ILR life in the UK test
Many applicants for Indefinite Leave to Remain are a bit bemused by the Home Office requirement that they have to pass a ‘Life in the UK’ test in order to meet the eligibility criteria for an Indefinite Leave to Remain application. The good news (at least if you are nearing your sixty fifth birthday) is that you do not need to sit the Life in the UK test if you are under the age of eighteen or over the age of sixty five or if you fall within other limited exemptions.
Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors
If you need advice about your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain or if you’ve had an application for leave to remain refused and want expert advice about your ILR options after a refusal decision then call London based OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 and speak to one of our experienced Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors or complete our online enquiry form.
Is the Life in the UK test difficult to pass?
The question ‘is the Life in the UK test difficult to pass?’ is a hard question to answer as it all depends on you. Passing or failing the test isn’t a sign of intelligence (or not) as most applicants for Indefinite Leave to Remain say that passing the Life in the UK test is all about preparation for the test as if you know the sorts of questions that are likely to come up you are more likely to pass. The pass mark is seventy five percent so you need to get at least eighteen of the twenty four questions right.
Although it is rather trite to say if you prepare then passing the test is easier, when it comes to the Life in the UK test, it is true. That is because many of the questions that can come up in the Life in the UK test may not come up in your everyday life in the UK unless you are a history buff or you have studied the official Life in the UK handbook.
How many times can I take the Life in the UK test?
You can take the Life in the UK test as many times as you need to in order to achieve a pass. Immigration solicitors recommend preparation for the test to avoid too many repeat applications. That is because not only is it time consuming to take the test but each test resit incurs a fee. There are some great books and online resources to help you pass the Life in the UK test and all our specialist Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors can talk you through the test process.
If you do fail the Life in the UK test then you will have to wait seven days before you can take the test again. That is why if you are on a tight deadline to submit your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain it can be sensible to book the test well in advance just in case you have to repeat it.
Does the Life in the UK test expire?
If you have successfully sat the Life in the UK test you may worry about the timing of your Indefinite Leave to Remain application because of the expiry of your Life in the UK test. The Life in the UK test does not have an expiry date or validity date.
Although your Life in the UK test doesn’t have an end date by which you must use it you should be aware that there are time considerations to an ILR application. Your leave to remain application must be submitted before the expiry of your visa or entry clearance.
If you are worried about passing the Life in the UK test it is sensible to sort out taking the Life in the UK test well in advance of the deadline for the submission of your Indefinite Leave to Remain application to UKCVAS.
Booking the Life in the UK test
Booking the Life in the UK test takes a bit of preparation as you can't take the test online in your home or just turn up at a test centre and take the test. The test has to be booked at least three days in advance and has to be sat at a test centre that is local to your home address.
You will need evidence of identity to book the Life in the UK test and when attending the test centre you will also need to bring the identity document you used to book the test as well as proof of your address. The document proving your address cannot be more than three months old. You can use a letter from the Home Office, a bank statement, utility bill or council tax demand but whatever paperwork you chose to take to the test centre must be an original and not a photocopy.
For busy working Immigration clients who travel extensively with business it can be more convenient to take the Life in the UK test at a centre some distance from their home address. However, the rules are clear that you must chose a test centre (there are thirty of them) that is close to your residential address rather than in a city you are visiting for business purposes.
Life in the UK test for ILR and British Citizenship applications
If you dread the thought of having to take the Life in the UK test again when you come to apply for British Citizenship the good news is that if you take the Life in the UK test for your ILR application you do not need to take the test again when you apply to naturalise.
If you have questions about the Life in the UK test then do ask your Immigration solicitor as part of your Indefinite Leave to Remain application process. Sitting a test is never easy so it is understandable if you have questions about the Life in the UK test.
Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors
For help with your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain or if you have questions about your settlement options then call our specialist Indefinite Leave to Remain solicitors based in central London on 0203 959 9123 or complete our online enquiry form.
OTS Solicitors are experts in Immigration law and have substantial experience in applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain and challenging refusal of ILR applications. London based OTS Solicitors are Legal 500 and Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession recommended Immigration lawyers and have Law Society accredited solicitor status as trusted specialists in Immigration law.