… to reduce the time for visa application

YK Poudel

Those waiting to go abroad to study and employment opportunities need not wait for the original copy of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) result to get it notarised or apply for a visa.

In the latest development related to the test, the Institute for Management Studies Limited (IMSL) made the system easier for document notarisation and reduce the wait time for the applicants.

Those applying for a visa had to wait for at least a month to receive the original paper copy of the result until now. Accepting an e-copy of IELTS results will be in effect from January 2023.




Chief Executive Officer of IMSL, Ugyen Pelgen, said that the institute has consulted with the Regional IELTS Director for South Asia, the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Bhutan and officials from the notarisation agent on acceptance of the printed e-copy of the IELTS result sheet. “The applicants need not wait for a month to get their documents notarised as they can get the e-copy of the IELTS result within 15 days after appearing for the exam.”

“The applicants can seek a reference letter from IMSL as proof during the verification at the notarisation agent,” he said.

Each individual will have a unique Test Report Form Number (TRFN) in their IELTS result sheet that can be used as a secret code for verification. The TRFN is a code that contains the year of application, centre code number, candidate number, three initials of the first name, the initial letter of the middle name, centre number, and exam module.




The TRFN will work as a validation to solve the issue of counterfeit IELTS results at all immigration offices and high commissions.

As per the IDP regulations, the applicant caught producing a counterfeit IELTS scoresheet is liable for getting banned to take the IELTS test for three years and banned entirely from visa at the country of travel.

From mid-January next year, IMSL will start with International English Language Testing System (CDIELTS). Commencing the system would mean candidates will be able to do the test digitally.




Another IMS official said that candidates can sit for the IELTS exam at any time of the day. “The exam will be done in three different schedules of the day, compared to two times a day for the handwritten exam.”

An e-copy of the exam result, he said, will be provided between three to five working days after appearing for the exam.

Meanwhile, with many not securing the required IELTS bandwidth, there are rumours that candidates could reappear in the particular band in which the candidate did not qualify. Clarifying this, Ugyen Pelgen said that as of now the update in this system of appearing exams in the particular band has not been implemented by IDP. However, as international councils such as the British Council, IDP IELTS Australia, and Cambridge English Language Assessment implement the system, Bhutan shall follow as well. The information would be passed on with immediate effect.




The institute informs non-issuance of hard copy IELTS results from the fall of January next year. The e-copy of the certificate will be detached from the system automatically after two years, which stands the same as the hard copy.

While several consultancies accept the e-copy of IELTS results for document notarization and visa processing, a few consultancies do not.

The IMSL conducted IELTS for over 10, 000 candidates till date from March 26 this year.