Passing a language exam and passing the right language exam aren’t always the same thing. Every country here has at least one certificate that people reasonably assume counts and doesn’t.
Accepted: IELTS for UKVI, LanguageCert, PTE, Trinity SELT
Regular academic IELTS doesn't count — only the specific “IELTS for UKVI” sitting qualifies. And PTE Academic UKVI (work/study visas) is NOT the same test as PTE Home (settlement/citizenship) — using the wrong variant is a common, costly mistake.
Accepted: DELF/DALF (no expiry), TCF/TEF (2-year validity)
TCF Tout Public and general TEF do NOT count for residency or nationality — you need specifically TCF IRN or TEF IRN (Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité). TCF Québec/Canada are entirely different tests for Canadian immigration and don't count for France at all.
Accepted: fide-Test, fide-Dossier, or SEM's recognised list (Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF)
A language school's own course-completion certificate (Kursbestätigung) is explicitly NOT sufficient — only an actual fide-Test, fide-Dossier, or a certificate from SEM's recognised list counts. Requirements are also set cantonally, so the same certificate can be treated differently from one canton to the next.
Accepted: DELE (Instituto Cervantes) + CCSE civics exam — both required
SIELE, another Instituto Cervantes-backed Spanish test, does NOT count for nationality purposes — being from the same institute isn't enough. DELE doesn't expire; the CCSE allows a retake within 18 months if you fail.
Accepted: CILS, CELI, PLIDA, ele.IT
The free A2 government test for the EU long-term residence permit is a completely different exam from the B1 certificate needed for citizenship — passing one does not carry over to the other. Citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis) needs no language test at all.
Accepted: Goethe-Institut, telc, BAMF-recognised Integrationskurs test (DTZ)
A certificate doesn't legally expire for naturalisation purposes, despite common belief — the “within ~1 year” guidance some people cite is an internal visa rule of thumb, not a binding naturalisation rule. Some local offices informally prefer one provider over another in practice, though the law is provider-neutral.
Accepted: ÖIF Integrationsprüfung (DTÖ), ÖSD
Which level you need (B1 or B2) depends on which naturalisation track you're on, not a single fixed number — confirm with your Bundesland before assuming.
Accepted: Inburgeringsexamen, NT2 Staatsexamen Programma I/II
An NT2 diploma is only issued once ALL FOUR components (reading, writing, listening, speaking) are passed — a partial pass doesn't count toward anything.
The test name on your certificate matters as much as the score. Confirm the exact variant with the country's own immigration authority before you book — this page is a starting point, not the final word.