This page is general information drawn from official pages. It is not personal immigration advice, and rules change, so always read the current GOV.UK page before you book or apply. It describes the rule and the tests; it is not a guide to any one test paper.
The three steps at a glance
GOV.UK's knowledge of English page for family visas says you must pass at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your first application. You may take a higher level if you wish. The same page then sets out what comes later.
| Stage | Level named | Skills |
|---|---|---|
| First application | At least A1 (GOV.UK) | Speaking and listening for partner routes |
| Extending after 2.5 years | A2 if you used A1 before (GOV.UK) | Speaking and listening |
| Settlement after 5 years | B1 (IELTS's page); B1 or higher can be reused (GOV.UK) | Check the page for the skills assessed |
IELTS's own page on tests for UK visas and immigration gives the same pattern for its family-visa row: A1 for the first application, A2 when extending permission to stay, and B1 for settlement.
Speaking and listening only
The Home Office page on secure English language tests lists partner and parent routes among those that need a test assessing speaking and listening. Routes such as Skilled Worker or Student need reading and writing too. That difference is why a partner is usually looking at a different test from the one a worker or student takes. Our page on scores by UK visa route compares the routes side by side.
What happens when you extend
After 2.5 years, GOV.UK says that if you passed A1 you must pass at least A2 in speaking and listening. If your earlier pass was A2 or higher, you can use that result again, provided the certificate has not been withdrawn. If you were exempt the first time, the page says you need a test at A1.
Settlement after 5 years
GOV.UK says that if you pass B1 or higher, you can use your result again when you apply for settlement after 5 years. The test must still be on the approved list and must not have been withdrawn by the provider. Test results are also valid for 2 years from the date awarded, so check the validity and the approved list on the official pages before you plan around an earlier result. The level for settlement is listed as B1 on IELTS's page; read the GOV.UK page for the rule that applies to you. The detail of the settlement level, including a change in the rules text from 26 March 2027 for some routes, is on our page about the English test for settlement.
Ways to prove English
The family-visa page lists several ways, and a test is only one of them:
- a degree from a UK institution;
- a degree taught in English from outside the UK, with an Ecctis assessment;
- a Secure English Language Test (SELT) passed with an approved provider;
- proof from a previous successful visa application, which may mean you do not need to prove it again.
If you take a test, GOV.UK says results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded, and you book on the website of the approved provider. The name on the booking must match your passport or other identity document.
Exemptions the page lists
The same page lists people who do not need to prove English, including:
- children, and adults coming to be cared for by a relative;
- people extending as a partner or parent after 5 years on a family visa;
- people over 65;
- people with a physical or mental condition that prevents them meeting the requirement;
- nationals of the countries or territories it names.
Read the exact wording on the page before relying on any of these. Our page on UK visas without IELTS goes through exemptions in more detail.
A longer-residence route
The immigration rules in Appendix English Language contain a separate provision, EL 1.1(d), for a partner, parent or dependent child over 18 applying for settlement after a continuous period of 15 years in the UK with permission. It asks for an A2 speaking and listening qualification and a qualified teacher's confirmation of 75 guided learning hours in the previous 12 months. The teacher must be of the view that the person is unlikely to reach B1 through further study when the application is made before 26 March 2027, and B2 on or after that date. This is a narrow route, so check the rules text itself.
Where the test is taken
IELTS states that it will only accept IELTS for UKVI tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre. GOV.UK's SELT guidance links the list of approved test centres, which it says has been assessed as meeting Home Office requirements, and tells you to check the SELT provider's website to find out when tests are available. Our pages on IELTS Life Skills and UKVI test centres cover the test and the venues. One thing to note: the IELTS page names Life Skills A2 for the family route but does not spell out which exact test it lists for the A1 and B1 stages, so confirm with the provider which test and level you are booking.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike teaches one-to-one lessons live on Google Meet, in English. They cover IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and General English. They do not prepare you for a particular visa test paper, and Mike does not run, register or set fees for any test. What a lesson can do is give you regular speaking and listening practice with a teacher who corrects you as you talk, if you want to feel steadier before a speaking and listening assessment. The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone; Hanoi is 7 hours ahead of the UK in winter and 6 hours ahead in summer, so check the times it offers. You can see the calendar and book, or read about Mike first.
