UK family visas
UK spouse visa English language requirement
You usually need to show English at each stage of the UK partner route. The level goes up as you move from the first visa to settlement.
- First visa
- Level A1
- Extension
- Level A2 speaking and listening
- Settlement
- Level B1 speaking and listening
Who it suits
Is this visa for you?
- Partners applying for a UK spouse, partner or fiancé(e) visa
- People planning ahead for the extension and settlement stages
- People who wonder whether a degree can count as proof
The basics
What the UK looks for
- An approved English test from an approved provider, at the right level
- Or a degree taught in English, with the right assessment if it is from outside the UK
- Some nationals, people over 65, and people with certain conditions are exempt
- A result you passed at a higher level can often be reused later
A summary of the published rules. The full rules have more conditions, and they change. GOV.UK: Knowledge of English
Take care
Where cases go wrong
- Only approved tests count, so check the test and the provider first
- Take a higher level at the start if you can. It saves a second test later
- Do not assume you are exempt. Check your own case
Your case has details a web page cannot cover.
A consultation tells you where you stand, and what to do first.
Book a consultationFAQs
English requirement questions
Does my English-medium degree count?
It can, if the degree is taught in English and is recognised as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher. The proof needed depends on where it was awarded.
Let's map your global pathway
A first consultation covers eligibility, realistic timelines, total cost and the tax consequences of the move. You leave with a written plan, not a brochure.