An Immigration Solicitors Guide to Passing the British Citizenship Test
You may have thought that the days of your sitting tests were long over as that aspect of your life stopped when you finished your schooling or obtained your degree. However, Immigration Solicitors warn that if you want to become a British citizen you will probably need to take and pass a British citizenship test.
In this guide, our British citizenship solicitors look at what the British citizenship test involves.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors and British Citizenship Lawyers
For UK settlement and immigration advice call London-based OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
What is the British citizenship test?
When you apply to become a British citizen most applicants have to sit a British citizenship test. The test is designed to show and check you understand life in the UK.
The test is standard in nature and you must attend a course offered by an approved provider.
In addition to sitting the British citizenship test, you may also need to sit an English language test as part of your British citizenship application.
Who must sit the British citizenship test?
Anyone applying for British citizenship must take the British citizenship test. You are only exempt from sitting the test if:
- You are under 18
- You are 65 or over
- You have a physical or mental health condition that is long-term in nature and affects your ability to take the test. You will need medical evidence of the condition from a doctor
- You have passed the Life in the UK test
Is the Life in the UK test different from the British citizenship test?
British citizenship lawyers say the 2 tests are the same. The test is designed to test your knowledge of the UK as part of either a British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain settlement application.
The format of the test is multiple choice questions. You must answer 24 questions taken from the Life in the UK handbook.
What does the British citizenship test cover?
The British citizenship test asks questions on topics such as British customs and culture, traditions, geography, history, politics and laws.
The scope of the test is wide. Many British citizens have said they would find it hard to pass the test because not all the topics are covered in UK schooling or they may not have come across them in British life. British citizenship lawyers say the best way to prepare for the test and to pass it is to obtain a copy of the Life in the UK handbook and to study the questions and answers.
Can I take the British citizenship test online?
Unfortunately, you cannot take the British citizenship test in the comfort of your own home or from your workplace. That’s because the immigration rules say that the British citizenship test must be:
- Taken with a Home Office authorised provider
- Carried out at a test centre local to where you live
- Taken at least 3 days after booking your first test. If you are resitting the test you need to wait at least 7 days before you rebook another test
The rules are strict because your identity must be verified at the start of the test process. The Home Office insists on in-person independent identity verification and accordingly, only authorised test providers at test centres can be used. Online tests may help you prepare but they are not ‘the real thing’. There are plenty of free online test resources to practice with before you book an official test.
Proving your identity to sit the British citizenship test
British citizenship solicitors stress the importance of taking the correct documents with you to the test centre as without those your identity cannot be verified.
You must prove your identity online when applying to sit the test. When the test is booked in your name you then need to take the original documents with you to the test centre. Those documents will need to prove you are who you say you are and you will also need paperwork to prove your address.
The documents you can use to verify your identity include:
- Your passport or travel document – if valid
- Biometric residence permit or card
When you are booking the British citizenship test it is vital to use the same name as on your identity documents. You should therefore not use a nickname or abbreviated version of your name or use a middle name.
Passing the British citizenship test
To pass the British citizenship test you need to get at least 18 out of 24 questions right. That equates to a 75% pass mark. You are told on the day you sit the test if you have passed or failed.
As the information to get the answers right is contained in the handbook the best way you can ensure test success is to read and study the handbook. The questions on the test will be randomly taken from the handbook.
If you do not pass the test the first time round it does not matter as you can sit the test as many times as you need to. However:
- If you fail the test your test application fee is not refunded
- You must pay the test fee each time you sit the test
- You must wait 7 days before you can book another test after you have not passed the test
- You cannot apply for indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship unless you pass the Life in the UK or British citizenship test
Once you have indefinite leave to remain there is no time pressure to apply for British citizenship unless there is a particular need for British citizenship, such as a British passport. However, if your visa is due to expire and you do not want to apply to extend your visa or switch to a new visa category, then you may be under some time pressure to pass the Life in the UK test so you can apply for indefinite leave to remain before the expiry of your visa.
Using your British citizenship test certificate
There is no expiry date on a British citizenship test certificate. You therefore do not have to immediately submit your British citizenship application once you have passed the test. However, your British citizenship solicitors may recommend that you apply for British citizenship quickly. For example, because of a planned change in immigration rules or because you are planning to leave the UK temporarily (for at least 2 years) and you do not want to have to apply for a Returning Resident Visa.
A British citizenship lawyer can advise you on the best timing of your application to become a British citizen.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors and British Citizenship Lawyers
For UK settlement and immigration advice call London-based OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
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