Passing the Life in UK Test

[chopsticks]

Anyone had any experience in helping a Thai to pass this test ? (suggestions,hints & tips ?)
Looking at the handbook and some of the strange questions asked I'm not sure that born and bred UK citizens would be too confident in getting a high score.
There's lots of websites and books available (a growth industry !!) but is there anything in Thai available ?
An alternative approach is to move up one level on an English language with citizenship approved course and this may have to be Plan B.

[Big Boy]

I've never helped anybody, but I know a lot of Thais who have failed it. The most common way to gain that treasured indefinite stay visa these days seems to be obtaining ESOL level 1 http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAn ... G_10037499 .

I'm sure you're aware, but isn't it disgusting that they're sending wives and mothers back to Thailand if they fail to achieve the qualification within 2 years? They're making them re-apply for a visa in their home country again. We've actually got a young mum here in Bristol being sent back to Thailand soon, who needs to get another visa so that she can be re-united with her husband and 1 year old daughter.

[caller]

I'm sure you're aware, but isn't it disgusting that they're sending wives and mothers back to Thailand if they fail to achieve the qualification within 2 years? They're making them re-apply for a visa in their home country again. We've actually got a young mum here in Bristol being sent back to Thailand soon, who needs to get another visa so that she can be re-united with her husband and 1 year old daughter.

I've not heard of that before and its certainly not cropped up on T-UK, just folk having to pay for an extension to their settlement visa.

Chopsticks, if a Thai version is needed, she's not ready to take the test, its as much about understanding English as archaic history. My wife used the official book and practice book. Hate to say it, but she passed first time, but she did study very hard. She also studied EFL, rather than ESOL, as the former is more beneficial in LOS and probably harder, but of more value (she reached 1st certificate level), but if just to get ILR, then as BB says, going from any level to another in ESOL, as long as the right English 'qualification' is included is good enough. But it will probably cost now, unless an asylum seeker (don'tcha just love our warped values).

[chopsticks]

Wasn't aware of that BB and agree it's disgusting. We've renewed the 2 year visa twice so far without any problem and not yet tried 'The Test'. I can find no regulation preventing it being renewed again either as it seems to be at their discretion.
What makes the whole situation a farce is when you compare it to that German GP who could barely speak any English but was allowed to come to UK and work after hours to get some extra cash - then he administered that fatal drug dose.
I think it was Blunkett who brought in the test requirement initially for passport / citizenship applicants then extended to ILR visas.

[Big Boy]

I've been told that it's a fairly new regulation. I hadn't doubted it until caller's comment. I'm now trying to find out more - will let you know if I find anything.

[chopsticks]

Caller, I agree that if the level of English required to pass the test is not going to be easily achieved and learning the answers by rote fails then ESOL certificate is the way to go.
Dodgy English schools will be the next growth industry !!

Another loophole in the system was that if you had lived outside the UK, with your spouse (proof needed), for 4 or more years then UK settlement (ILR) was automatically granted. Snag is they are required to submit the Life in UK pass certificate - which is difficult considering they have not set up any test-centres outside the UK !!!

[caller]

Dodgy English schools will be the next growth industry !!

They're already all over the place - and quite well known! Used by those claiming visas to the UK and for those here, seeking an exemption to paying Council Tax.

As regards ESOL, which is meant to be regulated, a few places are already known to deliver a fast track 'pass', for a fee.

Such scams have been known about for years, but for their own reasons, our last Govt. chose to pay lip service to them, as is now accepted and (almost) admitted, as they did with uncontrolled immigration. I'm expecting the new lot to shut them down.

Just loved Ed Balls the other day, one of Broons croneys, now seeking to be Labour leader, challenging the new Govt. to control immigration from europe. I mean, you couldn't make it up, could you?!? Guy has no shame.

[STEVE G]

English rules tightened for immigrant partners

Ministers are bringing forward to the autumn measures requiring many immigrants marrying UK citizens to prove they have a command of English.

The measures, which Labour had planned to introduce in July 2011, will apply to partners coming to the UK from areas outside the EU, such as South Asia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/10270797.stm

[chopsticks]

Headline grabbing move really and seems like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.....tinkering with the laws on non-EU immigrants is not going to make much difference compared to all the EU nationals who are allowed to come to the UK restriction free. Tony Blair seriously under-estimated the impact it would have and failed to introduce restrictions which some of the other European countries had the foresight to do.

[kendo]

The life in the U.K test is the governments attempt at shaping up the the shambles they call the Home Office Charles Clarke MP (yeah the one that looks like a Toby jug ) got sacked for so many failing in the Home Office from officers taking bungs for visa's and one news paper sting one officer exchanging visa's for sex.
The home office was such a shambles that they dident even know how many non EU nationals where in the country.

The right honarable John Reid MP was tasked to sort out the Home Office after the sacking of Clarke and the answer was to impliment The Life In The U.K Test.

The first book was published in 2004 and took 16 months to write, but was out of date in 12 months because of laws and legislation changing i.e smoking ban minimum wage etc.

Now for my opinion.............I think it is really unfair for a British born citizen that makes the dessision to marry an non EU national should be descriminated against in the way that they have to pass a very difficult test that most Britons would fail to stay in this country, i know this because i have done the test several times without reading the text book and failed.
I think this test should have only applied to foreign nationals that are allready here marrying non EU nationals.
I believe the Home Office has got it's priority's totally wrong they discriminate against us marrying non EU nationals but have open flood gates from europe with cheap labour and public services being put under massive strain.
I do believe in migration, but controled migration that is balanced and fair like the Austrailian sistem as this is good for economys.

My wife came to the U.K with allready a good command of spoken English and had o.k writing skills she could also use a computer to a good standard.
When we perchased the Life In The U.K Test and also the practice qestions book with free access to on line tests, from Amazon i could not believe how little i new about my own country it was a real eye opener, and i quickly thought this was going to be a mamoth task for my wife.

My wife knuckled down with me to learn the book cover to cover and at times i was pulling my hair out trying to explain things to her but we got through it in the end i set my laptop up with the free access to on line tests and told my wife to test her self on line every night.
When my wife done the test she did fail the first time by getting 5 qestions wrong i remember one qestion was how old do you have to be to play the National Lotto, my wife passed the second time thank god.
We did ask the qestion what if she failed the second time her 2 year visa was almost up, we where told you would have to pay to extend it but they will not tell you for how long,it could only be 30 days or 6 months at the discretion of the Home Office.

Chopsticks if your mrs wants some advice in Thai then PM me your number and i will get my mrs to give you a bell, but maybe she would be better off on a collage corse if her english is limited.

My last point, learning should be a pleasent experiance and this test is not,and half the content in the book is not relevent to our lives and of very little interest to my wife, this test caused both of us a load of stress and i think they should rename it How To Make Your Life Really Stressfull In The U.K Test.

Kendo.

[chopsticks]

Agree with all your comments Kendo and thanks for the advice.
Will start off with a few practice runs on the test questions and if it looks too difficult take the other route of the English certificate.
The previous visa extensions / renewals have always been for the full 2 years with no questions asked.
They are very slow though and it can take over 4 months during which time they will want to keep the passports.

[kendo]

Chops the visa renewal thing maybe different now, for those books you can buy them as a pair on Amazon.
Kendo.

[chopsticks]

Kendo, I also noticed that eBay has loads of the material for sale.
Was told today that some 'colleges' have had to stop teaching from April 2010 because now both the college and the exam have to be accredited or certified by an external agency. Previously it was only the exam that was checked. So now it seems as if they are trying to close down the dodgy schools who will no doubt find some other way to beat the system.

[Randy Cornhole]

Can't ever see mrs Cornhole getting here. Oh hum.

[kendo]

When you go for the test it's computer generated random qestions so the student can't memorize the answers.
Randy if you want to get your mrs over from Surin and as you are only just over an hour away we will help you get through the test.

To bring your partner to the U.K should be a wonderfull exciting emotional journey but that test is a piss take but not impossible.