Immigration | What is the Life in UK test?

Dear Mr Bassie,

I was informed that I may need to take the ‘Life in UK Test’. Please tell me what this test is about.

Thanks in advance.

H. F.

Dear H. F.,

Persons may need to take the Life in UK test as part of their application for British citizenship or settlement in the United Kingdom (UK). It is advisable, however, that before applying to take the test, persons should check the guidance and application form to find out whether they need to take it.

Persons must book their test online at least three days in advance, and it costs £50. There are over 30 test centres in the UK, and persons may choose where to take their test when they book. Please note that the online service is the only official government service for booking the Life in the UK Test.

Prepare for the test

Participants will only be tested on information from the official Guide for New Residents and should study it to prepare for the test.

The Guide for New Residents is available as a book, an eBook, or in audio formats. Persons can also get a Life in the UK test e-learning subscription or download the official Life in the UK test practice app. Persons taking the test will have 45 minutes to answer 24 questions about British traditions and customs.

Book the test

Prior to registering for the test, applicants should ensure that they have all of the following as they will be needed:

• email address

• debit or credit card

• an accepted form of ID.

Please note that the name given on the test booking must be an exact match with the name on the ID that is used to book the test.

Accepted forms of ID

Those persons who have an eVisa (a digital record of their identity and immigration status), should use a share code to book the test. Those individuals will need to sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to view their eVisa and get a share code.

Persons who do not have an eVisa (or cannot access it) can use one of the following forms of ID to book the test:

• valid passport

• valid ID card from the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway

• valid travel document with a photo (Persons cannot use an emergency travel document)

• biometric residence permit or biometric residence card - the test must be no later than 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card or before December 31, 2026, whichever comes first.

Persons must use ID with a photo that looks like them. Those persons who do not have any of these documents should contact UKVI for assistance.

If participants have changed gender (including a different name), they should email the Home Office if they do not want test centre staff to see their previous gender or for it to show on their test result. They should email before booking the test to:

Sensitive bookings

sensitivebookings@homeoffice.gov.uk

Persons who have a disability

Persons can make special requests when booking their test, for example, if they have a disability and need extra equipment or help accessing the centre. To get assistance, persons should contact the Life in the UK Test Helpline if they need help with their booking. Please see below:

Life in the UK Test Helpline

support@lituk.psionline.com

Telephone: 0800 015 4245

Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Find out about call charges

Just for completeness, It should be noted that persons will not need to take the test if they are under 18 years of age or if they are 65 years old or over. Other reasons for not needing to take the test could be that they have passed it before - for example, if they are applying to become a citizen and already passed it as part of their settlement application. Another reason could be that they have a long-term physical or mental condition. In such a case, the person applying to take the test can provide either an exemption form or a letter from a doctor confirming their physical or mental condition.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed Mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (U.K.). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com