IELTS Life Skills explained: A1, A2 and B1 for UK visas, taken with another candidate, and pass or fail
IELTS for UKVI Life Skills is the speaking and listening test for UK family visas, settlement and citizenship. It takes around 20 minutes, you sit it with an examiner and one other test taker, and the result is Pass or Fail. There is no reading and no writing.
Check your own visa first. The level depends on your route and on what you have already passed. Everything below is from IELTS's own pages and GOV.UK, read on 6 November 2026. This is not immigration advice.
Which level for which application
IELTS gives each level a purpose. GOV.UK sets the rule behind it for family visas: at least A1 for a first visa.
- A1Family of a settled personThe first family visa
- A2Extension to a family, spouse or partner visaOffered in the UK only
- B1Citizenship or indefinite leave to remainSee the 2027 change below
Passing a higher level can save you a test
You may take a higher level than you need. GOV.UK's family visa page says that if you passed A1, you will need at least A2 in speaking and listening to stay after 2.5 years. If you passed A2 or higher, you can use that result again at that point, as long as the certificate has not been withdrawn.
B1 goes further. GOV.UK says a pass at B1 or higher can be used again for settlement after 5 years, provided the test is still on the approved list and the certificate has not been withdrawn.
Our reading: if you are close to A2 or B1 already, compare one harder test now with two or three easier ones later. The 2027 change below affects that sum for settlement.
What happens in the room
You take the test with one other test taker, which is unlike a one-to-one speaking test. The tasks are short discussions on everyday subjects: personal details, family and friends, buying goods, work, health, leisure, education, transport, housing and the weather.
IELTS says each level assesses whether you can listen and respond, make your meaning clear, and talk with other people.
- A1 tasks may includeGiving personal information, stating preferences, agreeing and disagreeing, asking for information, explaining, suggesting
- A2 addsComparing, prioritising, planning, persuading
- B1 addsShowing contrast, cause or purpose, narrating, asking about past or future events, expressing future certainty or possibility
Pass or fail, and nothing in between
There is no score. IELTS says a Pass means you can go ahead with your visa application, and a Fail means that test cannot be used in it.
How long it lasts: GOV.UK's guidance on approved tests says results are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded. The family visa rules above, on using a result again, are separate, so read the rule for the application in front of you.
Cost: the IELTS pages we read do not list a fee. You book through a test centre, so ask yours.
Settlement changes on 26 March 2027
The UK is raising English for settlement to B2 on many routes from 26 March 2027, and Life Skills stops at B1. We set out which routes the change names, what GOV.UK says about citizenship, and which tests reach B2 in our guide to the UK settlement and citizenship English rules.
Our reading: if you may apply for settlement after that date, check your route before you book a B1 test for it.
Who does not need a test
For family visas, GOV.UK lists children, adults coming to be cared for by a relative, people extending as a partner or parent after 5 years on a family visa, people over 65, and people with a physical or mental condition that prevents them from meeting the requirement.
Nationals of listed countries also do not need to prove English: 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 USA.
A degree can count instead of a test: one from a UK institution taught in English, or one from elsewhere taught in English and assessed by Ecctis.
Other tests that do the same job
IELTS is not the only provider. PTE Home also comes in A1, A2 and B1, and Trinity's GESE and the LanguageCert SELTs are on the approved lists too.
Our reading: the paired format is the real difference to weigh. If talking alongside a stranger worries you, compare the format of each test, and practise with a real person either way, because a test of speaking and listening is hard to prepare for alone.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Booking standard IELTS General Training or Academic.
Booking IELTS for UKVI Life Skills, or a four-skill test on the approved list.
The application needs a test on the approved list, and your application can be refused if you send the wrong qualification.
Planning to sit A2 abroad.
Planning A2 in the UK, or taking a higher level.
IELTS says the A2 Life Skills test is offered only in the UK.
Practising alone with a list of questions.
Practising short discussions with another person.
The test assesses how you listen, respond and talk with other people, with one other candidate in the room.
Questions
How long is the IELTS Life Skills test?
Around 20 minutes, with an examiner and one other test taker.
What is the pass mark for IELTS Life Skills?
There is no mark or band score. The result is Pass or Fail.
Which level do I need for a UK spouse visa?
GOV.UK says at least A1 for a first family visa. If you passed A1, you need at least A2 in speaking and listening to stay after 2.5 years.
Can I use IELTS Life Skills B1 for citizenship?
IELTS lists B1 for citizenship or indefinite leave to remain, and GOV.UK sets citizenship at B1 or above. Settlement on many routes moves to B2 from 26 March 2027.
Is there reading or writing in IELTS Life Skills?
No. It is a single test of speaking and listening.
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