Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002

1 Naturalisation: knowledge of language and society

(1) The following shall be inserted after the word “and” after paragraph 1(1)(c) of Schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61) (requirements for naturalisation)—

“(ca) that he has sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom; and”.

(2) In paragraph 2(e) of that Schedule (waiver)—

(a) for “the requirement specified in paragraph 1(1)(c)” there shall be substituted “either or both of the requirements specified in paragraph 1(1)(c) and (ca)”, and

(b) for “expect him to fulfil it” there shall be substituted “expect him to fulfil that requirement or those requirements”.

(3) The following shall be inserted after section 41(1)(b) of that Act (regulations)—

“(ba) for determining whether a person has sufficient knowledge of a language for the purpose of an application for naturalisation;

(bb) for determining whether a person has sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom for the purpose of an application for naturalisation;”.

(4) The following shall be inserted after section 41(1) of that Act—

“(1A) Regulations under subsection (1)(ba) or (bb) may, in particular—

(a) make provision by reference to possession of a specified qualification;

(b) make provision by reference to possession of a qualification of a specified kind;

(c) make provision by reference to attendance on a specified course;

(d) make provision by reference to attendance on a course of a specified kind;

(e) make provision by reference to a specified level of achievement;

(f) enable a person designated by the Secretary of State to determine sufficiency of knowledge in specified circumstances;

(g) enable the Secretary of State to accept a qualification of a specified kind as evidence of sufficient knowledge of a language.”