Gentle Reminder: AN deadline approaching

It'd be great if you could make a post with the links you read, Garry.  I'll make it a stick topic so it doesn't get lost.

Thanks garry. I appreciate your persistance on my behalf.

I think Im going to take my chances and send in my application with a cover letter stating that no information on how to prove my english language ability was availible and that if when they get around to processing my application they are not convinced that I am capable of communicating sufficiently in English, dispite the fact that it is my first and only language, that I would welcome a letter asking me to provide proof and telling me how I can go about getting it. If they decide to reject my application based on the fact that proof wasnt provided, I'll gladly appeal.

Anyhow, thank you again for your help. I'll keep you all updated on my application.

I think Im going to take my chances and send in my application with a cover letter stating that no information on how to prove my english language ability was availible and that if when they get around to processing my application they are not convinced that I am capable of communicating sufficiently in English, dispite the fact that it is my first and only language, that I would welcome a letter asking me to provide proof and telling me how I can go about getting it. If they decide to reject my application based on the fact that proof wasnt provided, I'll gladly appeal.

It's adventurous!  To think about it for a moment, they can do two things:

[1]  Read your application and say "Goodness!  She speaks English, let's give her citizenship straight-away";  or

[2]  Read your application and send you back a missing documents form letter with the "English certificate" box checked.

Now, MarsBar, you've been on this island for some time and understand the way things work.  Which of the above two outcomes would you select as being most probable?

Please keep me posted in all events.  You are pioneer, blazing the trail for everyone else, so let's keep our fingers crossed...

I totally think 2 is the way it would work but at least then they would be likely to give me some info on how to go about getting an english cert. which is a hell of a lot more than Im getting right now from the HO. *hops in my covered wagon* yee-haw, giddyup HO *whipcrack*

Interesting development today.  I got a call from my examiner at the OISC saying that the advisor corps would be receiving information next week about it.  She also expressed surprise at the way the roll-out was being handled and, apparently, there's been a lot of enquiries.

I also noticed that the IND amended the document on their website to say that the new rule also affected spouses of British citizens - so apparently IND must have a fair amount of enquiries on their hands also.  It's a very strange amendment, no?  They put forward a new rule for naturalisation and then come along and say it also includes spouses.  What can that possibly mean?  Don't all rules affect everyone?  Isn't the only exception for spouses the timing requirement for ILR? 

Thats for the update Garry. Cant wait to hear more.

Ive gotten some info from the English Speaking Board who will be offering new certification courses in September for ESOL and eqivilent classes. I think if I dont hear anything new by then I'll just go and sign up for one. It takes about a day but each individual assessment is only 15 minutes with the instructor and it only costs £20-something. At the end Id walk away with an ESOL Entry Level 3 certificate that says I can speak and understand english as well as a 10 year old - woohoo for me.

If anyone wants contact details on the ESB or more info on the ESOL cources I have it handy. Just ask.

Thats for the update Garry. Cant wait to hear more.

Ive gotten some info from the English Speaking Board who will be offering new certification courses in September for ESOL and eqivilent classes. I think if I dont hear anything new by then I'll just go and sign up for one. It takes about a day but each individual assessment is only 15 minutes with the instructor and it only costs £20-something. At the end Id walk away with an ESOL Entry Level 3 certificate that says I can speak and understand english as well as a 10 year old - woohoo for me.

If anyone wants contact details on the ESB or more info on the ESOL cources I have it handy. Just ask.

I'd be interested, Mars.  I'll be going through this process hopefully next January/February.  Although I'm kind of hoping by then a bit more will be known and it won't all be such a mystery. 

New info has been posted on the Home Office website today:  http://ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/news/press_releases/new_language_requirement.html

Essentially, it lists qualified teachers in the UK & certain language teachers as the people who are able to determine whether someone with a qualification other than ESOL 3  is a competent English speaker.  Outside of the UK, British consular officials can do this.

I wonder what would happen if the person who is applying for citizenship is themselves a teacher...?!

Garry, I'm surprised you did not know that, previously, the requirement of speaking English did not apply to those applying on the grounds of marriage to a UK citizen.

It is interesting to note that the USA is also considering bringing in something similar (they already 'test' ability to speak English to a certain degree, whether you might be British, Canadian, Irish, Oz or Kiwi being irrelevant) but they are going to bring in more thorough tests. When I posted on British Expats that I thought it was stupid to test native English speakers in English, the response from every single Brit was 'we don't mind, how do they know we speak good English?' Interesting that everyone on here seems up in arms about it. I personally agree that BOTH the US and UK (and Australia, Canada etc) should wave this test for citizens of English speaking countries by birth (not naturalised).

Of course a British person might only speak Welsh...

Incidentally, in the US, you actually have to have a face-to-face citizenship test and in talking to you the examiner can usually tell if you are 100% fluent in English and skip that part of the test. Some people on British Expats reported that this was what actually happened, one saying the examiner just said 'Obviously you speak and understand English...'
So maybe the answer would be to have person-to-person exams instead of doing everything by paper.

It is interesting to note that the USA is also considering bringing in something similar (they already 'test' ability to speak English to a certain degree, whether you might be British, Canadian, Irish, Oz or Kiwi being irrelevant) but they are going to bring in more thorough tests. When I posted on British Expats that I thought it was stupid to test native English speakers in English, the response from every single Brit was 'we don't mind, how do they know we speak good English?' Interesting that everyone on here seems up in arms about it.

From what I can see there's really only a couple folks here expressing any ire about the test, so I hardly believe that just a couple speak for everyone on the forum. 

I personally agree that BOTH the US and UK (and Australia, Canada etc) should wave this test for citizens of English speaking countries by birth (not naturalised).

I'm not sure how I feel about it.  There's too many factors to take into consideration.  I do think the Home Office has done a very poor job in executing this new policy though.  I can only hope that when I am eligible to naturalise that a lot of this will be sorted out.   

I personally agree that BOTH the US and UK (and Australia, Canada etc) should wave this test for citizens of English speaking countries by birth (not naturalised).

Interestingly enough, Australia does waive their English language test for citizens of English speaking countries (and anyone else who can prove they have a university degree from an English speaking country).

I do think the Home Office has done a very poor job in executing this new policy though.

A dog's breakfast to be sure.  There's an awkward issue about deaf people; and knowing that American Sign Language (ASL) is a very different form of communication than its counterpart, BSL...  I wonder how the "designates" are going to cope with that one?

A dog's breakfast to be sure.  There's an awkward issue about deaf people; and knowing that American Sign Language (ASL) is a very different form of communication than its counterpart, BSL...  I wonder how the "designates" are going to cope with that one?

GOOD QUESTION. 

very good question indeed.

thanks for the update that more notes had been put up on the HO website. Now here's my next good question - one of my referees is a qualifying teacher, in fact the only teacher I know. Do you think it would be acceptable to have him as both my character reference AND my language ref? I wouldnt want it to seem like he was passing through my language certification out of personal interest etc etc etc.