UK Lists 19 Nationalities Exempt From English Test for Citizenship Applications

• The UK government published its official list of nationalities exempt from proving English proficiency for settlement or citizenship applications
• 19 countries and territories appear on the list, drawn from the Caribbean, North America, the Pacific, and Europe
• The UK warned that applicants from nations not on the list must prove English proficiency even if English is an official language in their home country

The UK government has released its official guidance naming 19 countries and territories whose nationals are not required to demonstrate English language proficiency when applying for settlement or British citizenship.

The exemption list, published on the UK government's official website, covers nationals from a range of countries spanning the Caribbean, North America, the Pacific, and Europe.

The full list of exempt nationalities

The 19 countries and territories included on the exemption list are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.

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One important distinction applies to Irish nationals: the exemption covers citizenship applications only and does not extend to the settlement route.

What must applicants outside the list do?

The UK government made clear that any applicant whose nationality does not feature on the list is required to prove their knowledge of English, regardless of whether English holds official language status in their home country.

This has direct implications for applicants from several African and Asian nations where English is widely used in government and public life but whose nationals are not covered by the exemption.

For those seeking British citizenship specifically, a recognised English language qualification must be submitted at the time of application.

Crucially, applicants who previously qualified for an exemption when they were granted settlement cannot assume that exemption carries forward automatically.

They must submit a separate exemption form when they reach the citizenship stage of their application.

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The guidance applies across both the settlement and citizenship routes, and the government has made no indication that the list will be expanded in the near term.

UK sets income requirement for permanent residence

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK has announced that foreign nationals seeking permanent residence must earn a minimum of £41,700 per year to qualify.

The rule applies to individuals currently living in the UK on either a Skilled Worker visa or a Care Worker visa.

Source: YEN.com.gh