BNO Settlement Stays at B1 English - Not Affected by the B2 Uplift
08 Apr 2026
If you are on a BNO visa and have been following the recent changes to English language requirements for UK settlement, you may have seen that the bar is being raised to B2 for several visa routes from March 2027. This does not apply to you.
The BNO route to Indefinite Leave to Remain is governed by its own rules — Appendix Hong Kong BN(O) — and those rules were not changed by the Statement of Changes HC 1691 to require B2 English. The English language requirement for BNO settlement remains what it has always been: B1 level in speaking and listening, plus passing the Life in the UK Test. You do not need to demonstrate reading or writing at any formal level.
The B2 uplift — announced in HC 1691 and taking effect from 26 March 2027 — applies to applicants settling through the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, and UK Ancestry routes, and separately to applicants on the Long Residence and Private Life routes. The BNO route is not in any of those lists.
You should still prepare properly for the tests you do need to pass. B1 speaking and listening means being able to hold a conversation in English on familiar topics — this is assessed through an approved test from a UKVI-listed provider, or through certain qualifications. The Life in the UK Test covers British history, laws, and customs and must be booked separately. Both are required for settlement on the BNO route unless you are exempt (generally age 65 or over, or under 18). If you are in any doubt about whether your existing English qualification qualifies, check the Home Office's approved test list.
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