Self Employment - Registration Help

[northcave]

I am currently applying for my Tier 1 General Visa and my salary does not meet the points alone but with my self employment it does.

Since September I have done 3 self employed jobs that take me up to the required points. In the guidance it says:

138. to demonstrate earnings, applicants claiming points for self employed earnings made in the UK must provide documents to show that they are registered as self employed and were registered as self-employed for the period when this money was earned.

However, when I spoke with the Inland Revenue back then they said it was fine to go ahead to do the work providing i was registered before April 1st 2011 and declared it on my self assessment which covers the dates between April 1st 2010 - March 31st 2011, which is not due in until the deadline of Jan 2012.

It seems that there is some discrepancy between the guidance and the actual UK Self Employment Rules.

Could anyone shed some light on this please?

[goldfish]

HMRC specifies what is required to meet tax requirements. UKBA specifies what evidence is required for visa purposes. There isn't a single definition or set of rules that apply for all purposes. You should make sure you meet the UKBA requirements even if this means doing more than the minimum required for HMRC.

[northcave]

Ok thanks.

I have actually just got clarification on this and since it isn't clear i thought i would put down my findings for others in the same situation.

You can backdate the registration of self employment. You need to register on the phone with the HMRC (0845 915 4515) and then give them the date at which you became self employed.

You then need to write to them asking for a headed letter detailing the date of registration which will be the back-dated date and satisfy the UKBA guidelines. Write to:

Special Section A
HMRC
National Insurance Contribution & Employer office
Room BP1002A
Benton Park View
Newcastle
NE98 1ZZ

Hope this helps.

[vijay2000]

Ok thanks.

I have actually just got clarification on this and since it isn't clear i thought i would put down my findings for others in the same situation.

You can backdate the registration of self employment. You need to register on the phone with the HMRC (0845 915 4515) and then give them the date at which you became self employed.

You then need to write to them asking for a headed letter detailing the date of registration which will be the back-dated date and satisfy the UKBA guidelines. Write to:

Special Section A
HMRC
National Insurance Contribution & Employer office
Room BP1002A
Benton Park View
Newcastle
NE98 1ZZ

Hope this helps.

Thank you very much for sharing this. Could you elaborate on what you had written in this letter. I registered as self employed on 22nd jan and yet to receive my Welcome letter with tax code. I do not belive it will reach me at the time im applying because of backlogs at hmrc.

Do you think this letter from the hmrc will suffice what ukba is asking. It clears states that we should send unique tax number or the welcome letter from hmrc.