New ‘Life in the UK’ test for British Citizenship Applicants
About the Author
Louise Boyes is a Solicitor and Partnership Member at Fisher Jones Greenwood specialising in all aspects of commercial and personal immigration.
From 1st November this year aspiring British Citizens will be required to pass a test about life in the UK before gaining British Citizenship. Questions posed to candidates could include anything from the name of the leader of the opposition to what to do if they knock over someone else’s pint in the pub
The test is being introduced as part of the Government’s strategy to ensure that those who naturalise as British Citizens are fully integrated into life in the UK. It is the final phase of that strategy, the Government have already introduced citizenship ceremonies and English language testing for would be citizens. The test will be based on the book Life in the UK; A journey to Citizenship.
Those submitting an application from the 1st November 2005 can demonstrate they meet this additional requirement by taking a short computerised test at one of 90 Life in the UK Test Centres. In order to take this test applicants will need to have a command of English at least equivalent to ESOL Entry Level 3. Candidates who successfully complete this test will no longer also have to satisfy a separate language requirement.
Applicants who have a level of English below the ESOL Entry Level 3 will need to take ESOL with citizenship classes, which are language classes involving learning materials about life in the UK. Successful completion of the classes will signify that the applicant has met both the language and life in the UK requirements.
According to the Home Office the computerised test and the language/citizenship classes will be available by October 2005.
Concerns have been raised by organisations such at the Immigration Law Practitioners Association about whether courses are actually likely to be available by October and whether they will be accessible to all who might require them, as well as the additional costs imposed by these new requirements.
Whether the new requirements will be smoothly implemented is also of concern. When the language requirements were introduced in the Autumn of last year very little information was available initially from the Home Office about how the new regime was going to work.