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UK Visa Desk
Sheesh Mahal, Patiala, Punjab

Procedure from Punjab

A1, A2 and B1 English tests for UK family visas in Punjab

Direct answer

A spouse or partner applying from Punjab needs CEFR A1 English for the first visa, A2 to extend after 2.5 years, and B1 for settlement, rising to B2 from March 2027. Only a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider counts, and the test must be booked at a UKVI-approved centre.
Photo: Keshuseeker, CC BY-SA 4.0

Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Know which level your stage needs

    A1 is the first Partner or Fiancé visa from India. A2 is the extension inside the UK after 30 months. B1 is settlement today and British citizenship. From March 2027 settlement needs B2. Students need B2 for degree courses and the India Young Professionals Scheme needs B1.

  2. Step 2: Understand what A1 and A2 test

    A1 is a 10 to 15 minute speaking and listening test: greetings, family, daily routine, simple questions. A2 adds short descriptions and opinions. There is no reading or writing at A1 or A2 for family routes. B1 and above test all four skills for Student and settlement purposes, though settlement and citizenship accept speaking and listening only.

  3. Step 3: Pick an approved SELT provider

    The Home Office approves a fixed list for tests taken outside the UK: IELTS for UKVI (IELTS Life Skills A1, A2, B1 and IELTS for UKVI Academic or General), LanguageCert (SELT), PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home A1, A2, B1 (Pearson), and Skills for English UKVI (PSI). Trinity College London tests are UK-only. A test from any other body, including general IELTS, is not accepted.

  4. Step 4: Book only at a UKVI-approved centre

    Each provider runs some centres for general tests and a smaller set for UKVI tests. On the booking page choose the UKVI or SELT version and check that the centre shows as UKVI-approved. The certificate carries a UKVI reference number; without it the Home Office rejects it.

  5. Step 5: Carry the passport you will use for the visa

    You must take the test with the same passport you use in the visa application. The centre photographs you and checks the passport. A name mismatch between the test certificate and the application is a common refusal point.

  6. Step 6: Prepare for 2 to 4 weeks

    IELTS Life Skills A1 is a pair test with another candidate. Practise introducing yourself, your family, your village or town, your work and your daily routine in simple English. Coaching centres in Punjab run 2-week A1 batches at about ₹3,000 to ₹6,000.

  7. Step 7: Collect the result and check the dates

    Results take 7 days for IELTS Life Skills and 2 to 5 days for PTE and LanguageCert. The certificate is valid for 2 years for the visa application. If the visa application is delayed past 2 years, you sit the test again.

  8. Step 8: Check exemptions before paying

    You do not need a test if you hold a degree taught in English confirmed by ECCTIS, are aged 65 or over, or have a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents you meeting the requirement. Most Punjab spouse applicants with a BA or BSc from an Indian university cannot use the degree route unless ECCTIS confirms English-medium teaching.

Where to go

IDP IELTS for UKVI test centre

Sector 17 and Sector 34 commercial area, Chandigarh, Chandigarh

Confidence medium: confirm the exact SCO number and UKVI status on the IDP booking page

Pearson PTE UKVI test centre

Industrial Area Phase 1 and Sector 17 area, Chandigarh, Chandigarh

Confidence medium: the PTE booking page lists the current UKVI-approved venue

IDP IELTS for UKVI test centre

Feroze Gandhi Market and Mall Road area, Ludhiana, Ludhiana

Confidence medium: confirm the venue on the IDP booking page

IDP IELTS for UKVI test centre

Model Town and GT Road area, Jalandhar, Jalandhar

Confidence medium: confirm the venue on the IDP booking page

IDP IELTS for UKVI test centre

Ranjit Avenue area, Amritsar, Amritsar

Confidence medium: confirm the venue on the IDP booking page

LanguageCert SELT centre

Venues allocated at booking through the LanguageCert website, Chandigarh and Ludhiana

LanguageCert also runs online proctored SELT for some levels; check which the Home Office accepts for your route

Questions

Is general IELTS accepted for a UK spouse visa?

No. Only IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills taken at a UKVI-approved centre, or another provider on the SELT list. A general IELTS certificate, even with a high band, is rejected.

What score is A1 in IELTS?

IELTS Life Skills A1 is pass or fail; there is no band. If you take IELTS for UKVI instead, the Home Office treats 4.0 in speaking and listening as A1, 4.5 as A2, and 4.0 in all four skills as B1 for most purposes. Check the level table on gov.uk for your route.

How long is the English certificate valid?

2 years from the test date for the application. A certificate used successfully for the first visa can be reused for the extension only if it was at A2 or higher and still within its validity.

Can my husband in the UK take the test for me?

No. The applicant takes the test personally with the passport used in the application.

Which is the easiest A1 test?

IELTS Life Skills A1 and PTE Home A1 are both short speaking and listening tests. Most Punjab applicants choose IELTS Life Skills because centres are nearer. The content is simple; the failures come from nervousness and not practising in English at home.

Do I need B1 or B2 for settlement?

B1 for settlement applications until March 2027. From March 2027 the level rises to B2. If you are near the 5-year point, book the test and apply before the change.

  • Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
  • CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd