Expired Ielts for KOLL

[adnanmirza]

Hi members,
can you please tell whether the expired Ielts will fulfill the KOLL English language requirement? My wife gave Ielts expired in 2012. She got 8 band and it look pointless that she gives it again

Can some one please explain whether we can apply with expired Ielts?


Thank you

[Jambo]

Yes

[viz786]

yes its acceptable



Just got more clear response from UKBa

Email Response for my query regarding Ielts expires 2006




DearSir,

Thank you for your e mail.



We will accept an ESOL qualification at or above level B1 on the Common European Framework Reference for languages (CEFR) provided:



1) it has previously been accepted by us in connection with another immigration application, eg for entry clearance, or further leave to remain, or

2) if it is being presented to us for the first time, the qualification was taken in the UK and is on the OFQUAL register, regardless of the issue date of the certificate.



If it is being presented to us for the first time, and was taken outside the UK, then the expiry date will apply.



I trust this answers your question.



Kind regards



Ann



Ann Woodall | Nationality Operational Policy| Operational Policy & Rules Unit|Immigration and Border Policy Directorate | Home Office

[adnanmirza]

Hi Viz and Jambo
Some of the other threads say that Ielts expiry is not problem for naturalisation. I am asking this as my wife gave Ielts in 2010 outside Uk.

I am bit confused whether will it be still acceptable or not as it expired in 2012 and was given outside Uk. The Ielts was never given to home office as part of earlier visas. So this will be the first time they will see it as part of KOLL.

Please help

[viz786]

Hi mate


Well i am in the same boat , i have given ielts in 2004 and i never use my ielts in any of my application with ukba , recently when i e mailed them so they gave me that reply which i posted here , so according to that e mail if ielts been taken outside uk and its not use in any of your application here and if it is the first time you gona represent your ielts to HO so expiry will apply . I have booked new test for safer side as according to that e mail i cant use me that expired ielts

Hope this will be helpful for you

Regards

[adi_khaneng]

Please refer to this attachment from UKBA that states the validity of Ielts which is 2 year.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... -tests.pdf

Page 18/35

[Amber]

An expired IELTS can be used for settlement and naturalisation to meet the B1 requirement.

[adnanmirza]

Hi Amber
Some ppl saying its validity is for 2 years. On the other side, there is also a suggestion that Ielts validity does not get checked at naturalisation. Can you please explain how you came to know about this?

I got some contrasting replies on this thread so your help would b appreciated

Thanks

[WR1]

yes its acceptable



Just got more clear response from UKBa

Email Response for my query regarding Ielts expires 2006




DearSir,

Thank you for your e mail.



We will accept an ESOL qualification at or above level B1 on the Common European Framework Reference for languages (CEFR) provided:



1) it has previously been accepted by us in connection with another immigration application, eg for entry clearance, or further leave to remain, or

2) if it is being presented to us for the first time, the qualification was taken in the UK and is on the OFQUAL register, regardless of the issue date of the certificate.



If it is being presented to us for the first time, and was taken outside the UK, then the expiry date will apply.



I trust this answers your question.



Kind regards



Ann



Ann Woodall | Nationality Operational Policy| Operational Policy & Rules Unit|Immigration and Border Policy Directorate | Home Office

This makes no logical sense whatsoever.

If you have already demonstrated language ability at Level B1, how is it relevant if the certificate is used previously or not.

So, if someone has done IELTS outside the UK and has achieved above Level B1, never used for visa purposes and IELTS has now expired, its no longer accepted by UKBA even though they have already demonstrated their ability. Whether one has presented the certificate in the past or not does not change the individual's language ability.

This means doing another test. It seems like the Home Office are making up the rules up as they go along. Pathetic.

[adnanmirza]

Yes this is really pathetic. I can't understand the logic that giving Ielts outside uk would not be accepted by ukba. This is really frustrating causing waste of time and money

[WR1]

From what i can see, they will only accept a expired IELTS certificate taken outside the UK IF it has been presented in a previous visa application. If not, they won't accept it. This is illogical as i it does not change one's ability that has already been demonstrated.

This poses a problem since I've been reading on numerous threads in this forum that a expired IELTS is accepted from other HO correspondences with no mention of it being presented or not presented beforehand.

There is now conflicting information and the UKBA website makes no mention of acceptance of expired IELTS certificates.

My other half initially had the visa rejected due to scoring 3.5 in speaking. I appeal it and in the process had my other half sit another test in which 5.0 was achieved as a back up tot he appeal. However, I won the appeal so the latter test was never used, and by the time i come to apply for ILR, it will have expired.

From what i read in the other threads, an expired IELTS certs is accepted and now the HO email response above is saying something different with certain conditions attached.

Meaning my other half has to sit another test again even though the English Language requirement has already been demonstrated at Level B1. I had been under the impression that the expired IELTS with be no issue for ILR and the other email confirms it and this email says otherwise.

To be honest, there is too much ambiguity as to date there is NOTHING officially mentioned on the UKBA website or their official documents. Rather, there is only confirmation through email correspondences which also varies depending on who answer its. The safest best is to take a test with no expiry test and readily accepted such as the ESOL Entry Level 3. At least doing another test, we can have a peace of mind.

[vinny]

I don't understand why some B1 tests have expiry dates while others do not. It's inconsistent and therefore discriminatory and unfair. Possible appeal grounds, if rejected?

[adnanmirza]

It's a grey area.. The appeal might be successful but it will waste the time.

[viz786]

Hi

My friends i am totally agreed with all of you, but as there is no clear information on ukba website about that issue I am sharing the email addres from where i got that previous reply (KnowledgeOfLifePolicyQueries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)

If any one want to e mail them and ask the same question again

[adnanmirza]

Hi guys
I emailed them by asking whether an expired Ielts given outside uk and never shown to home office before will be accepted or not. Please read the below reply

"Dear Sir,

I can confirm that for naturalisation applications, we will accept an IELTs qualification that has since expired, regardless of whether or not it has previously been submitted for an earlier immigration application. This is because the current Nationality regulations refer to the approved list of English language qualifications, and not to the SELT list within Appendix O of the rules, which is the case for settlement applications.

Kind regards

Ann

Ann Woodall | Nationality Operational Policy| Operational Policy & Rules Unit|Immigration and Border Policy Directorate | Home Office"

[purplepple]

How quick were they to respond to your query?

[WR1]

Well, that email reply only confirms it will be accepted for naturalisation (citizenship) purposes but not for settlement (ILR) purposes if I've understood it correctly.

Again, this does not change a individual's language ability if they have already achieved Level B1.

And it's the same person replying at the home office.

Why should someone have to sit another test if they have already demonstrated their English language ability.

I have no issue with the test, my other half will pass it easily, it's having to fork out another £125 for the test that's the issue, especially if it's already been demonstrated.

[adnanmirza]

They responded in 4-5 hrs

[yangma_rai]

how would they know that the ielts certificate was presented while applying for entry clearance??? Do they keep records of certificate?
I did send them the ielts certificate in 2011 while applying for entry.

Thanks

[masoud_ahmad]

Hi Guys,

Whts the final conclusion!

Can we use the expired IELTS test result if its been taken outside UK and never been used/presented to Home Office before at any stage of the TIER1/ILR applications?

My wife has the same IELTS done in 2006 outside UK and the result not presented to HO before. Does this acceptable?

I am very much confused now, and I am using the NCS service on next week.

Can anyone clarify this please.

thanks.

[masoud_ahmad]

Hi Guys,

I have called Home Office this morning to confirm the confusion for expired IETLTS result.

The answer they said, the expired IELTS result is acceptable and it doesnt matter if the result been submitted before to Home Office at any stage.

I am still not sure their verdct because when you call next time to Home Office thier answer is something different.

I am going to apply next week, very much confused, either to use this expired IELTS result which is not submitted to HO before or go for ESOL?

Any experience person have any answers.

Thanks

[yangma_rai]

hi masoud
did you mean nottingham council service??

[masoud_ahmad]

Nationality Checking Service.

[yangma_rai]

can you provide the number you used to contact them?

[masoud_ahmad]

0870 606 7766