Is proof of English required for citizenship if it was provided for ILR?

[ceratti1975]

Hi there,

I was reading the FAQs published in 2009 regarding the English language knowledge requirement, and I'm a bit confused about it.

Our family of four obtained our Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in November 2022. Since I was on a skilled worker visa, I had to take an English test back in 2017 to apply for it, which helped me with my ILR application. My wife also needed to take a B1 English test for our ILR application.

As I was reading this board's FAQ, it states:

"You will need to prove your knowledge of the English language when applying for citizenship, unless exempt."

Also:

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you:

1. met this requirement, on or after 28th October 2013, in order to obtain settlement (ILR or PR),

I couldn't find this information on the government website, and since we want to apply for citizenship now, I was wondering if we both need to take new English tests.

Could you please clarify this for me?

Thank you very much!

[alterhase58]

Not sure what guidance you are looking at.

Current AN guidance states:
"If you successfully made an application for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) on the basis of a B1 level qualification you would meet the English language requirement for naturalisation and do not have to pass another test. This includes where you satisfied the requirement for ILR because you had already met the B1 level qualification for entry clearance or leave to remain."

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... bookmark20

So you don't need to take a new test.

[ceratti1975]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Do I need to provide any evidence of these tests? My wife's test was done more than two years ago, so it's expired, and the same goes for my IELTS, which I passed in 2017, that worries me.

Many Thanks

[xavieryves]

There's a question on Naturalisation application whether you took the English test for your ILR application, you answer yes and provide your old certificates that you used back then (for both yourself and your wife). If you had not used them before and they were over 2 years only then would you need to sit another test.

[Lenin111]

Hello,

that's very confusing question in the application form to be honest - "Did you meet the knowledge of English requirement as part of an indefinite leave application made on or after 28 October 2013?"
What answer should be here? Yes? And to attach the old IELTS B1 certificate which has been passed during the application for skilled worker visa? And has never been used for ILR application...

[contorted_svy]

Correct, that is what you need to do.