LIFE IN THE UK TEST

Post by **Jai** » March 25, 2011, 4:47 pm

If any UM readers from the Uk has a Thai wife GF that will be taking the UK Citizenship Test there is a site that schools you in the answers--- you can take for free a sample 25 questions to test your partner (or yourself –I got 4 wrong) or pay a fee if you wish to have all the questions and other literature available on the subject. There is also a list of links there that may be useful re answering queries on obtaining UK citizenship etc

Note -This is not an English language test

http://www.uktestonline.co.uk/

Post by **electricman911** » March 27, 2011, 2:57 am

Hi , I am in the uk and my Thai wife has been here for 30 months and her visa has expired only by 3 months , when I finaly got the forms of the Border services they asked for this life in the uk bollocks , so I bought the books , well I can guarantee that 90% of uk people would not pass it , questions are , what is the % of jews in the uk , How many MP are in the house of commons ect and history questions absolutely crazy. My wife has just got her head around speaking english ,by no means perfect and then they expect her to pass this test within 2 yrs of coming to the uk .

I tried getting her to read all the questions and mark the correct answers but she would need to be the memory mans partner to do this so now she is studying the book , this country is finished believe me .

Post by **Dazzer** » March 27, 2011, 4:10 am

totally agree with you about this country and "Life in UK Test" Thai wife pass test this week after spending 6 months memorising the book, glad she took test and not me have tried it several times and failed each time, perhaps I should not be living in Uk, good excuse to live in Udon permanantly.

Post by **vlad** » March 27, 2011, 5:12 am

Crikey I took the text and I passed with 75% but I got 5 wrong and I am English what chance has a Thai got of passing.

Post by **nkstan** » March 27, 2011, 8:29 am

Just curious,how did you guys take this test?Do they pass it out or what?

Post by **MALC** » March 27, 2011, 9:27 am

i have seen the test papers there is no way i would pass the test or come anywhere near it they are stupid question;s

Post by **BobHelm** » March 27, 2011, 9:37 am

There is a test paper on the site Jai put on the first post Stan.

Agree with Malc that I am very doubtful if a very large majority of people born in the UK would actually pass it. Or what the hell many of the questions have to do about the ability to live in the country....
Primary age of children in Scotland????
Where are midwives located???
Patron saint of x?? - This at a time when any form of nationalism is frowned on as being a crime by most Government Authorities..
What do Members of Parliament do?? - it was not any of the supplied answers I can say with certainty!!

I am not out of favour of these type of tests, but they have to be relevant & should be something that a natural born citizen could answer!!

Post by **chedd44** » March 27, 2011, 11:19 am

electricman911 wrote:Hi , I am in the uk and my Thai wife has been here for 30 months and her visa has expired only by 3 months , when I finaly got the forms of the Border services they asked for this life in the uk bollocks , so I bought the books , well I can guarantee that 90% of uk people would not pass it , questions are , what is the % of jews in the uk , How many MP are in the house of commons ect and history questions absolutely crazy. My wife has just got her head around speaking english ,by no means perfect and then they expect her to pass this test within 2 yrs of coming to the uk .

I tried getting her to read all the questions and mark the correct answers but she would need to be the memory mans partner to do this so now she is studying the book , this country is finished believe me .

You do not need to do the test , you can do an English course ( it has a specific name but cant remember it ) that includes citizenship material , my wife did the course ... 4x6 hours + the test ( all very easy ) Mon-Fri , However ..... Make sure the school used is govenment accredited , 1 month before my wifes interview at UKBA Cardiff the goalposts were moved by our gov't who made no provision for people taking the test at an affiliate school ( in my wifes case ) which meant my wife was required to take the test again , it is quicker and easier than Life in The UK Test.

Post by **Firfox** » March 27, 2011, 4:10 pm

Chedd44

The course you are referring to is called ESOL. You are correct the course has to include a Citizenship component and has to be accreditted by the Government (in other words inspected by OFSTED). In order to go this route rather than the Life in The UK Test one has to have been assessed prior to joining the course and show that they have advanced one level from their initial assessment. The college has to provide a letter which has to be submitted with your ILR or Citizenship application. The letter is crucial and there are guidelines available on the net on what ther letter needs to include. The course is no longer free and costs approximatley 160 pound.

A word of warning here be careful not to 'fall into the trap' of getting your girlfriend or wife just to learn the answers 'parrot style' from either a website or training CD. In order to pass the test they need to learn the facts.

Another fantastic resource is the book that can be bought on amazom which is the official resource translated into Thai. The book contains both the full English and Thai verson of the official guide.

Hope this is useful.

Kind regards

Andy

Post by **ajsp9** » March 27, 2011, 5:07 pm

The ESOL course costs £560 for a one year, 2 evening (5hrs Pw), part time course but if you are an assylm seeker its free or £60.

Post by **electricman911** » March 28, 2011, 1:37 am

At the moment my wife is almost through her second year at a technical college doing a massage and beauty course , considering her english when she came here 2 years ago last october she is top of her class and most of the class is uk born in fact she has been picked one of 2 out of 40 students to go forward for a national competition , si she has not really had
time to study this life in the uk test. But my point is they let any EU national in this country and they have no need to take this test or a driving test ! Have you seen the film "Borat" I had a Lithuanian /Russian "friend" who was with me for a very short time and her driving was next to someone out of the Borat film , next thing up from the donkey and cart yet she could drive here no problem ,one day becuuse she drove so slow she asked " why do they all sound their horns at me " I replied because they all know me !.
I phoned the Border services and explained that her (Thai wife) visa had run out and she was waiting to take this test I was told that she must return to Thai and apply at the UK Embassy ," what because she is 2 months late because you would not post the forms " I replied YES was the answer . I have emailed 2 letters to the Border Agency and have no reply and last week in the Daily Mail (which can be read on the internet for free) 2 articles one on tuesday saying there where 181000 overstayers in the uk and how they will be hunted down and on Thursday it says that they will be given £2000 to go home and can reapply after 2 yrs to come back (normally 5 yrs ) And here I am willing to pay over £1000 for her visa but cant apply because she hasn't passed this stupid and pointless test . If she was applying for British Nationality I would be half way to agreeing with them but even then most of the questions are stupid and are not written in simple english with simple words that an english learner could understand .

Post by **tikky** » March 28, 2011, 4:00 am

Hello, I am Thai lady who have been the UK nearly 11 months now.I must sorry if my english still does not good enough. Anyway I passed LIFE IN THE UK TEST last wednesday. First I came here, my english so bad and I couldn't understand anyone here excepted my husband ( not understand all but can guess...hehe). I tried to watched TV and CD for English leaner but my english still not improved. However I know I must apply for indefinate leave to remain after I've been here 2 years, I have 2 ways to get ILR such as ESOL or take life in the uk test. I tried to contact the college but they refuse me to study ESOL until I 've been here for 1 year. I am so angry with nothing to do in that time.After that I applied a job then I got it. I works on weekdays and have only time on weekend to read life in the uk books.I must use English-Thai dictionary all the time to understand books.I read them for 6 months then I decided to take the test and I passed it first time. Most thai lady I know living here know they must do ESOL or take life in the uk test. many people know some question are stupid but it has to be done. I beleive any thai lady who read and work hard for it can pass this test. Good luck to all Thai lady in the UK.

Post by **electricman911** » April 5, 2011, 9:28 pm

A bid thank you to FIREFOX who wrote ;Another fantastic resource is the book that can be bought on amazom which is the official resource translated into Thai. The book contains both the full English and Thai verson of the official guide.

As I said my wife failed this test 2 weeks ago , she had not realy studied the book and hence failed , so after seeing Firefox's post I ordered the book ,last weekend she spent 2 days solid studying the english version alongside this Thai version and yesterday Tuesday she passed ! She says it was much better when she could read it in thai as well as english.

One question she had was "what is the cabinet " my answer would have been where we keep the drinks , and who decides on the cabinet answer the cabinet maker .lol

What this has to do with settling in the UK is beyond me and the people who wrote it should have to take it !!

Post by **Firfox** » April 6, 2011, 1:20 am

Congratulations on your partner passing her test. Always a pleasure to be of assistance.

Kind regards

Andy

Post by **electricman911** » April 6, 2011, 4:49 pm

Thank you Andy ! it really was the book that did it , only problem now is i now have to pay for her indefinite stay visa ! I have threatened evry day since January that I would have her deported for not doing as I say . the garden has never looked so good lol.

Post by **stattointhailand** » April 6, 2011, 5:14 pm

Is that your garden mentioned in the Royal Horticultural Society "gardens to visit" book.

NORTH WALES

"A proffussion of wonderfully coloured chilli pepper plants adding a touch of the orient amongst the pappaya tree orchard"

Post by **electricman911** » April 7, 2011, 5:55 am

yes !! thats the one lol Don't know how I managed without her .Next year Chelsea flower show .