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PLAB Test — Get a Visa to Take The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board Test

 


If you come to the United Kingdom to take the PLAB test, you will be given permission to enter and stay in the United Kingdom for a maximum of six months. If you have not been able to take the PLAB test within this time, you will need to apply to extend your stay. You will be able to stay in the United Kingdom for a maximum of 18 months in total to undertake the PLAB test.


Requirements

In order to come to the United Kingdom to undertake the PLAB test you must:

  • be a graduate from a medical school; and
     
  • intend to take the PLAB test in the United Kingdom; and
     
  • provide documentary evidence of a confirmed test date or of your eligibility to take the PLAB test; and
     
  • not intend to take employment in the United Kingdom; and
     
  • not intend to produce goods or provide services within the United Kingdom, including the selling of goods or services direct to members of the public; and
     
  • not intend to undertake a course of study; and
     
  • be able to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without the use of public funds or employment; and
     
  • be able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey.; and
     
  • intend to leave the United Kingdom when your permission to stay expires, unless you have been given permission to stay as:
    • a postgraduate doctor or trainee general practitioner;
       
    • a doctor or dentist undertaking a clinical attachment or dental observation post;
       
    • a work permit holder.

Extension

You can apply to extend your stay if:

  • you currently have permission to stay in the United Kingdom as an overseas qualified doctor intending to take the PLAB test; and
     
  • you meet the original eligibility requirements for the category; and
     
  • you would not, as a result of the extension remain in the United Kingdom for a period longer than 18 months for the purpose of taking the PLAB test.


Switching

You will be able to stay in the United Kingdom for the purpose of taking the PLAB test for a maximum of 18 months. At the end of the 18 month period, you will be expected to leave the United Kingdom unless you are granted leave to remain as:

  • a postgraduate doctor or dentist;
     
  • a doctor or dentist undertaking a clinical attachment or dental observation post;
     
  • a work permit holder for employment as a doctor.


Questions

What is meant by adequate maintenance?

Providing the level of maintenance is broadly equivalent to that of a person receiving income support and the associated benefits that normally accompany it (e.g. housing benefit, council tax relief, free school meals) then that will be considered to be adequate for the purposes of the immigration rules.

Maintenance can usually be provided by a third party sponsor such as a relative. However, third party support is not permissible in child cases.
 

What is meant by adequate accommodation?

Accommodation must be adequate for the person coming to the UK other than in the student category. For people seeking entry on a long-term basis there are two main considerations:

  1. the sponsor/applicant must 'own or exclusively occupy' the proposed accommodation in family cases. Accommodation can be shared with other members of a family provided that at least part of the accommodation is for the exclusive use of the sponsor and his dependants. This may be as small as a separate bedroom but must be owned or legally occupied by the sponsor.
     
  2. the proposed accommodation must not be overcrowded once the applicant arrives. A room must have a floor area larger than 50 Sq. ft. and normally used as a bedroom or living room. It relates number of rooms to number of persons, allowing for the fact that children aged between 1 and 10 years only count as half a person: 1 room = 2 persons, 2 rooms = 3 persons, 3 rooms = 5 persons, 4 rooms = 7.5 persons, and 5 rooms = 10 persons.
     

What is meant by Public Funds?

Under the Immigration Rules, if you want to travel to the UK you must be able to support yourself and live without claiming certain benefits.

Public funds are income-related benefits paid by the state. These include:

  1. Housing - accommodation as a homeless person and accommodation from a local authority register;
     
  2. Benefits - income support/Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, State Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

Social housing, education, health care and benefits paid as a result of contributions such as incapacity benefit or contributory job seekers' allowance are not considered to be a public funds for the purposes of the Immigration Rules.