Originally Posted by
JandM
That wasn't me - that was the other poster.
What happens is this.
You submit your EOI saying you will pre-purchase ESOL for your wife. That will satisfy the requirement, so INZ can tick 'partner's English' as dealt with.
If your wife never sits the IELTS exam, or if she sits it but does not get a high enough average mark, then you leave this detail as it is on your ITA, and after your case has been processed and you are told you have been Approved, you will have to pay for ESOL for her.
But if she sits the IELTS exam and gets an average of 5 or higher, then you can alter your ITA (which is just a printout of your EOI with your answers written in), to show that your wife satisfies the English requirement by having IELTS of (whatever). Then, at the end of processing, you won't be due to pay anything.