IELTS certificate validity?

Hi guys I hope you could help. I received a letter from HO stating that the "IELTS certificate has elapsed and is no longer suitable to our requirements". This is the same certificate I used when I applied for ILR in November 2019 (I am married to a BC).

From what I have read in the guidelines released in October 2018 states:
"Validity dates of SELT qualifications listed on the Home Offices pages of GOV.UK or on the Ofqual register, will not be applied for settlement applications provided either:
- the qualification has previously been accepted for another immigration application"

To add, I have a friend who applied for Naturalisation in September 2019 and she said she provided the same IELTS certificate she used when she first entered the UK 2014 (for employment) and ILR application in May 2019 (She is also married to a BC).

I am planning to give UKVI a call first thing on Monday. If anyone can give insight into this, please let me know.

Have you been refused? Yes, if the certificate was used in a previous successful application it should be acceptable.

Amber wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:55 am

Have you been refused? Yes, if the certificate was used in a previous successful application it should be acceptable.

Thank you for the reply. I have been given until the end of the month to send a new B1 certificate.

I gave UKVI a call earlier and the customer service representative said that because it is out of date (the certificate is dated 2014), I could only use it for ILR but not for citizenship application. The representative advised I do a new test. This is really confusing because from what I understand from KoLL, if the qualification used was accepted in a successful ILR, there is no need to provide a new one.

I sent an email to UKVI explaining this (using the generic email address provided by the gov.uk website). I am hoping to receive a reply from the case worker. Unfortunately, I do not have the email address of the caseworker to send him the email directly.

Has anyone else had trouble with IELTS being out of date?

Although the guidance would suggest it should be acceptable, it may be wise to redo the test as you avoid being refused.

Amber wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:45 pm

Although the guidance would suggest it should be acceptable, it may be wise to redo the test as you avoid being refused.

It's just the extra expense of £150 for the test though.

I received an automated response from nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk so I don't think my email is going to reach my caseworker. If I send a letter by post to UKVI, would it reach my caseworker's desk before the deadline he gave me?

zeezaii wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:22 am

Amber wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:45 pm

Although the guidance would suggest it should be acceptable, it may be wise to redo the test as you avoid being refused.

It's just the extra expense of £150 for the test though.

I received an automated response from nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk so I don't think my email is going to reach my caseworker. If I send a letter by post to UKVI, would it reach my caseworker's desk before the deadline he gave me?

£150 or £372 plus £150 if refused and need to request a reconsideration. If you retake a test it must be approved (click).

Amber wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 21, 2020 7:26 am

zeezaii wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:22 am

Amber wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:45 pm

Although the guidance would suggest it should be acceptable, it may be wise to redo the test as you avoid being refused.

It's just the extra expense of £150 for the test though.

I received an automated response from nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk so I don't think my email is going to reach my caseworker. If I send a letter by post to UKVI, would it reach my caseworker's desk before the deadline he gave me?

£150 or £372 plus £150 if refused and need to request a reconsideration. If you retake a test it must be approved (click).

I suppose taking the test would be more economical if you put it that way.

Thanks for the help.

Any further update on the subject.Are you appearing for ielts again

I called the helpline a second time and the person advised that my IELTS should still be acceptable for my naturalisation application. She further advised me to print out the guidance and send it by post to the person handling my application. So there have been two calls to the helpline with two different answers.