The Belgian nationality test focuses on practical details, says Ross McQueen, while Hugh Lawson writes about leave to remain in Japan, and Gerard Cavalier thinks MPs should be quizzed
Zoe Williams’ piece about a Bolivian friend taking the UK citizenship test (Can you pull your weight in a pub quiz? Congratulations – you’re welcome in the UK!, 9 May) reminded me of my own experience gaining dual nationality. I became a Belgian citizen last year, as part of which I sat an integration test organised by the Flemish regional government.
While the UK test focuses on British history and trivia, the Flemish test centres on how well you can cope with day-to-day life in Belgium. It included practical exercises such as filling in gaps in a letter to your landlord (in Dutch), checking bus routes from Mechelen to the nearest zoo, and picking the greenest energy provider from a choice of three options.
Slightly harder were the questions on Belgian values. The one that stumped me most was: is it normal in Belgium to display the body of a dead relative at home for a week? I had not heard of this practice, but perhaps it was a sacred Belgian tradition? I hummed and hawed. I sweated. Finally I put “no”.
A week later, I learned that I’d passed. I was so delighted that I didn’t ask what the correct answers were. And now, I guess, I’ll never know.
Ross McQueen
Brussels
Heartfelt thanks to Zoe Williams for highlighting the offensive nonsense that is the Life in the UK test. My wife has failed many times, leaving her humiliated and costing us thousands per visa for 13 years now, as she is unable to apply for indefinite leave to remain until she masters irrelevant information such as who developed radar and what type of windows cathedrals had in the middle ages (both in the 2023 edition). By contrast, I applied for and received permanent residence in Japan, where we met, after the first renewal of my spouse visa – no language test, Life in Japan absurdity, or exorbitant fee required.
Hugh Lawson
London
Re the UK citizenship test and its requirement to know lots of stuff about this greatly diverse country, I have often wondered if MPs should be required to sit it before taking their seats. That way they would be required to know about matters outside their own little worlds.
Gerard Cavalier
Southampton
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