Designates identified

hey, Im pretty damn insulted too but government is government and shelling out 15 minutes of my time and a whole whopping £28 to prove I can spell CAT and DOG - well thats fine. I want my nationality.

There's been a proposal put forward to include MPs, JPs, and magistrates in the designated category.   So at least there's hope that the academe's monopoly on English competence will be broken up.  They rejected an earlier proposal to designate members of the Law Society and advisors because of the potential conflict of interest that might arise by representing someone. 

so by this are they suggesting that the majority of MPs actually SPEAK ENGLISH... competantly!?   

And from yesterday's Guardian...


"... An public figure who has been knighted and has lived in Britain for 44 years has been rejected, as has a 30-year-old Australian writer, who did not wish to be named. She said the Home Office had turned her down despite her two degrees in English and public communications. The writer's MP, the Liberal Democrat for Brent East, Sarah Teather, yesterday wrote to David Blunkett denouncing their treatment as a "bureaucratic nonsense".

The Home Office said it would be wrong to assume applicants from English-speaking countries had workable English. "Just because someone's born in an English-speaking country doesn't mean to say they're exempt from these standards of proof," the spokesman said. ..."

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I assume the 44 year resident Knight is Germaine Greer, don't know who the 30 year old is...

Story at  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,1285901,00.html

Gad! Home Office does it again.

No, one shouldn't assume that an applicant has a good grasp of English simply because they were born in an English-speaking country.  BUT, if the applicant has lived in an English-speaking country for a significant period of time AND has been educated to degree level in that English-speaking country AND has contributed to English-speaking society....well, then I think it's safe to assume that the applicant has a good grasp of English!   

I have a degree in English and have teaching qualifications valid in both the US and the UK...but I suppose since I do not have ESOL qualifications, I would have to be assessed. What a bunch of complete and utter horse crap!

... An public figure

Since when is a bilabial consonant preceded by the indefinite article "an"?

Since when is a bilabial consonant preceded by the indefinite article "an"?

Lol, I was just wondering that myself!  Too ironic...! 

Help is on the way!

This from the IND site:

"...After 1 September 2004, we will add a fifth section which will be of help to people who are native English speakers but who do not have any educational certificate of the kind described in Section 1.  Anyone in that situation may wish to postpone their application for naturalisation until after September 1.  As an alternative, they may also follow the steps set out in Section 3 for people without certificates, but that procedure is primarily designed for people who are not native speakers of English..."

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/applying/british_nationality.Maincontent.0003.file.tmp/JP594JDE%20-%2019%20AUGUST%202004%20amended1__.doc

So it might pay to wait until section 5 is ready.

The corresponding SI is at...
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2004/20042109.htm

do i have to have this certificate to apply for my settlement visa or only when i am applying for british citizenship???

It's only relevant to citizenship, Jo.

do i have to have this certificate to apply for my settlement visa or only when i am applying for british citizenship???

the english-speaking requirement is for naturalisation only   

It sounds like most of us would qualify under section 1:

Section 1 applies to people who already speak good English, and who have an educational qualification which could only have been obtained by someone who has good English

"If you have an educational qualification which could only have been obtained by someone who speaks good English, we will accept this as proving that you meet the standard for naturalisation.  This qualification might be, for instance, a GCSE or A level certificate  or a degree or diploma from a University or Higher Education Institution, either in Britain or another English speaking country.  We will also accept degrees or diplomas from Higher Education Institutions in non-English speaking countries where English is the language of instruction, provided that you send us a copy of documentation which proves that the course is conducted in English. "

So what would be the benefit of waiting until "Section 5" is introduced?

My degree is in Court Reporting!  Think that will fly with them?