English Language Exemptions for Spouse Visa Applications
Not everyone has to take an English test for a spouse visa. GOV.UK sets out exemptions for age, for a physical or mental condition, and for nationals of a fixed list of countries. This guide sets out what that list is and what evidence each exemption asks for.
- Section
- Costs, English & General
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Last checked
- 14 February 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- A1 at the first application, A2 in speaking and listening at the extension, B1 at settlement and for citizenship.
- The list of majority English-speaking countries is fixed. Canada is on it; Nigeria, Ghana, India and Pakistan are not.
- Ireland is on the list for citizenship applications only.
- Being over 65, or having a physical or mental condition that prevents you meeting the requirement, removes it.
On a family visa the English level rises with each stage: A1 to start, A2 in speaking and listening at the extension, B1 at settlement. GOV.UK exempts people over 65, people with a physical or mental condition that prevents them meeting it, children, adult dependent relatives, and nationals of a fixed list of majority English-speaking countries.
English Levels by Stage
The English requirement for spouse visas increases at each stage:
- First application: at least A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- Extension, after 2 years and 6 months: at least A2 in speaking and listening. If your first test was already at A2 or above, GOV.UK lets you use that same result again.
- Settlement, after 5 years: B1. See English for settlement
- Citizenship: B1 level. See English for citizenship
For a comparison of these levels, see our English level comparison guide.
From 26 March 2027 the English level at settlement rises from B1 to B2 on several work routes, including Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Global Talent and Long Residence. The family route is not among the routes named in that change. Check GOV.UK before relying on this either way, as the rules were laid in March 2026 and do not take effect until 2027.
Nationality Exemption
Nationals of the countries on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries do not need to take a test. The list is fixed, and English being an official or widely spoken language somewhere does not put that country on it. For family visas, GOV.UK lists:
- 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
Ireland appears on the equivalent list for citizenship applications only. Nothing else is on the list: Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Singapore, Kenya and Zimbabwe are all outside it, however widely English is used there.
If you are on the list, your passport is what you send. You do not need a test.
Age Exemption
GOV.UK lists being over 65 among the reasons you do not need to prove your knowledge of English on a family visa. For settlement and citizenship, the Home Office caseworker guidance puts it as being under 18, or 65 or over, on the date of the application.
Other Exemptions on the Family Route
GOV.UK also says you do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you:
- are applying as a child
- are applying as an adult dependent relative
- are extending after 5 years on a family visa as a partner or parent
Physical or Mental Condition
GOV.UK lists “a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement” as a reason you do not have to prove your knowledge of English. The Home Office asks for its medical waiver form, completed by a doctor, rather than a free-form letter. The caseworker guidance describes the test as a long-term illness or disability that severely restricts your ability to learn English or prepare for the Life in the UK test.
See our guide on English exemptions for settlement for how this works at the settlement stage.
If No Exemption Applies
Then the requirement is met by a secure English language test, taken with a provider the Home Office approves. Inside the UK those are Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert and Pearson; outside the UK, PSI Services (UK), the IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert and Pearson. Trinity College London tests count only if taken in the UK. A result is valid for 2 years from the date it is awarded.
For the family route the test is speaking and listening only, not reading and writing.
- Take English classes
- Book a secure English language test
- Practise with sample materials from the test provider
If your English test has expired, see our guides on expired tests and expired tests for ILR.
Evidence for Your Application
Include the following in your spouse visa application:
- Your test certificate, if you took a test
- Your degree certificate, if you are using a degree taught in English. A UK degree needs only the certificate. For a degree from anywhere else, GOV.UK asks for an assessment from Ecctis confirming it is equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or above. Ecctis is the body that used to be called UK ENIC, and before that NARIC.
- Your passport, if your nationality is on the list of majority English-speaking countries
- The Home Office medical waiver form, completed by a doctor, if you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you meeting the requirement
For other spouse visa evidence, see our guides on cohabitation evidence and communication evidence.
Further Resources
For the full knowledge of English guidance, visit GOV.UK.
Questions and answers
Who is exempt from the English requirement for a spouse visa?
GOV.UK says you do not need to prove your knowledge of English on a family visa if you are over 65, if you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement, if you are applying as a child or as an adult dependent relative, or if you are extending after 5 years on a family visa as a partner or parent. Nationals of the countries on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries do not need a test either.
Are nationals of English-speaking countries exempt?
Only nationals of the countries on the Home Office list, which is fixed. For family visas it is: 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 and the USA. English being widely spoken in a country does not put it on the list.
What English level is needed for a spouse visa?
At least A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages when you first apply. At the extension after 2 years and 6 months, at least A2 in speaking and listening. At settlement, B1. For citizenship, B1 as well.
Can I get a medical exemption from the English requirement?
GOV.UK lists a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement as a reason you do not have to prove your knowledge of English. The Home Office asks for its medical waiver form, completed by a doctor.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.