What is the test for permanent residence in the UK? 24 questions answered correctly, 18 questions passed

Last week, a reader left a message in the background: In the fifth year of the work permit, all the materials are in place, but the only thing missing is a letter of approval from Life in the UK. She failed the exam twice in a row. The second time she failed was "in which year did the Battle of Hastings occur". She said: I have lived in the UK for nine years, paid taxes for nine years, and ended up stuck in a war that happened a thousand years ago.

This is probably the most "unreasonable" step on the road to permanent residence in the UK - but it is also the one for which you are best prepared. Take it apart today.

Why is it necessary to take the exam Life in the UK for permanent residence in the UK?

When applying for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain, permanent residence), the Ministry of Home Affairs requires that you meet KoLL (Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK) - often translated in Chinese as "Knowledge of English and Life in the UK". It consists of two parts: English proficiency certificate , plus passed Life in the UK Test. The two are in a parallel relationship, not an alternative.

The good news is: this score is valid for life and does not expire . You take the test once when you get permanent residence. You can still use the same number when applying for naturalization a few years later without having to take the test again.

What does the Life in the UK test test? Dismantling of the contents of five chapters

The question bank is 100% derived from the official handbook "Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents" (Third Edition). You won't be tested on any knowledge outside the manual, so don't memorize the "Encyclopedia of British General Knowledge". The five chapters are:

1️⃣ British values ​​and principles
2️⃣ What is Britain - geography, language, population of the four constituent countries
3️⃣ Long and glorious history - from the Stone Age to contemporary times
4️⃣ Modern prosperous society - festivals, sports, literature, art, religion
5️⃣ Government, law and your role - Parliament, courts, voting, juries

Chapter 3: History is the hardest hit area for Chinese candidates. The year, king order, and battle names are extremely dense and occupy the longest space. Chapter 5 is the best place to get points. Many of the contents are common sense that you can perceive in your daily life.

How many points did Life in the UK pass? 24 questions, 18 correct answers

Computer-based test, all in English, , 24 multiple-choice questions, 45 minutes, passing 18 questions correctly (75%) . This means you can only get up to 6 questions wrong.

The question types are more than just "choose one from four". There are also true/false questions, double-choice questions "Which two of the following are correct?", and selecting the only false statement from the options. Double-choice questions are the easiest to lose points - if you miss one, the entire question will be invalid, and there will be no half point.

There is actually plenty of time, with an average of nearly two minutes per question, which is enough to read the questions carefully. The result of is on the spot. If you pass, you will get a letter of approval with a unique number on the spot. This piece of paper/number is the evidence to be submitted in your permanent residence application. Be sure to take a photo for your records.

How to make an appointment before permanent residence? Fees, make-up exams and pitfalls

Reservations can only be made online through the GOV.UK official system. The fee is £50 per . Reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance. There are more than 60 test centers across the UK. There is no on-site registration, and there is no official "guaranteed class".

What should I do if I didn’t pass the exam? You have to wait at least 7 days before taking the test again. There is no limit to the number of times, but you will have to pay £50 again each time. It does not affect the permanent residence application itself, but don’t delay the exam until your visa is about to expire.

The two most common low-level mistakes are: first, the name on the certificate is inconsistent with the reservation information ; second, the address filled in by when making the reservation does not match . If any of the items are not met, the test center reserves the right to refuse your admission and the £50 will not be refunded. Before making an appointment, it is more effective to check the passport/BRP and eVisa information word for word than to do twenty sets of simulation questions.

Who is exempt from the Life in the UK test

There are two main categories: who are under 18 years old on the date of application, or over 65 years old - the age on the day when the application is submitted is looked at, not the day of the test; and those who have long-term physical and mental health conditions and are unable to take the test, a doctor must issue a certificate in compliance with the Ministry of Interior format to apply for exemption.

In addition, some permanent residence paths (such as victims of domestic violence, widowed spouses, etc.) have special arrangements, but this type of exemption usually does not automatically extend to subsequent naturalization applications , and you may still have to make up the exam at that time. Please refer to GOV.UK’s latest guidelines for specific qualifications.

Three steps to prepare for the exam, don’t get stuck at this level for UK permanent residence

The first step is to read through the official manual without memorizing it, just to get an impression. The second step is to review a large number of questions and classify the wrong questions by chapters - you will find that the wrong questions are highly concentrated in historical years and make targeted breakthroughs. The third step is to do a complete set of simulations one week before the test, strictly time it, and increase the stable accuracy rate to more than 22 questions before taking the test, leaving enough room for error.

It is recommended that this certificate be taken away from you half a year before you meet the year of residence. Many people are stuck in the last month and are in a hurry, not because it is difficult, but because the time left is too short. If you want to know exactly when you will be eligible for permanent residence and when you should start preparations, you can use the 永居计算器 APP to calculate the specific date and click on the menu bar at the bottom of this official account to use it.