Blue102

I am an international student from Singapore. I met my husband 2years ago and we got married last year. I want to switch my tier 4 student visa into spouse visa but I am worried about the English requirement for spouse visa.

I don't have any of those certificates that are listed in approved tests given by UKBA but I have GCE O level English certificate. I know it is not IGCSE certificate but both should be equivalent. Can I use it as an evidence?

Can someone with similar situation please help me with it? I don't want to take another test and I have all other documents ready except this so I would like to apply as soon as possible.

roaringmouse

Then you will need to get one by passing an approved test. It doesn't seem you have any choice. You can only use a certificate from an approved test, or satisfy one of the exemptions.

BritInParis

What are you studying in the UK on your Tier 4 visa?

Blue102

Medicine

BritInParis

Once you graduate you will meet the English language requirement without having to take a further test as you will have a UK university degree. If you graduate this year then I would wait until then before applying. Otherwise your only other option is to take one of the approved English language tests.

between two worlds

Forgive me if I'm wrong....I thought that if you are a native of a country where the official language is English, you didn't need to take a language test (relevant to us as husband is a US citizen) but I can't find the relevant guidance now.....isn't English the official language in Singapore??

BritInParis

Unfortunately Singapore is not on the list of countries where that rule applies.

between two worlds

Ah ok, sorry if I misled anyone then. Great that someone has the answers at fingertips!

englishguygoinghome

The country list is at the start of Appendix FM, in the GENx.x (off the top of my head it might be GEN1.4 or I could be making that up!)

BritInParis

Singapore is not considered an English majority speaking country by the Home Office. For reference these countries are:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
the Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
USA

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk...dge-of-english

ncoomber

So how does this work. My wife was born in SE Asia but has lived in the US for the past 30yrs and has been a USC for 25yrs of that. I have been assuming that because she is a USC that she wont need to do the test. Or do you have to be born in one of those countries to get the exemption?
Cheers
Nigel

englishguygoinghome

E-ECP4.1 states:
And GEN1.6 has already been quoted above

So, no you don't need to have been born in that country, or even ever lived there!

BritInParis

She only needs to be a national of one of those countries. Her US passport is all she needs to provide to meet the English language requirement.

alfista1

My wife I believe has Cambridge First A1 but many years ago. (also London chamber of commerce certificate)
So A1 is fine for the partner application?

roaringmouse

Indeed - a person could be a French speaking Canadian without much (or any) English knowledge and still be exempt because of their nationality. As an off-topic side point, am I the only one who finds the change to the gov.uk website annoying? It's one of the worst government websites to find any information on, the navigation is terrible, and everything is in the same format no matter the subject. I know the Tories wanted to reduce the amount of websites, but taking it down to just one is ridiculous and unworkable (bit like universal credit really).