Tests for foreigners eyeing life in UK
Updated on 20 February 2008
Foreigners who plan to marry British citizens and settle in the UK will have to undergo English tests, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said.
In a speech on the citizenship Green Paper, Mr Brown said: "We will introduce a new English language requirement for those applying for a marriage visa and planning to settle in the UK - both as part of our determination that everyone who comes here to live should be able to speak English and to make sure that they cannot be exploited."
Meanwhile, migrants who want to live in Britain will be put on probation to show they can speak English, pay taxes and abide by the law, as hospitals, schools and transport networks continue to buckle under the growing numbers of foreign nationals flowing into the UK.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith added: "It is fair to expect people to pay their way, to play by the rules, to speak our language and contribute to the community."
Introducing such tests will have a significant impact on new spouses from certain parts of the world, particularly the Indian sub-continent.
Migrants, particularly those with elderly relatives and children, will also face higher application fees to help Britain adapt its infrastructure to cope with rising immigration.
Countries in the European Economic Area, a grouping of 30 states most of whom are EU members, are exempt from the new rules.
Under the proposals, highly skilled or skilled workers will undergo the one-year probation period on top of a five-year temporary resident period they must first complete.
Those who cannot show they have integrated into their community, through voluntary work or fund-raising for example, will have to wait three years before applying for citizenship.
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