Reviewed 15 October 2026. English evidence, tuberculosis screening and translations are separate requirements. The correct English route and level depend on the application stage and circumstances; TB screening depends on the official residence-based criteria, not a nationality shortcut.
An appointment can be expensive even before the application fee. Booking the wrong test or an unapproved clinic creates avoidable work. Before spending anything, write down which requirement you are satisfying, the official provider or clinic list, the evidence that will be issued and the date it needs to remain valid. The appointment planner keeps these dependencies together without merging the legal tests.
Choose the English evidence route
Current family guidance allows qualifying nationality, qualifying degree evidence or an approved Secure English Language Test, subject to the rules and exemptions. A first family application generally requires A 1; an extension after an A 1 result can require A 2. Higher-level results and previous successful evidence have their own reuse conditions. Do not assume that an ordinary IELTS booking, an employer’s English letter or a degree taught in English automatically meets the requirement. Check the approved route and any Ecctis requirement before paying.
Assess TB from residence history
The TB guidance uses residence and recent living history as well as intended length of stay. Make a list of where the applicant actually lived and for how long, then check whether a test is required. Where it is, use a Home Office-approved clinic. A general hospital screening or an old employment medical is not an automatic substitute.
Record the appointment date, expected certificate date and application/travel sequence. If follow-up testing is needed, the timing can change. Give the clinic truthful medical and residence information, and follow its instructions. The planner should help you create time; it should not encourage booking a date that leaves no room for the actual process.
Order translations from the final documents
Create a list of every document not in English or Welsh and check the applicable translation requirements. Names, dates and places should be rendered consistently, with any real discrepancy explained. Keep the original and translation together under the same evidence reference. Do not alter an official record through translation to make it match another document. If a certificate is being corrected or replaced, resolve that before paying to translate the wrong version.
| Requirement | Before booking | File check |
|---|---|---|
| English | Approved evidence route, level and provider | Correct reference and identity details |
| TB | Residence criteria and approved clinic | Certificate timing and application plan |
| Translation | Final original and required certification | Complete original/translation pair |
| Identity | Passport name and document details | Name links and spelling discrepancies |
Check the issued evidence, not only the booking
A completed appointment is not the end of the task. Review the document or result as soon as it is issued. Compare the name, passport reference where relevant, date, level and provider details with the requirement you intended to satisfy. An administrative error may be easier to correct immediately than after the application is submitted. Keep the booking receipt separate from the evidence result so that they are not confused in the final index.
For translations, send the final complete original and a list of known name variations. Ask the translator to preserve what the document actually says and to meet the applicable certification requirements. If the original appears wrong, raise that with the issuer or adviser; a translation should not silently repair a birth date or relationship. Pair every translation with the original-language document and use the same reference number.
Review the appointment calendar when any dependency changes. A delayed certificate may move submission; a moved submission may change the recency of another item. Mark the evidence issue date and any validity question in separate columns. If a medical process requires further steps, follow the clinic’s instructions and update the travel assumptions. The purpose of the planner is to preserve enough time for the real process, not to force every provider into a preferred deadline.
A practical example
An applicant holds an overseas degree taught in English. Instead of immediately booking a language test, she checks whether the degree route and assessment process meet the family requirement. Separately, she maps her recent residence for TB screening and identifies two civil certificates needing translation. The calendar now contains three evidence tasks with different providers and lead times.
Put the plan into practice
Use the accompanying resource to turn the explanation into a file you can actually review. Work through these actions in order; where a point is uncertain, record the uncertainty rather than changing the facts to fit a preferred answer.
- Record the application stage and the exact English evidence route you plan to use.
- Check residence history against the official TB page and approved clinic list.
- Inventory non-English/Welsh documents after confirming the final originals.
- Cross-check names and dates on every issued document before the submission window.
Questions to resolve before you act
Is the provider approved for the required evidence? Are you assuming an exemption without establishing it? Has a translated name silently changed the original? Can appointments and certificate timing fit the planned application date?
Open the Test, Clinic and Translation Appointment Planner. Use it to record your own dates and evidence before spending money or submitting an application.
Official sources
- Family visa: knowledge of English
- Check whether you need a tuberculosis test
- Immigration Rules: Appendix FM-SE specified evidence
- Family visa: information and evidence
Independent information and practical organisation, not individual legal advice. Where immigration history, exceptions or conflicting documents affect your case, check the current rules and consider a regulated adviser.
A useful next step
Use the Test, Clinic and Translation Appointment Planner to turn this guide into a working plan. Continue with The real family visa budget: fees, surcharge and the months between when you are ready to organise the next part of the file.