Life in UK test not listed as a requested doc for ILR?

I filled out my ILR settlement application online this past week and selected No when it asked if I had taken the Life in the UK test. (I had assumed I would asked to book an appointment at the end of the process). When I got to the end and submitted the application it didn't ask for a Life In UK cert to be part of my submitted docs. When I went to the UKVCAS appointment to submit the docs, they also said that it didn't show I needed to submit a pass certificate. Am I missing something here? Is this test not necessary if you meet certain criteria?

You absolutely need the Life in the UK pass certificate to be granted ILR.

Do you meet one of the criteria to not have to take the test?  Under 18 or over 65?

You have to take the Life in the U.K. test BEFORE you fill out the application. You MUST have passed it before you apply for ILR or your ILR will be refused.

You could actually have taken it at any time in the last 5 years, as the pass certificate never expires.

Do you have time to take the test and pass it before your visa expires? What happened at the appointment - what’s the current status of your application?

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You also don't need to wait until you apply for ILR to take the test. You can take the test at ANY time before your ILR application. My wife is applying for ILR as we speak but she took the life in the UK test a year ago to avoid last minute pressures etc.

I'm not under 18 or over 65 no. And no I didn't realize I could take it at any time, I just assumed it was one of the standard appointments that would be booked as part of the application process. Why would it not be listed as a doc for submission? I'm surprised the UKVCAS guy said it wasn't needed if it really is.

Have you paid for the application and booked an appointment yet? Have you already studied for the exam?

I'm not under 18 or over 65 no. And no I didn't realize I could take it at any time, I just assumed it was one of the standard appointments that would be booked as part of the application process. Why would it not be listed as a doc for submission? I'm surprised the UKVCAS guy said it wasn't needed if it really is.

I assume it wasn’t listed because you said you hadn’t taken it.


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Have you paid for the application and booked an appointment yet? Have you already studied for the exam?

And just to add to this, when does your current leave to remain expire?

The onus is on the applicant to do their research and be prepared to prove that they meet all the criteria. Even before with the paper form, the check list they gave bore only a passing resemblance to what was actually required to be sent in terms of supporting documents.

Have you paid for the application and booked an appointment yet? Have you already studied for the exam?

This. I know most people spend at least few weeks studying for it before they take it - taking practice tests, learning all the answers in the study books etc.


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I did a quick check on the website and I won't be able to book an life test appointment until 4th of February, Northern Ireland only has one test center. I suppose I need to call UKVI see what this means as all my docs were submitted at my UKVCAS appointment already.

I did a quick check on the website and I won't be able to book an life test appointment until 4th of February, Northern Ireland only has one test center. I suppose I need to call UKVI see what this means as all my docs were submitted at my UKVCAS appointment already.

When does your current visa expire? Do you have time to take it before the expiry? Not sure if that would mean being able to submit it while they have your application or if you would need to withdraw the application and reapply.

If not, the ILR will be refused and I think you should be granted another FLR(M) instead. You would then have to apply for ILR again when you have passed the test.


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I'm not under 18 or over 65 no. And no I didn't realize I could take it at any time, I just assumed it was one of the standard appointments that would be booked as part of the application process. Why would it not be listed as a doc for submission? I'm surprised the UKVCAS guy said it wasn't needed if it really is.

As mentioned, he might have said it because of how you qualify. There will be exemptions and you having marked "no" to taking it may have just flagged up on their computer system. Did you pay to have your documents checked? if not, it might be that the computer reads as you don't need it for whatever reason and it wouldn't be that guy's job to double check or know the specifics about how you qualify. Unfortunately, they will be putting the responsibility on you to have looked into this prior to submitting the application. This would just be my best guess as to why they may not have flagged it to you at your appointment

On the Government website, if you do the "eligibility" questionnaire, it does highlight:

Eligibility
If you’ve got a family visa as a partner or spouse on the 5-year route, you must have been living in the UK for 5 years.

If you’re on the 2-year route, you must have been living in the UK on that visa for 2 years.

If you’re on the 10-year route, you must have been living in the UK on that visa for 10 years.

If you’re not sure which route you’re on, check the letter you got from the Home Office when your ‘leave to remain’ was last approved.

Read the guidance about applying after living in the UK for 5 years or 2 years.

Knowledge of language and life
If you’re 18 to 64 years old when you apply you must also:

pass the Life in the UK Test
meet the English language requirements
When your application can be refused
Your application might be refused if, for example, you’ve:

got a criminal record in the UK or another country
provided false or incomplete information to the Home Office
broken UK immigration law
Read the guidance on why applications can be refused.

Proof of finances
If you’re on the 5-year route, you and your partner usually need to prove that you have at least:

£18,600 a year if you have no children
£22,400 a year if you have 1 child
£2,400 a year for each additional child you have
Count all your dependant children under 18, even if you do not add them to your application. Do not count children who are British citizens, European Economic Area (EEA) citizens or settled in the UK.

If you or your partner get certain disability benefits (such as Personal Independence Payment, Carer’s Allowance or Attendance Allowance) you only need to show that you have enough money to house and support you and your children (‘adequate maintenance’).

If you’re on the 2-year route, you only need to prove that you have enough money to house and support you and your children without using public funds.

There’s no minimum amount of money you need to have if you’re on the 10-year route, but you will have to give information about your finances when you apply.

The onus is on the applicant to do their research and be prepared to prove that they meet all the criteria.

I understand the onus is on me to have a valid application, it's just that with previous visas, appointments have always been part of the application process, not external to it, so I made the assumption any appointments needed would be assigned as part of the process.

I wouldn't worry about that too much now.

* Speak to UKVI and try and delay your appointment until after you take the test
* Book the test ASAP. Even if you have to go to NI for a day it may be worth it.

If you continue the application without it I am not sure what will happen but most likely they will just grant you another 2.5 years of FLR and you will then have to apply for IRL a second time and incur all the application fee costs again.

I understand the onus is on me to have a valid application, it's just that with previous visas, appointments have always been part of the application process, not external to it, so I made the assumption any appointments needed would be assigned as part of the process.

The Life in the U.K. test is not quite the same thing though - it’s like the English Language tests that you have to pass if English is not your native language. Passing them is not part of the application process and is something you have to make sure you do in the years before applying for each visa, so that you qualify to apply for the visa.

Also, the Life in the U.K. test has to be taken by everyone applying for citizenship as well, even those who don’t have to apply for ILR (because they hold PR as EEA citizens)... so it’s separate from the visa application process.


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