The British Nationality (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

Amendments to the British Nationality (General) Regulations 2003

3.  For regulation 5A(1) substitute—

“5A.— (1) A person has sufficient knowledge of the English language for the purpose of an application for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6 of the Act if that person—

(a) possesses a qualification or has passed a test specified in Schedule 2A; or

(b) possesses an academic qualification deemed by UK NARIC(2) to meet the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the United Kingdom and—

(i) UK NARIC has confirmed that the qualification was taught or, as the case may be, researched in English; or

(ii) the qualification was taught or, as the case may be, researched in an English speaking country specified in Schedule 2A other than Canada; or

(c) is ordinarily resident outside the United Kingdom and a person designated by the Secretary of State certifies in writing that the person has sufficient knowledge of the English language for the purpose of an application for naturalisation; or

(d) satisfied the Secretary of State when making a successful application for indefinite leave to remain within the meaning of section 33(1) of the Immigration Act 1971(3) that he or she possessed a qualification or had passed a test in English at a level equivalent to Level B1 or above on the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment(4); or

(e) is a national of an English speaking country specified in Schedule 2A.

(2) A person has sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom for the purpose of an application for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6 of the Act if that person—

(a) has passed the test known as the “Life in the UK Test” administered by an educational institution or other person approved for this purpose by the Secretary of State or the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man; or

(b) has passed the test known as the “Citizenship Test” administered by an educational institution or other person approved for this purpose by the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey or Jersey; or

(c) is ordinarily resident outside the United Kingdom and a person designated by the Secretary of State certifies in writing that the person has sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom for the purpose of an application for naturalisation.”

(1)

Regulation 5A was inserted by regulation 3 of S.I. 2004/1726. The wording of regulation 5A was revised by regulation 3 of S.I. 2005/2758 and further amended by regulation 3 of S.I. 2010/785.

(2)

UK NARIC is managed by ECCTIS Ltd. on behalf of the government and provides services for individuals and organisations to compare international qualifications against UK qualification framework levels.

(3)

1971 c. 77. Amendments have been made to this section but they are not relevant to these Regulations.

(4)

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; Learning, Teaching, Assessment is published in English by Cambridge University Press ( Hardback ISBN 0521803136, paperback ISBN 0521005310).