Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to provide certified copies of identity documents to visa applicants to support their applications to undertake an approved English language test.

James Brokenshire

There is no intention to change the current policy with regards to identity checks for Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Photocopies, whether certified or not, are not accepted when a candidate sits a test. Only original and valid documents are acceptable. This will allow test centre staff to confirm that the document is genuine and relates to the individual who is sitting the test.

The only acceptable forms of identification in the UK are:

• a passport or travel document;

• a EU Identity Card;

• a Biometric Residence Permit.