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Author Topic: U.K. To Test English Of Marriage Visa Applicants  (Read 1080 times)

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Offline thundley4

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U.K. To Test English Of Marriage Visa Applicants
« on: June 09, 2010, 01:01:39 PM »
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Starting this fall, people hoping to go to Britain to either join their spouses or get married and immigrate will need to prove they can speak English.

The requirement, announced Wednesday by the new conservative government of Prime Minister David Cameron, applies only to those from outside the European Union. The government said migrants will need to show they can speak English as well as a 7-year-old before they'll be granted a visa. This is in addition to proving their relationship is genuine and they are able to support themselves financially.

"I believe being able to speak English should be a prerequisite for anyone who wants to settle here," Home Secretary Theresa May said in a statement. "The new English requirement for spouses will help promote integration, remove cultural barriers and protect public services."

Officials estimate the new language test will cut visa applications by 10 percent, with those most affected coming from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The new measures have been criticized by civil libertarians, lawyers and activists. Some say the changes discriminate against people from countries with few English-speaking traditions, such as in Africa and Asia. Others call the rule an intrusion into citizens' private lives.
NPR

Sounds like a reasonable requirement to me. Why limit it only to those wanting to marry, make it all immigrants.
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Offline The Village Idiot

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Re: U.K. To Test English Of Marriage Visa Applicants
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2010, 01:35:49 PM »
very very small step
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Offline debk

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Re: U.K. To Test English Of Marriage Visa Applicants
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2010, 01:55:52 PM »
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The new measures have been criticized by civil libertarians, lawyers and activists. Some say the changes discriminate against people from countries with few English-speaking traditions, such as in Africa and Asia. Others call the rule an intrusion into citizens' private lives.


I must have missed the paragraph that said people were being forced to immigrate to the UK.... :confused:
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Offline SSG Snuggle Bunny

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Re: U.K. To Test English Of Marriage Visa Applicants
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2010, 03:19:24 PM »
Quote from: debk on June 09, 2010, 01:55:52 PM

I must have missed the paragraph that said people were being forced to immigrate to the UK.... :confused:
Yes, well, you see, they HAVE to immigrate to the UK because their spouses can't immigrate to their parent nations...

...because their British spouses don't speak the native tongue.
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