The English language requirement runs through many UK immigration routes, and Appendix English Language is the part of the Immigration Rules that sets out how that requirement is met for a defined set of them. It does not apply to every route, and it does not set the level. The level is set by the individual route, while the appendix governs the accepted ways of meeting the requirement and the exemptions. An application that does not meet the requirement, or evidences it in a way the appendix does not accept, may be refused. This post provides an overview of Appendix English Language for a UK visa application.
What is Appendix English Language?
Appendix English Language is the part of the Immigration Rules that sets out how the English language requirement is met for the routes to which it applies. GOV.UK describes its purpose as setting out how the requirement is met, and confirms that the route itself sets out whether the requirement must be met and at what level. GOV.UK publishes it as Appendix English Language.
Each route specifies whether English is required for that route, and the CEFR level required, while Appendix English Language provides the common set of ways the requirement can be satisfied and the exemptions that apply. The appendix replaced provisions that had been spread across individual routes, but it covers only the routes listed in it, as set out below.
Which routes does Appendix English Language apply to?
Appendix English Language applies only to a defined list of routes specified in the appendix, not to every immigration application. It applies to applications under the following routes:
- Appendix Student
- Appendix Skilled Worker
- Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business
- Appendix T2 Minister of Religion
- Appendix International Sportsperson
- Appendix UK Ancestry
- Appendix Global Talent
- Appendix Start-up
- Appendix Innovator Founder
- Appendix Domestic Worker in a Private Household
- Appendix High Potential Individual
- Appendix Settlement Family Life
- Appendix Private Life
- Appendix Scale-up
- Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection)
- Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)
- Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse
- Appendix Temporary Work – International Agreement
- Appendix HM Armed Forces
- Appendix Long Residence
- Appendix Bereaved Partner
The appendix does not apply at every stage of each of these routes. For several of them, including UK Ancestry, Global Talent, Domestic Worker in a Private Household, Hong Kong British National (Overseas), Long Residence, Settlement Family Life, Private Life, Bereaved Partner, and Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection), it applies at the settlement stage. For others, including Skilled Worker, Student, Start-up, Innovator Founder, Scale-up and High Potential Individual, it applies at the entry clearance and permission to stay stages as well. The stage at which it applies is set by the relevant route.
Does Appendix English Language apply to a spouse or partner visa?
Appendix English Language does not apply to the family partner route under Appendix FM. That route is not on the list above, and it carries its own English language provisions rather than relying on Appendix English Language. On the partner route, the requirement is ordinarily level A1 in speaking and listening at entry clearance, level A2 at the extension stage, and level B1 across all four skills at settlement, as examined in the guide on the English language requirement for a partner visa.
Appendix Settlement Family Life and Appendix Bereaved Partner are within Appendix English Language, so a family applicant may move between rules that sit in different parts of the Immigration Rules across the life of a case. Confirming which appendix governs each stage of a particular journey avoids applying the wrong rule to the wrong application.
What level of English is required, and who sets it?
The level of English required is set by the individual route, not by Appendix English Language. Each route specifies whether the requirement applies and the CEFR level needed, expressed using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Appendix English Language then provides the ways that level can be met.
Many of the work routes set the requirement at level B1. A Student applying at degree level or above is generally assessed at level B2 across all four skills. A confirmed change raises the settlement standard: for a number of routes within Appendix English Language, the level required at settlement increases from B1 to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027, reflected in the appendix’s own exemption wording. As at the date this post was last reviewed, the B1 standard continues to apply to applications made before that date. The level for any given route should be checked against that route, because it is defined route by route.
How can the English language requirement be met?
Appendix English Language sets out several ways the requirement can be met, and meeting any one of the applicable methods satisfies it. The methods are a previous application in which the requirement was already met at the level now required, nationality of a majority English-speaking country, an academic qualification taught in English, an approved English language test, and, in defined circumstances, a GCSE or A level in English.
The methods are not interchangeable across every route, because some are specific to particular routes. A Student has additional ways of meeting the requirement, including an assessment recorded on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance. A Skilled Worker sponsored as a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or veterinarian can meet the requirement through an English assessment accepted by the relevant professional regulator. The route determines which methods are available.
Which countries count as majority English speaking?
A national of a country listed in Appendix English Language as majority English speaking meets the requirement on the basis of nationality. The list is applied by reference to the applicant’s nationality rather than place of birth or residence.
The listed countries are 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 United States of America. A national of a listed country does not need to take a test or rely on a degree to meet the requirement. The list should be checked against the appendix in each case, because nationality is assessed strictly.
How is the requirement evidenced?
Where an approved English language test is relied on, the applicant provides a valid digital reference number from an approved provider, showing a pass at the required level in each required component, achieved in the two years before the date of application. The test must have been taken with an approved provider for the result to be accepted.
Where an academic qualification is relied on, the applicant provides a certificate, transcript or official letter from the awarding institution, and, for a qualification awarded outside the UK, confirmation from the designated qualification and language assessment provider that the qualification meets the standard. Where nationality is relied on, a valid passport showing the qualifying nationality is provided. Where a GCSE or A level in English is relied on, a certificate or official transcript from the awarding body is provided. Providing the wrong form of evidence, such as a test from a provider that is not approved, can lead to the requirement being treated as unmet.
Who is exempt from the English language requirement?
Appendix English Language exempts certain applicants for settlement from the requirement. An applicant for settlement is exempt where, at the date of application, they are aged 65 or over, are aged under 18, or have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from meeting the requirement.
A further exemption applies to a person applying for settlement as a partner, parent or dependent child aged over 18 who has spent a continuous period of 15 years in the UK with permission, holds a speaking and listening qualification at A2, and provides confirmation from a qualified English teacher that they are unlikely to attain the required level through further study. The level referred to in that confirmation rises from B1 to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027. Under Appendix HM Armed Forces, a separate exemption applies at the entry, permission and settlement stages, including where exceptional circumstances prevent the applicant from meeting the requirement. An exemption must be established on the facts and evidenced according to the ground relied on.
Frequently asked questions
Appendix English Language is the part of the Immigration Rules that sets out how the English language requirement is met for a defined list of routes. It provides the accepted ways of meeting the requirement and the exemptions. The level itself, and whether the requirement applies, are set by each individual route rather than by the appendix.
It applies only to the routes listed in the appendix, including Appendix Student, Appendix Skilled Worker, Appendix Global Talent, Appendix Innovator Founder, Appendix UK Ancestry, Appendix Settlement Family Life, Appendix Private Life, Appendix Long Residence and Appendix Bereaved Partner, among others. For several of these it applies only at the settlement stage. It does not apply to the family partner route under Appendix FM.
No. The family partner route under Appendix FM has its own English language provisions and is not on the Appendix English Language list. On the partner route the requirement is ordinarily A1 at entry clearance, A2 at the extension stage, and B1 at settlement. Some settlement-stage family routes, by contrast, do fall within Appendix English Language.
No. A national of a country that Appendix English Language lists as majority English speaking meets the requirement on the basis of nationality and does not need to take a test or rely on a degree. The qualifying nationality is evidenced with a valid passport.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
The Whytecroft Ford immigration team advises applicants on the English language requirement across the family and other routes, from a first visa through to settlement. The team confirms which appendix governs the application and the stage, identifies the level required, and ensures the evidence matches the method. To discuss your application with our team, call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Sources
- Immigration Rules Appendix English Language – GOV.UK
- Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) – GOV.UK
Written and reviewed by the Whytecroft Ford immigration team. IAA Accredited. All guidance is researched against primary sources, including the Immigration Rules, Home Office caseworker guidance and GOV.UK. Reviewed every six months, or sooner following a rule change. Last reviewed: 11 June 2026.
