For the aspiring souls who want to settle down permanently in Britain for professional or personal reasons, it requires them to apply for the UK citizenship with the government. But, as of November 1, 2005, those who are applying for UK naturalization must pass a ?Life in the UK test' before they could actually submit the application for UK citizenship. The Life in the UK Test has been proposed by the UK government to ensure that those who are aspiring to become UK citizens indeed knows about the country and its culture and heritage, alongside a thorough knowledge of its tongue, English. As a result, the questions in the Life in the UK test can be anything from UK culture, history, law, and demography, to employment issues, tenets of parliamentary democracy, shifts in youth culture and even science and technology, and the candidate has to score a minimum percentage to stand passed in the test. Failed candidates may have to take the test again.

As mentioned already, knowledge of English must be proved before the authorities and for that, one may have to pass ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), if their mother tongue is not English. On passing the Life in the UK test, the candidate will be issued a letter stating the results, and it has to be produced along with the application for UK citizenship. Here, it must be kept in mind that the letter is the only proof that you have indeed passed the test, and if you lose it, then you may left with no other choice but to pay the fees and appear for the Life in the UK test once again from the scratch.

The Life in the UK test is usually a 24 question, multiple choice online exam based on the 2, 3, and 4th chapters of ?Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship' book. You can get that book from any bookstore or online. The exam must be completed within 45 minutes. But that is more than ample time for anybody under normal circumstances. For those suffering from various medical conditions/illnesses will be allowed more time to complete the test. However, in such cases, the applicant must mention his/her illness while scheduling the test date itself. No change of status will be allowed thereafter.

Before appearing for the test, however, the candidate has to submit any of these documents to the supervisor for verification, which include passport, any of these home office documents - Stateless Person Document, Certificate of Identity Document, or Convention Travel Document ? UK photo card driving license, immigration status document endorsed with a UK Residence Permit, bearing a photograph of the holder.

The Life in the UK test is currently available in English only, even though the authorities are mulling to introduce its Scottish Gaelic and Welsh versions as well in the near future. You could catch more about the Life in the UK test from the home office website. You can also refer the websites of immigration consultants for useful info.


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Lee Smith writes about Life In the UK Test
Life In The UK Test