mark_sheffield

Hello,

Just wondering if the same IELTS B1 certificate can be used for both further leave to remain at the 2.5 year mark and indefinite leave to remain at the five year mark for my wife's visa? Her further leave to remain application is next year (2021) and we don't know if she should do the Life Skills A2 test now or the Life Skills B1 test. I'm thinking that she might as well go for the B1 if she can use the same certificate again at the indefinite leave to remain stage.

Any help or insight on previous experience would be appreciated.

Thanks

scot47

IELTS certificates have a "use-by date". Not sure how long that it is now. I was in the front-line as an examiner for a while but I did not concern myself too much with how the certificates were used.

I suggest you check the current set-up re validity on the IELTS website.

DernierVirage

Yes, you can. I checked as my wife is in the same situation, her ILR application is in March and she will use the certificate she used for FLR.

See this useful thread....

Spouse Visa 5 year route- What is required and what to do.

mark_sheffield

Nice one. That's really good to know.

mark_sheffield

Thanks for replying. As a former examiner, have you got any tips on passing the Life Skills B1 test? It looks pretty similar to the A1 test my wife did to get her first visa.

scot47

I have been away for 10 years. Forgotten it all - and there have been changes. It might be worth checking if she can do a short preparation course.

Policy reader

This question is the most frequently asked one from ever since, if not in this forum, but definitely at elsewhere. That is the reason, there is high tendency among none-English speaking applicants to undertake the B1 test because of its reusability for all subsequent applications provided the rules wouldn't change dramatically in near future. A1,A2 and B1 all are similar in its format, preparation and outcome (pass/fail) except each one takes slightly different minutes to complete during the actual test.