English language requirement for spouses of UK citizens and for Points-Based System migrants: have you ever heard of NARIC? If not, time to read this as you can’t use an overseas degree certificate anymore without it.

By 1st 4Immigration - #1 UK Immigration Experts -
We previously posted some useful information for spouses and partners of UK citizens about English language tests. This post is for everyone who needs to meet the English language requirement when applying for a UK visa (including Points-Based System migrants).

As you may know, besides taking an approved English language test, you can also use a degree which was taught in English. For example, a Bachelor degree from a UK university – nice and easy. You can use it when applying for a UK Spouse visa, UK Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, Tier 2 visa and so on. In other words, having a UK degree means there is no need to take a test.

Now, what to do if you hold an overseas degree, ie a degree from a university outside the UK but it was taught in English? Until approx mid-March 2016 we could use a Points-Based System calculator on the UKVI website and we could use it for both Tier 1 / 2 visas and Spouse/Partner/Fiancé visas. A Bachelor degree from South Africa, India or Nigeria as well as Master’s degree from the USA or Australia – all were accepted under the old system, thanks to the online database on what sued to be a PBS calculator.

So, what’s changed? The old PBS Calculator has now been disabled, so it is no longer possible to check overseas qualifications online. The current Immigration Rules require  confirmation from UK NARIC instead. In fact, the old PBS Calculator was indeed using the NARIC database!

If you have a degree from a university in a country, which is listed in the Rules as a majority English-speaking countries (except Canada), you need to contact UK NARIC and obtain a confirmation that it is an equivalent of a UK degree standard (equivalent of a UK Bachelor etc).

If you have a degree from a university in a country, which is not listed as a majority English-speaking country (such as South Africa or India) but that degree was taught in English, you need to contact UK NARIC and obtain a confirmation of 2 points:

- That it is an equivalent of a UK degree standard.

AND

- That it was taught in English language to a C1 level of CEFR.

UK NARIC is an organisation which compares foreign qualifications with the UK equivalents and also assess whether they were taught in English or not.

To read the rules about English: you need to go on the respective Part or Appendix of the Immigration Rules. Spouses/partners of UK citizens – Appendix FM; Points-Based System migrants – Appendix B and so on. List of countries which are recognised as majority English-speaking ones (there is an exhaustive list) can be found here (this is for those applying for ILR but these countries are same for all visa categories): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-koll

For an individual advice or to make an application as successful please contact us:info@1st4immigration.com or visit   http://www.1st4immigration.com  

If you are an Immigration Adviser or a Solicitor please visit our immigration Training and CPD website: www.1st4immigration.com/training 

 

 

Popular posts from this blog

Updated May 2020: UK visa work continues - latest update

By -
UK immigration authorities continue to process visa applications, albeit not as fast as they normally would. The visa centres are beginning to gradually re-opening from 1 June 2020 in the UK and abroad. Regardless of when your particular centre re-opens, it is still possible to submit your application online. If your visa expires soon, you can apply for your next visa "on-time", i.e. before your current visa expires, by making such an application online and then waiting for the further steps. This keeps you within the Rules and does not make you an overstayer.  Even better, the actual documents (supporting evidence) can be submitted later, thus giving you even more time to prepare while remaining within the Rule on visa expiry dates. We usually have 45 days to provide the documents (ie upload them online to the Government portal) after the online "submission" mentioned above. This is extended for as long as it will take to clear up the backlog.  If you
Read more

How long can a visitor stay in the UK? 6 months from each entry? In a year? In a calendar year?

By 1st 4Immigration - #1 UK Immigration Experts -
Visitors can come to the UK for purposes of tourism, visiting friends, business visits and similar. Visitors can stay for maximum 6 months in each 12 months . Not 6 months from each entry to the UK. Even if your visitor visa is for 5 or 10 years you can still stay for maximum 180 days in each of those years. How to count ‘6 months in 12 months’? A 12 months period starts from ‘now’, date in question or date of entry etc and you need to count backwards (not a calendar year). If you stayed in the UK for the whole 6 months then you have to stay away for the whole 6 months. If you come and go several times during a year then the total must be 180 days cumulatively in the last 12 months. Visitor rules are the same for all. Visitor visa rules aren’t. Visitor rules include: purpose of visits, no right to work, no right to use the NHS, no right to use the public funds (benefits), no right to switch to more serious visas inside the UK, ie no right to switch to a Spouse
Read more

💸 10 common mistakes when meeting the Financial Requirement £18,600 for a UK Spouse visa

By -
Image
#1 Most common - submitting “everything I have’.  Some payslips, a tax return, some savings plus a property deed for good measure. Surely, should work? It may sound logical to provide as much as possible, this is often a nightmare scenario for immigration lawyers and often a direct path to a visa refusal. Financial Requirement is strictly based on the ‘rules’: what income can be used, how various sources can be combined and what documents are needed. We often say there is 75-page office guidance just on the finances: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/636618/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement_Final.pdf  #2 Savings - it’s not £18,600 and not £16,000.  The real amount (for this purpose) is calculated using this formula: threshold you need to meet (such as £18,600) x 2.5 plus £16,000. If you are using savings alone, it would be £18,600 x 2.5 + £16,000 = £62,500!  #3 Employment -  the minimum is 6 months for the sa
Read more