专家深度解析：英国移民局与托福考试风波
4月18日，笔者公布了一封来自英国移民[微博]局临时移民办公室发给笔者的邮件，通知笔者由于在英境内ETS考点中存在的替考问题，英国内政部(Home Office)、签证与移民局(UKVI)与ETS(美国教育考试服务中心)的合约已到期并将不再续约，移民局将不再承认托福[微博]以及托业语言成绩，网络上一时掀起轩然大波。
英国移民局取消与ETS的合作后，建议所有英国境内的担保人，包括大学、雇主以及其他需要审核英语成绩的机构都应当取消相应的担保资格，那么直接受到此政策影响的将为持有托福/托业语言成绩，已拿到英国大学offer即将赴英的学生和其他持有此类语言成绩即将赴英的各类人士。
为此，笔者也接连收到大批中国学生咨询，表明他们对此政策即将带给自己的影响的担忧。一批即将赴英的托福/托业考生，甚至自发在微博上成立了“托福赴英维权者联盟”[微博]，并公开联名致信ETS和UKVI，表达对此政策的抗议。信件内容如下：
A Joint Letter to UKVI
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are Chinese TOEFL test takers who have received offers from all kinds of universities in the UK. Recently, we are greatly worried and concerned about the event that the Home Office had decided not to extend SELT license with ETS, and TOEIC and TOEFL testing would no longer be offered for U.K. visa-granting purposes because of TOEIC testing fraud happened in the UK. If this policy treats all of innocent overseas TOEFL candidates equally without any discrimination, it may have a serious impact on our study abroad plan, disturb our life totally and even shatter our study dreams。
As we all know, British educational system with the history and development of several hundred years is famous for its high-quality education in the world. We regard UK as our first choice for its attractive British culture, diversified education processes, broad range of courses and incomputable world leading education institutions. However, now it seems that all of our eager expectation is becoming the pie in the sky. We feel disappointed and unacceptable for this policy because all of Chinese TOEFL test takers are disciplined without any fraud behaviors or illegal means and exert themselves for several months to obtain the high TOEFL scores. In China, the invigilation of TOEFL testing is very strict and the entire process is under the scrutiny of surveillance cam and several invigilators。
In addition, the previous fraud event occurred in the UK, so it is really unfair and unwise to refuse the innocent overseas TOEFL candidates. If UKVI no longer accepts TOEFL as a language test for visa, both the UK and overseas students will suffer from significant losses. Taking a postgraduate student as an example, the total expenditure in the UK will be 30,000-40,000 pounds per year, including tuition fees and life expenses. So far, we have confirmed that there are more than 2,000 Chinese students with the TOEFL to apply for the universities in the UK. Therefore, UK may lose 60-80 millions of pounds per year. There are also many students affected by the measure in other countries. Due to the time issues, they may not have enough time to take alternative test, and have to turn to the application of other countries. Therefore, UK will suffer from enormous economic losses around several ten million pounds or even more for this action. UK will even lose lots of human resources and economic losses. The losses mentioned above are just the short-term. It is predictable that losses in the future will be even more. The reason why we choose UK is that we all believe the UK has a good reputation in the long history. We all don’t want to see its reputation or image damaged by this affair。
Furthermore, in February, ETS and UKBA had claimed firmly that fraud event would not influence the TOEFL test takers overseas to utilize the TOEFL for U.K. visa-granting purposes on the websites. Thus, most of us have booked our accommodations and flight tickets, paid for the deposit and even the tuition fee for our language courses. But now you declare this policy suddenly. We deem it shows your sheer irresponsibility. Even, it is the graduation season in China now, so most of us have no time to prepare for IELTS or PTE. What’s worse, IELTS test is one of the most competitive tests in China, so it is difficult for us to get a test place in the short period。
We trust you may try to understand our situation and provide reasonable measures to help us! We look forward to your timely reply。
With kindest regards。
Nearly 200 victims of Chinese TOEFL candidates
22nd April, 2014
以上《致英国签证和移民局的联名信》要点如下：
1. 作为已拿到英国各大高校offer的中国托福考生，对此政策深感忧虑；
2. 中国的托福考试监管十分严格，而托业考试丑闻的发生地是在英国，不应为此牵连海外考生；
3. 若移民局不再承认托福考试成绩，英国和海外考生都将因此承受巨大损失；
4. ETS和UKVI已在2月替考丑闻被揭露后声称，丑闻将不会影响海外考生，因此不应临时取消对托福/托业考试的承认。
A Joint Letter to ETS
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are Chinese TOEFL test takers who have received offers from all kinds of universities in the UK and now we are greatly concerned about the event of your TOEIC testing fraud happened in the UK. Your center had declared on 17th, April, 2014 that ETS would not extend your SELT license with the Home Office, so TOEIC and TOEFL testing would no longer be offered for U.K. visa-granting purposes. This policy will result in the serious violation of countless TOEFL candidates’ legitimate rights and forces the innocent TOEFL candidates not able to get a visa。
We are all resentful and strongly protest against the behavior that ETS announced actively to suspend the extension of SELT license with the Home Office and your inadequate remedial efforts for nearly two months. It not only violates your previous commitment of “go anywhere from here” and “YOU CAN BE ANYTHING AND STUDY ANYWHERE WITH TOEFL TEST” and causes lasting damage for the reputation of ETS and TOEFL testing, but also puts the vast disciplined TOEFL test takers at risk of losing the prompt visa and causes a huge loss to our money, endeavor and even the time。
Furthermore, your center had claimed and informed the fraud event would not have impact on the TOEFL test takers overseas to utilize the TOEFL for U.K. visa-granting purposes on your websites in February. However, just in two months, you declared ETS would not extend your SELT license with the Home Office suddenly. We deem it shows your sheer irresponsible attitude and handling way。
Therefore, we solemnly request that: your center extends the term of your license with the UKVI until the end of visa period this year or take other methods at once to handle with this problem to guarantee that all the outside students who use the TOEFL scores to apply for UK visa get it smoothly。
Given this, we claim that your center must take the consequences which a large number of overseas TOEFL candidates cannot get student visa now because of your poor management and handling. We will be appreciated if your center could take action to respond and deal with this problem immediately. If not, we would be compelled to take up legal weapon to safeguard our legitimate rights and initiate the global lawsuit。
With kindest regards。
ALL TOEFL candidate victims
21st April, 2014
以上《致美国教育考试服务中心的联名信》要点如下：
1. ETS宣布将不再与UKVI续约语言考试许可证，此举严重违反了托福考生的合法利益，也违背了ETS的承诺；
2. ETS已在2月替考丑闻被揭露后声称，丑闻将不会影响海外考生，因此临时取消与UKVI的合作，是不负责任的态度和处理方式；
3. 所有即将赴英的中国托福考生郑重要求ETS与UKVI续约以保证现有托福海外考生可以顺利获得英国签证；
4. 要求ETS采取有效行动来处理问题，否则所有即将赴英的中国托福考生将发起全球诉讼。
然而，即便ETS和UKVI的解约消息已在即将赴英学生中闹得沸沸扬扬，英国内政部官方却迟迟未给出确切的回应。
正如笔者在4月18日发布的文章中所说，解约的消息仅仅来自移民局内部对笔者的正常每日通报，此通报并非移民法，也不具有法律效力。因为从提交新的移民法修改草案直至通过审议成为法律还需要时间。截止至4月24日，内政部官方网站上移民法附表中，ETS仍然是被承认的考试。因此，笔者建议广大即将持托福/托业成绩赴英的人士在积极反应自己生硬的同事，耐心等待，一切以移民局的官方说明为准。
从目前的情况来看，英国移民局并没有最后公布具体的实施细节，包括对成绩确认的时间点是否是2014年4月6日以后的成绩不认可？还是一刀切全部不认可？或者网开一面通过增加面试过程来确保英国移民体系不受到托福成绩影响？
笔者的意见倾向于区别对待，设立时间点例如2014年4月6日(或者2月17日？)以前获得的成绩被认可，但是仍然不排除最后移民局一刀切的可能性！
最后，就目前几大类受到影响的中国申请类别做一个简单建议：
类别1： 目前已经获得CAS，但是还没有提交签证申请的申请人：
类别特点： 这一类别通常都是计划9月份直接开始研究生课程的申请人；
建议： 建议尽快联络大学的国际办公室，确认具体学校的实施细节，同时准备其他考试类型(具体认可考试类型见后文)
类别2： 目前已经获得CAS，已经提交签证申请的申请人：
类别特点： 此类别申请人通常是需要6月进入英国开始语言课程，9月开始正式研究生课程的申请人；
建议： 建议尽快联络大学的国际办公室，确认具体学校的实施细节，是否会取消担保，如果确认会取消担保，可以考虑撤回签证以避免拒签记录，同时准备其他考试类型(具体认可考试类型见后文)，获得新成绩后重新递交签证申请。
类别3： 已经提交托福成绩给学校，仍然等待CAS的申请人：
类别特点： 此类别通常是已经通过学校入学审核，获得托福成绩后正在等待无条件录取通知书，然后申请学校发CAS;
建议： 建议尽快联络大学的国际办公室，确认具体学校的实施细节，是否认可托福成绩，同时准备其他考试类型(具体认可考试类型见后文)
类别4： 已经参加托福考试，但是仍然没有得到成绩的申请人
建议： 尽快重新选择考试类型获得新的被认可的语言成绩用来签证；
类别5： 已经报名，还没有参加考试的申请人
尽快取消托福考试，重新选择被认可的新的考试类型；
类别6： 已经参加托业考试，获得成绩以及没有获得成绩的申请人
建议： 尽快重新选择考试类型获得新的被认可的语言成绩用来签证；
最后总结：
1， 移民局没有权利取消学校给申请人的担保资格号码！
2， 移民局有权利建议学校以及其他担保人取消已经颁发的担保资格号码！
3， 学校抵抗移民局政策的可能性很小，大部分情况下最后都会根据移民局建议取消已经颁发的担保资格号码并且停止对不符合要求的托福或者托业成绩持有人颁发担保资格号码！
4， 目前仍然没有具体的实施细节，需要等待官方的细则并且修改移民条例附表！
5， 如果可以，建议申请人尽快重新选择不同的英语考试以符合移民局要求！
6， 严格意义上讲，如果移民局的决定导致申请人的权益受到损害，例如不能按时参加课程，延误课程等等情况产生；申请人可以提请英国法庭进行JUDICIAL REVIEW 司法复核。 此诉讼行为目前情况下耗时很长，同时很难获得英国最高法院的支持。
7， 本文仅代表个人意见，不具有任何法律效力，所有相关英国移民法信息文件请以英国移民局官方网站为准。
(作者：Peter Liu, 刘鹏，从事英国移民法逾10年，英国移民局内政事务署注册高级移民律师，英国移民律师协会资深会员。)
