Self-Employed Sponsor Required Documentation [SOI Fam Mig]

[LukeMas]

Hi there

Firstly, apologies if these queries have already been answered. I did scan through the forum, but wasn't able to find what I needed...

My [Chinese] wife is just in the process of applying for a settlement visa for the UK to come stay with me permanently. It was all going well, until we hit a bit of a snag regarding the sponsor’s [mine] financial details... I've been self-employed for 16 months - since October 2014. Therefore, I have only been able to fill in one tax return [from October 2014 - April 2015]. In all the documentation I've read, and more importantly the VAF 4A Appendix 2 form, it all makes references to the sponsor’s income in the last 'full financial year'. If I take my most recent tax return I'm close, but don't quite hit the requirement [I'm £12 short, damnit!] due to it only being 6 months’ worth of work. If I take my October to October income however, I'm easily within the requirement; but obviously October - October isn't a 'financial year'.
Of course, we can just wait a couple of months until we reach the next financial year and I can submit my 2015 - 2016 tax return, but we were kinda hoping for a sooner arrival. Has anyone else been in a similar situation to this?

My second question is in regards to the documentation I'm required to provide.

In reading the Statement of Intent: Family Migration form [on pages 47 and 48, points 147.c)], it specifies what documents I need to provide as a self-employed sponsor. I'm fine for the first points [Evidence of all of the following must be submitted:... etc] but the next ones [One of the following documents must also be submitted: ... etc] are more difficult. It requests one of the following:

1 Organisation’s latest annual audited accounts with the name of the accountant clearly shown. The accountant must be a member of an accredited accounting body (CIMA, CIPFA, ACCA, ACA, etc).
2 Certificate of VAT registration and latest VAT return confirming VAT registration number if turnover in excess of £73,000.
3 Evidence to show appropriate planning permission or local planning authority consent is held to operate the type/class of business at the trading address (where this is a local authority requirement).
4 Franchise agreement signed by both parties. This is a mandatory document for any organisation that is a franchise.

Going through each point: 1. I don’t use an accountant, I do my finances myself. 2. My turnover is not in excess of £73,000. 3. I work from home, I don’t remember having to gain planning permission/authority before this? 4. I don’t have a franchise... None of these seem to apply to me, yet they require one of them… I see my only real option as hiring an accountant for this year’s finances and using their documentation, but it seems crazy I’d have to splash out on that for the purposes of the visa, right?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any advice would be really appreciated.

Luke