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I believe I have read all existing SELT requirement related posts and couldn't find a match with the situtation we are in. If this has already been discussed in some thread please point out.

Our Case

My wife came to UK on dependent Visa in 2011. The English Requirement rules were not quite clear so she gave an IELTS test just in case and included certificate in her application for dependent visa. Later we found out that it wasn't actually required at that time, so we assume it wasn't "considered" for that application and visa was granted without it.

Me and my spouse both received Resident Permit Date on April 2013.

In 2014 we both wanted to apply for Naturalization, assuming her earlier IELTS test was not considered so she gave another test this time Trinity College B1 CEFR Grade 5 Entry Level 3 July 2014. However later we find out she can't apply in 2014 as she can only apply if she was in UK for 3 years and her spouse is already a British Citizen, so I had to apply first and she couldn't apply in 2014 or 2015.

Now that I have received my Naturalization certificate we thought it's time to apply for her naturalization however although her Certificate is still valid and Trinity College is still in the list of approved awarding bodies. The certificate doesn't have a SELT number on it.

We tried contacting Trinity College to get SELT however I received this reply
"Thank you for your email enquiry.

Question

Does this mean my wife has to give english test for the third time? or can I just include existing 2 tests and hope they will accept it?

See forum FAQs on this vital matter:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 98118.html
- see Q8

Be aware HO plays hardball with proof of English.

If Q8 doesn't apply then don't risk the application (& fee) hoping for best, shoot for SELT.

uxman wrote:I believe I have read all existing SELT requirement related posts and couldn't find a match with the situtation we are in. If this has already been discussed in some thread please point out.

Our Case

My wife came to UK on dependent Visa in 2011. The English Requirement rules were not quite clear so she gave an IELTS test just in case and included certificate in her application for dependent visa. Later we found out that it wasn't actually required at that time, so we assume it wasn't "considered" for that application and visa was granted without it.

Me and my spouse both received Resident Permit Date on April 2013.

In 2014 we both wanted to apply for Naturalization, assuming her earlier IELTS test was not considered so she gave another test this time Trinity College B1 CEFR Grade 5 Entry Level 3 July 2014. However later we find out she can't apply in 2014 as she can only apply if she was in UK for 3 years and her spouse is already a British Citizen, so I had to apply first and she couldn't apply in 2014 or 2015.

Now that I have received my Naturalization certificate we thought it's time to apply for her naturalization however although her Certificate is still valid and Trinity College is still in the list of approved awarding bodies. The certificate doesn't have a SELT number on it.

We tried contacting Trinity College to get SELT however I received this reply
"Thank you for your email enquiry.

Code: Select all

I am afraid that you do not have a unique electronic reference number as they were only introduced on the 06/04/2015.
 
Unfortunately we would not be able to generate a unique electronic reference number for an exam taken before this time.
 
To the best of our knowledge, your result is no longer valid for UKVI applications as it was not taken under the new SELT conditions that the home office introduced on the 06/04/2015.

Question

Does this mean my wife has to give english test for the third time? or can I just include existing 2 tests and hope they will accept it?

It sounds like you and your spouse received ILR in April 2013. The rules were different back then and the new rules with regards to KOLL came into effect on 28 October 2013.

The reply from Trinity in this case in indeed correct. The new English requirements regarding SELT only came about on 6 April 2015 and anyone taken a English test before this date will not have a unique SELT referenece number. Older tests such as your wife's were still being accpted but onlu until 12 November 2015. After this date, only the SELT English tests will be accepted.

The only option is to do another English test from the current SELT as any previous tests such as IELTS, ESOL, Trinity taken before 6 April 2015 is no longer accpted.

Your wife will also need Life in the UK test in addition.

When you applied for Naturalisation in 2014 and having been granted British Citizenship, you should have applied for your wife's Naturalisation straight after or even in 2015. The English test could have been used then before 12 November 2015.

Now the only choice is to do another one from the current SELT. You may want to speed the process up as the fees for Naturalisation stand at £1005 and the proposed fees in April 2016 is increasing to £1236.