Applying for BC using English test from abroad

[Aiza Younis]

Hi,

I have settled status. I'm thinking about applying for British Citizenship and there isn't an Home Office approved English language test centre where I live in the UK. I have to travel to another city.

I'm due to travel to Pakistan soon and I was wondering if I took the B1 test at the Home Office approved test centre where I live in Pakistan, can I use that to apply for British Citizenship when I return to the UK or do I have to do the test here?

[contorted_svy]

You can take the test at any approved test centre on this list https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your- ... -test-selt, just make sure it is a SELT one. You will be given a reference number and a certificate that you will need for your application.

[Aiza Younis]

Thanks for the link. LanguageCert is the provider that has a test centre in the area I'm originally from in Pakistan. Will that test be ok for British Citizenship application?

[contorted_svy]

If you go on this website https://www.languagecert.org/en/languag ... b1-sl-2734, select "book" and search for the centre closest to you, you can then check that the centre you select appears on the government list. If you follow this, you will be OK.

[alterhase58]

Will test centres abroad apply the same security measures as they demand in the UK?

[contorted_svy]

There are approved test centres in a number of countries beyond the UK, listed in the link I provided above from gov.uk

[Aiza Younis]

Having looked into this in more detail, it seems the test is taken via a video link and you have to show a photo id to the examiner. Assuming the examiner conducting the test is based in the UK.

[AmazonianX]

Having looked into this in more detail, it seems the test is taken via a video link and you have to show a photo id to the examiner. Assuming the examiner conducting the test is based in the UK.

This used to be face-to-face before until Covid-19 came ongoing and test was switched to video link. Post Covid-19 not sure of current form The exam takes.

[contorted_svy]

Having looked into this in more detail, it seems the test is taken via a video link and you have to show a photo id to the examiner. Assuming the examiner conducting the test is based in the UK.

This used to be face-to-face before until Covid-19 came ongoing and test was switched to video link. Post Covid-19 not sure of current form The exam takes.

I took the exam recently in London. Here is how it went:

I had an appointment for a precise time that I had to respect. I had to bring my passport and a topic form (this depends on the test provider, different ones might have different requirements).

I had to leave everything I had in my pockets and my backpack in a locker, I could only keep my passport and topic form. They checked I had no bluetooth devices, nothing on my wrists, pockets empty. This is to avoid cheating.

I was then checked in for a deeper ID check in a separate room. The clerk went through my ID, asked me to confirm my address and other personal details.

Then I was escorted to the exam room with a tablet. The examiner was on a video call, the exam lasted about 10 minutes.

I received the provisional result less than 24 hours later and the official result 2-3 working days later. The certificate by post took around a week.