All,
This is not what the statement of intent says....
''The requirement
The KoLL requirement for naturalisation as a British citizen will be the same as that for settlement and the same English language qualifications will be accepted.
Who will need to meet the requirement?
Citizenship is a privilege and not a right. The Government expects that all those wishing to become British citizens should demonstrate their commitment by learning English and have an understanding of British history, culture and traditions.
Therefore all those applying for naturalisation after 28 October 2013 will be expected to satisfy the new KoLL requirement.
The only exceptions will be those who are aged 65 or over or whose physical or mental condition severely inhibits the ability to communicate or take the Life in the UK test. (Minors are ineligible for naturalisation, therefore an exemption for under 18s is not relevant.)
A migrant who fulfils the Life in the UK requirement for settlement as it applies on or after 28 October 2013 will not be required to retake any elements in a later application for naturalisation but will be deemed automatically to satisfy KoLL at that later stage.
The situation is different for those who applied or apply for settlement before 28 October 2013.
They will have satisfied the KoLL requirement by either passing the Life in the UK test or by taking an ESOL qualification (probably at a level below B1) and this by itself will not be sufficient should they later apply for naturalisation.
They will need to satisfy the new KoLL requirement but if they have already passed the Life in the UK test will not need to retake it. For some people this will mean passing a relevant speaking and listening qualification for the first time. Others will need to
pass a speaking and listening qualification at a higher level than they had to demonstrate to be granted leave to enter or leave to remain in the UK.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... t-koll.pdf
cheers
vr
