Can I take the English test for ILR outside the UK?

Yes. GOV.UK says tests taken overseas can be used for applications made in the UK, as long as the test is on the approved list and is taken at an approved test centre.

Providers outside the UK

Outside the UK you can only take a SELT with PSI Services (UK) Ltd (Skills for English UKVI), the IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT or Pearson. The list of approved centres outside the UK is on GOV.UK and is updated often. The approved tests outside the UK are on a separate list from the UK one, so check that list for the exact test and level.

Booking and timing

GOV.UK says you should be able to take a test within 28 days of booking, but not always at the nearest location; if there is no approved centre in your country, you will have to travel to another country. If you book through a third party, GOV.UK says to check they are recognised by the provider and that their fee is the same as or lower than the provider's own price.

ID on the day

Outside the UK you can use a passport, a convention travel document, a stateless persons travel document, or a valid photographic government identity card in the country that issued it. An eVisa share code can be used only for tests in the UK. The name you book with must match your ID.

After the test

You get a unique reference number (for example a UKVI number for IELTS, a Candidate URN for LANGUAGECERT, a SELT URN for Pearson, a URN for PSI). Put it in your application: results are checked online, and GOV.UK warns the application may be refused without it.

Remember the 2-year rule

The test must be taken no more than 2 years before you apply: see How long is a test valid?. The free checker tells you whether you need one.

Last checked against GOV.UK: 21 October 2026.

Sources

1. Prove your English language abilities with a Secure English Language Test (SELT), last updated 12 October 2026 (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)
2. List of approved Secure English Language Tests taken outside the UK (ODS, October 2025 version) (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)
3. PSI Skills for English UKVI (provider site, outside the UK) (test provider's site, checked 21 Oct 2026)

This is general information, not immigration advice. Check GOV.UK for your own route, or speak to a regulated immigration adviser (registered with the IAA, formerly OISC). Find a regulated adviser on GOV.UK.