Eng language requirements for naturalisation but w/ a twist!

[goldenbat6]

Notwithstanding the helpful link here: http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 98118.html

It seemed to me quite self explanatory that anyone who has been granted ILR on or after 28 October 2013 would be exempt from having to prove their English language requirement = does NOT have to send any documentary evidence proving their English language capabilities.

So I filled in my AN Form accordingly and used the Nationality Checking Service to submit my application.

Just in case, I did bring my university degree certificate and asked to double check that I absolutely, really did not need to send this and I was assured that my understanding was correct.

Now that was 9 February 2016.

Today, however, I receive a letter from the Home Office stating as follows:-

"I refer to your application for British citizenship. Before we can proceed further please send all of the following original documents to this office by 17/05/2016.

- Evidence that you satisfy the knowledge of English language requirement. You must provide BOTH an acceptable English language qualification AND a life in the UK test pass notification letter, as explained in the enclosed annex, in order to meet this requirement. You have not provided an acceptable English language qualification."

Then the annex goes on to explain the usual B1 CEFR, SELT, Bachelor's degree etc. etc.

This is completely against what I had understood from various sources - has anyone else had something similar happen to them or understand what's going on here?

[CR001]

There have been quite a few members since late last year that have been asked to provide proof of English after they submitted through NCS.

Is your degree a UK degree or overseas degree?

[goldenbat6]

Hello CR001,

Thank you for your reply. Mine is a UK degree so I have no problem sending it through and will do so tomorrow. However, I did want to see if my understanding was correct and whether something was changing.

It's a little odd that further documents would be required even after the submission through the NCS especially when they specifically told me that it would not be needed. The letter from the Home Office makes is quite clear that they would like the original also which once again defeats the point of using NCS...

[geriatrix]

It is the (inefficient, untrained) caseworker who is at fault.

There is no requirement for anyone who has applied for ILR on / after 28-Oct-2013 to provide any evidence of fulfilling KoLL requirement.
The form AN itself asks the applicant to confirm that he/she fulfilled the said requirement to qualify for settlement on / after 28-Oct-2013, and the evidence of that confirmation is already in their records.

[goldenbat6]

Hello geriatrix,

Thank you for your reply. I am now reassured! Will be sending my degree certificate today and will update should anything else happen.

Thank you all for your replies!