UK Spouse Visa English Test: Which Certificate to Upload

For the English language part of a UK spouse or partner visa, GOV.UK accepts one of four kinds of evidence. Each kind has its own document:

There are also exemptions, for example being aged 65 or over, or having a condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement. Those have their own evidence too, covered below.

This post is about the documents: what each one looks like and how to have it ready. It does not cover which route applies to you. All figures and rules were checked on GOV.UK on 10 October 2026.

The levels GOV.UK sets: A1, A2 and B1

The levels come from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). GOV.UK's family visa page sets them out like this:

• First application: at least level A1, in speaking and listening.
• Extension after 2.5 years: if your first test was A1, you need at least A2 in speaking and listening. If your first test was A2 or higher, GOV.UK says you can use the test result again "as long as your test certificate has not been withdrawn by the test provider".
• Reusing a higher result: GOV.UK says if you pass level B1 or higher, you can use that result again when you apply for settlement after 5 years.

The level is printed on the test result, so check that the level on your result matches the stage you are applying for.

Evidence 1: a SELT from an approved provider

A SELT is a Secure English Language Test. Appendix FM says the test must be "with a provider approved by the Secretary of State". An ordinary IELTS or a test from another company does not count. It must be one of the approved SELTs.

GOV.UK's SELT guidance lists these approved providers and test names:

The list can change. One recent example: from 6 July 2025, the LANGUAGECERT ESOL SELT 4-skills test was replaced by the Academic and General versions. GOV.UK says results from the old test remain valid for 2 years. Always book from the current list on GOV.UK.

The reference number is the key document

When you pass, the provider gives you a unique reference. Each provider uses a different name for it:

• IELTS: UKVI number
• LANGUAGECERT: Candidate URN
• Pearson: SELT URN
• PSI: URN
• Trinity: UER

The Home Office caseworker guidance on the family English requirement says you must give the SELT unique reference number on the application form, and you "do not need to provide other documentary evidence". Even so, keep a PDF of the result with your other documents. It shows the reference number, the test date and the level in one place, so you can copy them into the form without mistakes.

The 2-year time limit

GOV.UK's SELT guidance says test results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. The caseworker guidance says the test must have been taken no more than 2 years before the date of application, at an approved test centre.

There is one exception in the guidance. If the Home Office accepted a test certificate in an earlier successful application, it can accept it again, even if the provider or test is no longer approved or the result is past its validity date. Conditions apply, including these: the result must be at or above the required level, the earlier application must not have been refused, and the certificate must not have been withdrawn (paragraphs 32B and 32D of Appendix FM-SE). Keep a note of which past application used the test.

Evidence 2: a degree taught in English

Appendix FM accepts a bachelor's, master's or PhD that was taught or researched in English. The documents depend on where the degree was awarded.

Awarded by a UK institution. GOV.UK says: "If your qualification is from a UK institution, you only need your degree certificate." This applies even if you studied outside the UK, as long as a UK institution awarded the degree. The caseworker guidance says the certificate should show your name, the title of the award, the date of the award and the name of the institution.

Awarded outside the UK. You need the degree certificate and an assessment from Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC). GOV.UK says Ecctis "will give you a code to confirm that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher and was taught in English". The confirmation has to cover both points: the level and the language of teaching.

Ecctis is a separate service with its own processing time, so the assessment can take some time. If your certificate is not in English or Welsh, paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules says you must provide the document in the original language and "a full translation that can be independently verified". The translation must be dated and include the translator's confirmation that it is accurate, their full name and signature, and their contact details. For leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain (applying from inside the UK), it must also be certified by a qualified translator, with details of the translator's or company's credentials.

The caseworker guidance also says that a partner whose academic qualification was accepted in a previous successful application does not need to provide that evidence again.

Evidence 3: nationality of a majority English-speaking country

GOV.UK lists these countries and territories. Nationals do not need to prove their English:

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA.

The document here is your passport or travel document from that country. The caseworker guidance lists a passport as the evidence. If the passport was lost or stolen, or has expired and been returned to the authorities, the guidance lists other evidence instead. Note that the rule is about nationality, not where you live or studied.

Evidence for the other exemptions

Appendix FM lists exemptions, and the caseworker guidance names the evidence for each:

• Aged 65 or over at the date of application: the guidance says your passport or travel document is acceptable evidence of age.
• A physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement: the guidance asks for "satisfactory medical evidence from a medical practitioner who is qualified in the appropriate field", which sets out the condition.
• Exceptional circumstances that prevent you from meeting the requirement before entry to the UK: the guidance says each application "will be considered on its merits on a case-by-case basis". Read the caseworker guidance before relying on it.

GOV.UK's family page also says partners extending after 5 years on a family visa do not need to prove their knowledge of English.

A short checklist before you upload

• The SELT is from the current approved list, and the test name matches exactly (for example "IELTS for UKVI", not "IELTS").
• The reference number on the form matches the one on your result.
• The test date is inside the 2-year window on the day you apply, unless the earlier-acceptance exception covers it.
• The level is right for this stage: A1 first, A2 at the extension if your first test was A1.
• For a degree from outside the UK, you have both the certificate and the Ecctis confirmation, and the Ecctis document covers "taught in English".
• Any document not in English or Welsh has a full translation that meets paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules.

For where this sits among the other documents, see how to organise your UK spouse visa documents. If you are at the 2.5-year stage, the spouse visa extension documents post covers the rest of the set.

Frequently asked questions

Is a normal IELTS certificate accepted for a UK spouse visa? Appendix FM requires a test with an approved provider. GOV.UK's SELT list names "IELTS for UKVI" and "IELTS Life Skills" as the approved IELTS tests. Other versions are not on that list.

Do I need to upload my SELT certificate? The caseworker guidance says you give the SELT unique reference number on the application form and do not need other documentary evidence. You can still keep the PDF result with your package, so the details are easy to check.

How long is a SELT result valid for? GOV.UK says results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. The guidance has an exception for a test the Home Office accepted in an earlier successful application.

What does Ecctis provide for a degree from outside the UK? GOV.UK says Ecctis gives you a code that confirms the qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher and was taught in English.

Which passport shows the nationality exemption? The passport or travel document of one of the majority English-speaking countries on the GOV.UK list.

How Stratovisa helps with this step

Stratovisa is a document organisation tool. On the Family visa checklist, if you tell us at the start that none of the English exemptions apply, English language is its own document slot. It shows the evidence types GOV.UK lists, and you upload your test result there. Stratovisa then puts it in the right section of your final package, next to your other documents. It does not decide which route applies to you. That stays with you and GOV.UK.