There’s more to Residency by Investment than making a qualifying investment. You can naturalize as a British national after securing Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the country through the UK Innovator Founder Visa. But first you’re going to pass the Life in the UK Test that’s essential for both the initial settlement and the later citizenship.
Binu Varghese, RIF Trust’s Regional Director – India, speculates about how somebody born in Britain would do on the test, let alone an investor educated elsewhere: “This is more than knowing your A from your Z.” “It’s a rigorous examination of what constitutes British life.”
Our UK Residency by Investment expert reassures how you can “prepare for the Life in the UK Test like you would a school exam.”
“Revision is key to you making the grade. The reward is ILR and a British passport and the chance to travel to 118 destinations without a visa, 35 with a visa on arrival, and 20 via an eVisa.”
You will have to book the Life in the UK Test 3 days ahead of time. Take your pick from more than 30 centres in the United Kingdom. They include Aberdeen in Scotland, Belfast in Northern Ireland, Cardiff in Wales, and Oxford in England.
This is a test you take on a computer. However, you have to do it in person and cannot complete it remotely. You have to pay £50 when you book your appointment at an accredited centre.
To make your reservation, you will require an up-to-date email address, a credit or debit card, and a recognized identity document. This ID can be a valid passport or travel document, along with a biometric residence card or permit. When you arrive at the centre, you will need to present your ID and have your photo taken.
There are 24 questions to answer. You have 45 minutes to finish the paper. The format is multiple choice, so an educated guess will always score higher than no guess at all.
To pass the Life in the UK Test, you’re going to have to record a 75% score. That means answering 18 out of the 24 questions correctly. This will generate a unique reference number that the Home Office, the UK government department responsible for immigration, will use to see if you passed or failed.
If you don’t pass the Life in the UK Test on the first go, it’s not the end of the world. You can continue booking a slot at your centre of your choice until you manage to score 75%. However, you will incur a £50 charge for every reservation to make and slow down your process to becoming a British national.
The current test sources questions based on material in the 3rd edition of Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents, dating back to 2013. They will cover core British values, celebrated cultural events, and famous traditions. You will need to brush up historical events and figures that changed the course of the UK.
However a lot has happened in Britain since 2013, and we don’t just mean Brexit. So, a subsequent impression replaces reference to the departed Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). In comes her son and heir, King Charles III who acceded to the throne on Thursday, September 8, 2022.
There are various ways to prepare for this trial of your knowledge of the august institutions of the United Kingdom and beyond. You can take out an e-Learning subscription. The source material is available to buy too.
For further research purposes, there’s a Practice Questions and Answers book. It includes 400 questions to see how much you know about the essential elements of British life.
Brace yourselves to be quizzed on the fundamental principles of British life. Travel back in time from the 21st century to the Stone Age. Match the famous name to where they come from: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.
You’ll be tested on the past of the British Empire and the present of the Commonwealth. How much do you know about the flags of the United Kingdom? What about the reigns of the country’s illustrious monarchs?
Share your understanding about literature both classic and contemporary. Do you know your Charles Dickens from your William Shakespeare? Your Agatha Christie from your Thomas Hardy?
When did Britain become permanently separated from the continent by the Channel? Was it A.) 10,000 years ago, B.) 50,000 years ago, C.) 15,000 years ago, or D.) 18,000 years ago? It was A.) 10,000 years ago.
Which of these is a famous classical music event in the UK? Is it A.) Glastonbury Festival, B.) Creamfields, C.) T in the Park, or D.) The Proms? It’s D.) The Proms.
What did the Chartists campaign for? Was it A.) The right to vote for the women? B.) The right to vote for the working class? C.) The right to vote for the 21 year olds? D.) The right to vote for the 18 year olds? It was B.) The right to vote for the working class.
The Life in the UK Test is a prerequisite if you harbour ambitions of ILR and dreams of British citizenship. Bear in mind that you only have to pass it once, however. That means if you’ve qualified for Indefinite Leave to Remain via the test, you won’t need to retake it to become a British national.
Before you can hold a British passport in your hand, you’re going to have to apply for a UK Innovator Founder Visa. We’re here to guide you regarding everything connected to British Residency by Investment, covering all the requirements and every single one of the benefits.
So, contact us now and we’ll show you how to invest this residency that will help you diversify and potentially enhance your global mobility through qualifying for the 6th strongest passport in the world.