New A2 English requirement in the family route

[Terpe]

he Prime Minister announced on 18 January a new English language requirement for family route migrants seeking to extend their stay in the UK.

Non-EEA national partners and parents on the family route will need to pass a speaking and listening test at level A2 in order to qualify, after two-and-a half-years in the UK, for further leave to remain on the five-year partner or parent route to settlement.

The new A2 requirement delivers the government’s manifesto commitment to ensure that those coming to the UK on a family visa with only basic English will become more fluent over time. It will mean that the person can better engage in everyday conversation and thereby better participate and integrate in everyday life in the community.

The government recognises the need to give those affected sufficient time to prepare for the new test which is why the new requirement will not be implemented before October 2016. It will therefore not affect those required to apply for further leave to remain before then. The precise timing and further details will be confirmed by the Home Office in the next few weeks and published here on GOV.UK.

Since November 2010, non-EEA national partners of British citizens or persons settled in the UK applying for a visa or initial leave to remain under the family route have been required to demonstrate that they can speak and understand basic English. This requirement was extended in July 2012 to parents of British citizens and persons settled in the UK. Since October 2013, adult migrants applying for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) have been required to meet level B1 in speaking and listening skills and pass the new Life in the UK test.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-a2-english-requirement-in-the-family-route

[Terpe]

Wasn't sure if this had already been posted.

Another hurdle in the UK immigration journey, but shouldn't be any problem for Filipino's who have been living in UK for 30 months.

Something else to prepare and budget for

[lordna]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/home-office-spelt-language-wrong-7224634

[Arthur Little]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/home-office-spelt-language-wrong-7224634

:laugher: ... I like it!

[cheekee]

Peter.

Is my wife affected by this with her ielts life skills at B1?

Wouldn't B1 be at a higher level?

[Jentobeharrison]

I have seen that post on UK government website a day after it was posted. It made me really annoyed, I just found out the IHS fee plus after a day, I found out this. They are really passing laws that are full of non-sense aims. They require immigrants to take test after 2 1/2 years of living here, are they serious? Obviously they already know how to speak and understand basic English. I find those very unnecessary, IHS fee I cannot believe that I have to pay it as I work full time, I pay tax, I pay what a common british working class person so what is the difference? I passed my English test here in UK by IELTS and I got B2 so what's the point?

[Arthur Little]

I have seen that post on UK government website a day after it was posted. It made me really annoyed, I just found out the IHS fee plus after a day, I found out this. They are really passing laws that are full of non-sense aims. They require immigrants to take test after 2 1/2 years of living here, are they serious? Obviously they already know how to speak and understand basic English. I find those very unnecessary, IHS fee I cannot believe that I have to pay it as I work full time, I pay tax, I pay what a common british working class person so what is the difference? I passed my English test here in UK by IELTS and I got B2 so what's the point?

Absolutely NONE, IMO :nono-1-1: ... other than the Government using each as a smokescreen ... :anerikke: ... an excuse to add to its coffers. And :iagree: with what you're saying on BOTH counts.

[Michael Parnham]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/home-office-spelt-language-wrong-7224634

I must admit I wouldn't have noticed because it's a word I've never needed to write ever and if I had to write Language I would have checked my Dictionary first:Erm:

[Terpe]

Peter.

Is my wife affected by this with her ielts life skills at B1?

Wouldn't B1 be at a higher level?

Yes Phil B1 is a higher level.
It's hard to imagine why your wife would ever need to prove competence at the lower level A2 but until the requirement details are published later in the year it's best not to try and second guess the Home Office immigration rules on logic

[cherrieclifford]

Thanks for the update, Peter.

I'm planning to take my English test in the next few months. Shall I wait and take the test later this year or it doesn't matter as long as I will get the required result? I arrived here 27/07/2014, so the earliest I can apply for FLR is 27/01/17. Please correct me if I'm wrong. TIA :smile:

[Terpe]

Thanks for the update, Peter.

I'm planning to take my English test in the next few months. Shall I wait and take the test later this year or it doesn't matter as long as I will get the required result? I arrived here 27/07/2014, so the earliest I can apply for FLR is 27/01/17. Please correct me if I'm wrong. TIA :smile:

What level of English test do you currently have ?

It might be best to target the B1 level.
All depends how the immigration rules get re-worked.

Waiting until October might put you under time pressures, depends how competent and confident you are.

If you arrived into UK 27/07/2014 the earliest you should apply for your FLR(M) is shortly before your 30 months residence which as you correctly say is 27/01/2017
I'd suggest sending the application around 02/01/2017 and hopefully receiving it by the end of Jan.
Alternatively you might want to make a personal appearance by premium same day service but of course there's a significant price hike for that.

[cherrieclifford]

What level of English test do you currently have ?

It might be best to target the B1 level.
All depends how the immigration rules get re-worked.

Waiting until October might put you under time pressures, depends how competent and confident you are.

If you arrived into UK 27/07/2014 the earliest you should apply for your FLR(M) is shortly before your 30 months residence which as you correctly say is 27/01/2017
I'd suggest sending the application around 02/01/2017 and hopefully receiving it by the end of Jan.
Alternatively you might want to make a personal appearance by premium same day service but of course there's a significant price hike for that.

Well I only have the TOEIC one, I don't know what level they are equivalent into. I got a score of 200 in speaking and 450 in listening.

That's what I'm thinking. Definitely I don't want any pressure. I want everything sorted out soon as I can because I'll be a busy bee this year.

Thanks for the clarification as I thought the earliest I can send my application was 27/01/17. How much would it be to avail the premium service? Thanks :smile:

[Terpe]

Well I only have the TOEIC one, I don't know what level they are equivalent into. I got a score of 200 in speaking and 450 in listening

TOEIC is no longer approved so you'll need to take another test anyway.

[cherrieclifford]

TOEIC is no longer approved so you'll need to take another test anyway.

Yep. I'll need to take another test soon. Thanks :smile:

[Terpe]

How much would it be to avail the premium service? Thanks :smile:

Hmm
The UKVI webpage for Visa premium service centres can be found here:-
https://www.gov.uk/ukvi-premium-service-centres/overview

Cost is £400 on top of the standard application fee.

Don't forget you'll be needing to pay the NHS healthcare surcharge anyway so stumping up for the FLR(M) application this time around is going to be expensive which ever way you look at it without adding on the £400 same day service fee.

Better start saving

[cherrieclifford]

Hmm
The UKVI webpage for Visa premium service centres can be found here:-
https://www.gov.uk/ukvi-premium-service-centres/overview

Cost is £400 on top of the standard application fee.

Don't forget you'll be needing to pay the NHS healthcare surcharge anyway so stumping up for the FLR(M) application this time around is going to be expensive which ever way you look at it without adding on the £400 same day service fee.

Better start saving

:NoNo: so dear. That would be £649 + £500 (IHS) +£400. I might just do postal application. Wew!

Got few more clarifications as well. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

>>My little one acquired automatic citizenship since my husband is British hence we don't need to do any citizenship registration and we'll be able to get a British passport for her.

>>>Her (our little one) passport isn't a requirement for FLR M application.

>>>We're living in a one bedroom flat and it shouldn't be a problem because by the time I'll be sending my application (02/01/2017) she'll still be under a year old. :Erm: Well just few days and she'll be one by then. Her date of birth is 11/01/2016. Is it her age that matters or is it the calculation if the accommodation is overcrowded or not? I think I read somewhere that she'll be counted as 0.5. :confused:

>>> My passport will expire on 04/2018. I don't need to provide a passport with 30 months validity. Do I??

Thanks so much,
Cherrie, Alan, Charlotte

[cherrieclifford]

:NoNo: so dear. That would be £649 + £500 (IHS) +£400. I might just do postal application. Wew!

Got few more clarifications as well. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

>>My little one acquired automatic citizenship since my husband is British hence we don't need to do any citizenship registration and we'll be able to get a British passport for her.

>>>Her (our little one) passport isn't a requirement for FLR M application.

>>>We're living in a one bedroom flat and it shouldn't be a problem because by the time I'll be sending my application (02/01/2017) she'll still be under a year old. :Erm: Well just few days and she'll be one by then. Her date of birth is 11/01/2016. Is it her age that matters or is it the calculation if the accommodation is overcrowded or not? I think I read somewhere that she'll be counted as 0.5. :confused:

>>> My passport will expire on 04/2018. I don't need to provide a passport with 30 months validity. Do I??

Thanks so much,
Cherrie, Alan, Charlotte

>>>>>help please. thanks :smile:

[cheekee]

I read the guidance on the new A2 exam, but it still doesnt stipulate whether or not you need to take the A2 IELTS if you already got the B1 for the spouse visa.

"From 1 May 2017, applicants who have completed 2.5 years (30 months) in the UK with
leave as a partner or parent under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules, and who are applying
for further leave to remain in that category, will be required to obtain an approved English
language speaking and listening qualification at level A2 or higher, unless they:
 Are a national of a majority English-speaking country (Annex B);
 Hold a degree taught or researched in English (Annex C); or
 Are exempt from the requirement. "


I am going to call UKVI on Monday to clarify.

From what I read its still a possibility which is crazy. My wife already got B1 in Cebu so is a step backwards. Also does it mean she will have to sit B1 again for ILR which in that case we would probably just go for B1 again for the FLR-M.

[raynaputi]

If she already passed a B1 test, she won't need to retake a test. It says there A2 or higher. She will have a possibility to retake if the test centre she got the test was not included in the list of the accredited test centres. Although I doubt she'll need to retake if they've accepted the test result in the past, especially FLR extension. That's why we advise here in the forum to take a B1 test from the start if possible because it'll save them money and time for doing it when the ILR and Naturalisation time comes.

The only test I took in my case with regards to this English language was the IELTS test I took in the Philippines. A year after I arrived here, they changed all these English requirements and I've never retake any test regardless.

[melovesengland]

You dont need to take another test if your certificate shows you have passed the a2 requirement or higher AND IF YOUR ENGLISH TEST CERTIFICATE is still in the approved list of the ukba for the english test prociders. As far as i know u can only use an expired certificate if youre applying for ILR and citizenship but it needs to show that you passed the B1 mark.