B1 Speaking and Listening Test for UK Citizenship

Everyone wishes to live a better life and with this positive thought in mind, many people want to apply for  British citizenship because the UK is the place where many people believe they can make their dreams come true.  Perhaps they wish come to the UK  to gain a degree in one of the best universities in the world. Maybe they want to come here to get a respected job and settle down permanently. Some may want to marry and have a family here. There are a variety of good reasons to settle in the UK.

But from October 2013, the government officials have changed some of the rules for  applicants for Citizenship. From now on, as well as passing the Life in the UK test to show their knowledge of British customs, traditions and way of life, everyone also has to meet set guidelines to show that they understand the language. One way of doing this is to pass the  B1Speaking and listening test for UK citizenship.
A good reason for changing the rules for applicants is so that they could show that they can communicate effectively and thus be better placed to achieve their desired position in the British community and  therefore find that coming to the UK was a good choice for them. It means they will be able to positively contribute to the community and this is a good outcome for all concerned.
What is the B1 Speaking and Listening Test for UK Citizenship? The said test is a guideline to make sure that all those applicants who have been approved by the visa officials, are well able to converse in the English language as spoken in UK.

Passing the B1 Speaking and Listening Test for UK Citizenship:

If a person has not already taken the speaking and listening test for UK citizenship then it is essential for him or her to take it before applying for their visa. The applicant should pass the test with B1 or higher score set by CEFR that stands for Common European Framework of Reference. Or, he/she may have an equivalent level of education in place of the test.

Applicants from Countries that are Free from the B1 Speaking and Listening Test Conditions:

However the condition of passing the Speaking and listening test for UK citizenship, is not essential for some applicants that belongs to a country where English is the official language. But other applicants do need to pass the test in order to enter in UK and live like a normal citizen there.

The countries that are exempted from the B1 test are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and USA.

Other Applicants that are Free from Passing B1 Speaking and Listening Tests:

The UK Government has set the English language test conditions for almost all applicants who want to come to UK and settle here permanently. But there are some groups of people who do not need to pass the test. These fall into the categories described below:
• If the applicant is younger than 18 years of age or older than 65 years of age then he/she does not need to take the test.
• If the applicant has learning difficulties and is having an issue learning the English language then he or she may skip the test. But the problem should be valid otherwise he/she must take the test.
• If the applicant is the spouse (either husband or wife or civil partner) of a UK resident who is a victim of domestic violence or has died then they may skip the test.
• Those applicants who are under humanitarian protection act or are refugees in UK may also skip the test if they want to.
• Those applicants who are also asylum seekers and have a DL (Discretionary Leave) to remain in the country may also skip the B1 speaking and listening test for UK citizenship.

If you are applying for UK citizenship and need to take the B1 speaking and listening test you can prepare for it here at our English exam centre. You can also get help with Functional Skills English and Maths along with preparation for other English exams.

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