Home office reply for English language requirement

[BalajiSundaram]

Thank you s_saini.

[Damanisshallo]

The news about how an applicant can use the Points Calculator is now published on UKBA's website.

[Ashwin G]

The news about how an applicant can use the Points Calculator is now published on UKBA's website.

Agree that in principle, points awarded for English language should be enough and probably that is what UKBA intend to say - but still not crystal clear.

The point about online PBS being enough is mentioned on the page about KOLL when one goes through British Citizenship link -

British citizenship > Applying > Application types > Naturalisation > Life in the UK > English language qualification

link below

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/briti ... ification/

If one goes through the settlement link the KOLL page is different!!! it doesn't mention PBS being sufficient -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... nstrating/

Not sure whether to take chance

[akb]

Please see the full reply from Knowledge Of Life Policy Queries
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Answer
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Dear Mr Xxxx

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the revised knowledge of Language and Life .............


Your dependent can also provide a copy of the points based calculator to demonstrate her eligibility. She should complete the calculator as if she were a Tier 2 migrant.


Applicants will also need to show that they have passed the life in the UK test to demonstrate their knowledge of life in the UK.


Regards

Mrs C Richards


Mrs C Richards
Nationality Policy Advisor | Operational Policy & Rules Unit
Immigration & Border Policy | Home Office
Home Office, The Capital, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9PP.

Is this tier-2 or tier-1, bit confused ?

[s_saini]

Hi akb

I think she is asking to access dependent English as if he/she were a Tier 2 Migrant, because tier 2 migrant need to demonstrate English at B1 level.

Tier 1 (General) assessment validate your degree on Online Calculator equivalent to C1 English requirement, which is higher than the ILR KOLL requirement(i.e B1).

Thanks

[akb]

Hi akb

I think she is asking to access dependent English as if he/she were a Tier 2 Migrant, because tier 2 migrant need to demonstrate English at B1 level.

Tier 1 (General) assessment validate your degree on Online Calculator equivalent to C1 English requirement, which is higher than the ILR KOLL requirement(i.e B1).

Thanks

Thank you for the explanation.

[srivathsa]

I am in the same boat, having a graduate and a post graduate degree from Indian university, which is accepted in the PBS calculator, and have used the same for my previous Tier 2 ICT applications.

Can I use the box 'eligible based on previous application'
or
Use the PBS calculator to show the eligibility for english requirement?

Has anyone sucessfully used this in their application post 28th Oct?

Thanks

Sri

[Damanisshallo]

I am in the same boat, having a graduate and a post graduate degree from Indian university, which is accepted in the PBS calculator, and have used the same for my previous Tier 2 ICT applications.

Can I use the box 'eligible based on previous application'

Which form are you referring to?

or
Use the PBS calculator to show the eligibility for english requirement?

Has anyone sucessfully used this in their application post 28th Oct?

Thanks

Sri

[srivathsa]

I am using the Set (O) form, but just realised that the form doesn't have the option for 'eligible based on previous application', which I remember seeing somewhere in the heaps of forms and pages on UKBA or immigration websites. Got it confused, sorry about that.

I guess, I can click the 'A degree taught or researched in English,' option and back it up with a PBS printout & original certificate?

It would be interesting to hear of anyone successfully used this in their application.

[Damanisshallo]

From: Knowledge Of Life Policy Queries <KnowledgeOfLifePolicyQueries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>
Date: 25 November 2013 14:18:36 GMT
To: Something@nothing.com>
Cc: Knowledge Of Life Policy Queries <KnowledgeOfLifePolicyQueries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>
Subject: RE: English Language Requirement: Naturalisation using PBS Calculator

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your enquiry.

The PBS calculator is designed specifically to assess the English language skills for entry as a PBS migrant, but in the absence of a calculator which assesses English language skills for the KOLL requirement, non-PBS applicants can also use it to evidence this requirement. It should be noted however that, if entering details as a Tier 1 (General) where the degree may have met level B1 CEFR, but does not meet level C1 CEFR, the applicant would not be awarded 10 points for English language, as to enter the Tier 1 (General) category, the migrant needs C1 level English.

Applicants wishing to use the PBS calculator to evidence the KOLL requirement, should therefore enter details of their degree as a Tier 2 (General) migrant, as entry to this category requires level B1 CEFR only.

I trust this clarifies the situation.

Regards

Ann


Ann Woodall | Nationality Operational Policy| Operational Policy & Rules Unit|Immigration and Border Policy Directorate | Home Office

Blue Zone, 5th Floor, The Capital | Liverpool | L39PP
Tel: 0151 213 4247

[Damanisshallo]

I guess, I can click the 'A degree taught or researched in English,' option and back it up with a PBS printout & original certificate?

It would be interesting to hear of anyone successfully used this in their application.

Read a successful story.

[mego_1980]

What about expired IELTS test??? will they accept it?

[Damanisshallo]

Read point 3

[adi.sharma80]

I do not have my degrees with me however I have the UK Naric statement of comparability and my marksheets. Will that count.

Pls help

[bhabal]

Dear all,

I need a big favour. Recently I got the letter from liverpool office as they need NARIC documents both comparability and english language assessment to further process the application. My wife applied for indefinite leave set(m) after two year spouse two year visa. They just given 10 working days .

Please kindly guide me how to respond to this
Can i send them point based calculator printout as her degree satisfies the point criteria
or any possibility of extending time deadline.

[ilrsept2014]

All,
Please can someone confirm if they got ilr for the dependent using pbs printoutfor english language. My wife's degree is appearing and she gets all the required points for language and degree.

[FaeLLe]

I think the crux of the matter is the underlined section below,

Therefore where an applicant submits evidence from the online points-based calculator, showing that they have been awarded 10 points in the English language section for their degree; and provides the original certification of that degree, they can tick the box on the application form, stating that NARIC has confirmed that their English skills are at or above level B1.

The original certification is what they mean by NARIC, if you are submitted a non UK degree without NARIC accreditation then I believe you are taking a risk in your application.

[nozerf1967]

Hi saayinla,

THanks for your most useful post. I have been desperately searching on various forums for a way out of my problem which isnt disimlar to yours.

Basically my Wife has been told shes need to go to UK Naric to ratify my degree but UKBA help line weren't able to clearly tell her why her degree needs that considering she used the same degree to get her spuse visa 2 years ago.

She went onto the PBS calculator and found that her degree was given 10 marks so that also begs question as to why she needs to go to Naric if UKBA already have ratiffied her degree.

So what we want to do is use the PBS calculator and take a print and then submit that during the interview.

It would be most helpful if you could provide me with the email address of the UKBA where you requested the help because I just can't find it anywhere on the UKBA website. This is so that I can ask the same question you did and hopefully get the same response.

In fact if you were able to email me the actual email then that would be better so that I could reply-to and ask if it is still current. I will of course take off any reference to you in the mail I send to UKBA.

I appreciate that this may be too much to send to a stranger so if that is the case then email address of where I need to send email to would be great.

Thank you so much in advance.

Regards,

Nozer

[FaeLLe]

Nozer it might be easier for your wife to take a UKBA approved English test or if you have some time get the NARIC accreditation.

For tier 2 spouse visa they don't check spouse English requirements, only main applicants.

[nozerf1967]

Hi, thanks for you reply.

Yes taking the exam may be option but really want to avoid additional costs especially when we feel its not necessary.

As for NARIC accreditation, we dont have time really i think.

We booked tickets to india for 23rd Oct 2014. We planned to book an interview for the ILR on the 10th October. I called UKBA yesterday for a few queries and its then I found out about this "new requirement".

NARIC take 15 days. Wife doesnt have a letter from uni stating that degree was in english and enquiring today it will take15 days to get it. Which means we have no time to do the ILR before we go.

On top of that Wife returns to UK on 20th Dec which is after the spouse VISA runs out which is why we wanted to do ILR before we went. If we have to do NARIC then We will have to return sooner and arrange interview for after she gets back.

BTW in reference to your last point, only my wife is applying. I am a british citizen, so we are not tier 2 applicants. i want to know whether i can use the PBS calculator to prove that the degree she did is acceptable (which it is) so why wouldnt it be accepted in applications outside of tier 2?

[FaeLLe]

Hi, thanks for you reply.

Yes taking the exam may be option but really want to avoid additional costs especially when we feel its not necessary.

As for NARIC accreditation, we dont have time really i think.

We booked tickets to india for 23rd Oct 2014. We planned to book an interview for the ILR on the 10th October. I called UKBA yesterday for a few queries and its then I found out about this "new requirement".

NARIC take 15 days. Wife doesnt have a letter from uni stating that degree was in english and enquiring today it will take15 days to get it. Which means we have no time to do the ILR before we go.

On top of that Wife returns to UK on 20th Dec which is after the spouse VISA runs out which is why we wanted to do ILR before we went. If we have to do NARIC then We will have to return sooner and arrange interview for after she gets back.

BTW in reference to your last point, only my wife is applying. I am a british citizen, so we are not tier 2 applicants. i want to know whether i can use the PBS calculator to prove that the degree she did is acceptable (which it is) so why wouldnt it be accepted in applications outside of tier 2?

So you have three options - Cancel your india trip, get an english test done ASAP or pay for the urgent assessment feed for UK NARIC.

You can prove English language requirement by having either:
1) an English qualification at B1 level
2) a degree taught or researched in Eng

For 1 you need to take the test as described for 2 the only option is urgent assessment which will give you result in 24 hours.
PBS printout alone is not clearly enough as shown on gov.uk website.

You can do a risk profiling of most cost effective option but the UK NRAIC seems to be the easiest way even if the urgent assessment costs more.

NARIC assessment - http://ecctis.co.uk/naric/Individuals/S ... rices.aspx
Source: https://www.gov.uk/english-language

[nozerf1967]

i have read this post and the reason i wrote is because the point was that an email from UKBA stated that it was ok to use the PBS printout.

All I am asking for is the email address of where I need to ask exactly the same question so I can hopefully get the same answer.

I dont want to put more money in the hands of others where I dont think its fair or necessary!!!!

No one can tell me why the degree certificate on its own was acceptable when getting the spouse visa but now to apply for ilr, the degree certificate needs ratifying????

UKBA shows this degree as 10 points - max points so I fail to understand why I have to pay anyone else to ratify when UKBA have it down as 10 points!!!

SO Would appreciate the email address of where I need to send my email to.

[FaeLLe]

If you read the gov.uk website you would see that PBS printout alone is not enough for ILR.
Spouse visa does not need degree certificate so even if she gave it does not mean it was required.

P.S. rules can change over time so even if it was so in the past you can no longer do it the way you want it.

[kenanuk]

If you read the gov.uk website you would see that PBS printout alone is not enough for ILR.
Spouse visa does not need degree certificate so even if she gave it does not mean it was required.

P.S. rules can change over time so even if it was so in the past you can no longer do it the way you want it.

Am I reading it any different on gov.uk website? It clearly state need any one of the three below??

You’ll need your original degree certificate and one of the following:

a printout from the points-based calculator with the equivalent level of your degree and the level of English

an original letter or certificate from UK NARIC confirming the equivalent level of your degree, plus an official letter from your university with your name and degree confirming that your degree was taught in English

an original and official certificate from your university confirming the degree was taught or researched in a majority English-speaking country (except Canada)