englishguygoinghome

I've now got so used to the very detailled style of the recent immigration rules appendices that I'm at a bit of a loss with this:
My wife will be applying for citizenship soon and as part of this she needs to pass a language qualification. She already has Knowledge of Life from her ILE but there was no language requirement at the time for 282b applicants (married abroad for more than 4 years).

I've seen the related thread on languiage requirments for visas - the need to use a passport as ID, and also the need to get photos taken, documents signed in triplicate by a one-armed dwarf who is a certified accountant and allied to one of two specific international bodies etc.

I can't find any such requirements related to citizenship. The test she is taking is the Cambridge Proficiency - so on the accepted list and at more than the required level. She'll be using her passport as ID on the day but does anyone know what else she needs to do? Any special forms, photos, countersignatures etc required? If we make an error on this one then we'll have to wait until December for her next opportunity to naturalise.

BritInParis

I take it your wife doesn't meet the requirement in another way, i.e. citizen of a majority English-speaking country or has a degree taught in English?

https://www.gov.uk/english-language

englishguygoinghome

Nope. She has a (masters-equivalent) degree in English (and another language) as a qualified language teacher. But oddly that doesn't fulfil the requirements!
It will be easier for her to take the Cambridge exam and it's useful on her CV anyway.

john5655

I would be very interested to know if I am wrong on this, but my wife obtained ILE in 2010 (i.e. the old rules) whilst we were still overseas but having been married over 4 years. As I understood it at the time, she would not need any further English language proof other than her original LITUK test result in order to be naturalised (this is now on hold as we have left UK again for a couple of years).

englishguygoinghome

The rules changed last October and now all citizenship applications need level B1 unless they fall under the exceptions

john5655

EGGH, can I call you that? Seems you are right, thanks for the reply. I have a downloaded pdf file of the requirements from 2010. They have now been amended as you say. The constantly moving goalposts are a nightmare. A friend of mine fell foul of other such changes a few years back such that his wife lost her LLR status because a new english requirement came into being just before she was due to apply for an extension and there was no time to study and take the test, but in any case she was unaware of the change until it was too late!!! She now has to endure six years of discretionary leave to remain.

mikelincs

Will this impact on her ILE?

john5655

As far as the current rules remain, we will be OK as we visit UK regularly and religiously include her ILE visa details on the immigration landing card. ILE will lapse if she stays away from UK for more than 2 years.