

Your wife would not need to leave the UK in order for for her to switch to a residence permit. If I remember rightly, you said that your Irish connection is through a grandparent. This means that you will have to register as Irish and then obtain an Irish passport. I've done this for another client, so if you wish to go down this road, give me a bell.

Scouse.

[totlanh]

Scouse,

Just to clarrify then,would you think my wife(eea family permit)would need then to sit this test or not?

Thanks

[the scouser]

Having just checked the relevant legislation, the non-EEA spouse of an EEA national will not need to obtain either of the language qualifications (ESOL with Citizenship or the Life in the UK test) in order to qualify for indefinite leave.

Paragraph 15(1) of the legislation states inter alia:-

The following persons shall acquire the right to reside in the United Kingdom permanently—

( a family member of an EEA national who is not himself an EEA national but who has resided in the United Kingdom with the EEA national in accordance with these Regulations for a continuous period of five years.

As these regulations are derived from a European directive, they can't be derogated from by national government, so unless the European Council changes the rules, the announcement by the Home Office will have no effect on the dependants of EEA nationals.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[the scouser]

Mr. BoJ,

I forgot to add that if your missus does switch to a residence permit based on her marriage to an Irish citizen, the qualification clock for ILR will start ticking anew; i.e. she'll have to do 5 years from the date the residence document is issued.

Scouse.

[mrbojangles]

Cheers Scouse,

So i'm not going nuts (well i might be) but it looks like my over active brain, following yesterdays posts, has finally come up with something useful for a change!!

I'll call you later me old pal

Edit// Whoops just posted at the same time and see your post above. So, the residence permit is 5 years as opposed to 2 years on a SV? But then again, no fees for residence permits and no test !! Oh what to do. I'll have to get her to call your missus, to weigh up the options.

Edited December 6, 2006 by mrbojangles