ILR app query: absences, low salary, short gap between permi

Question for ILR forum:

I will reach my qualifying date on July 5, 2010. I have had a work permit through the Sports and Entertainment division of the Home Office, as part of a small musical group.

Work permit dates:

6 July 2005 – 25 Nov 2005
2 Dec 2005 – 3 Jan 2007
2 Jan 2007 – 31 July 2010

At first my application seems straightforward. But there are some aspects of my situation which I fear will reduce my chances.

1. There is a short gap between work permits (25 Nov – 2 Dec 2005), although I was still resident in the UK at that time.

2. I have not paid any income tax, due to the low salary I receive. This job is very rewarding as a lifestyle (lots of music and travel around the UK) but not highly paid. Do you think it would be worthwhile to attach a note to my application, pointing out that all travel expenses have been paid by my employer, and that my salary is likely to incrase in the future? Also, is it possible I should have been paying taxes, even though the amount I make is less than the threshold for UK citizens to pay taxes (which is around £7000 I believe). I also wonder if my application will be helped by including my partners’ pay slips, as he is a British citizen earning more than me, and who owns our home.

3. During these five years I have been absent from the UK for 292 days total. Perhaps this will not be a problem, as 127 of those days were for business purposes (rehearsals and CD promotion in Europe and the US), which means only 165 were for holiday and visiting family abroad. Also, no individual absence was for more than 90 days. My employer would be able to write a letter confirming that the 127 days were for business purposes, if this helps my case (should this be included in the letter stating I am still needed for my job, or should it be a separate letter?).

Any thoughts or advice you have about my application would be very welcome.
Many thanks for taking the time to look at my questions, and for all of the useful information provided on this site!

daffodilsister wrote:Question for ILR forum:

I will reach my qualifying date on July 5, 2010. I have had a work permit through the Sports and Entertainment division of the Home Office, as part of a small musical group.

Work permit dates:

6 July 2005 – 25 Nov 2005
2 Dec 2005 – 3 Jan 2007
2 Jan 2007 – 31 July 2010

At first my application seems straightforward. But there are some aspects of my situation which I fear will reduce my chances.

1. There is a short gap between work permits (25 Nov – 2 Dec 2005), although I was still resident in the UK at that time.

2. I have not paid any income tax, due to the low salary I receive. This job is very rewarding as a lifestyle (lots of music and travel around the UK) but not highly paid. Do you think it would be worthwhile to attach a note to my application, pointing out that all travel expenses have been paid by my employer, and that my salary is likely to incrase in the future? Also, is it possible I should have been paying taxes, even though the amount I make is less than the threshold for UK citizens to pay taxes (which is around £7000 I believe). I also wonder if my application will be helped by including my partners’ pay slips, as he is a British citizen earning more than me, and who owns our home.

3. During these five years I have been absent from the UK for 292 days total. Perhaps this will not be a problem, as 127 of those days were for business purposes (rehearsals and CD promotion in Europe and the US), which means only 165 were for holiday and visiting family abroad. Also, no individual absence was for more than 90 days. My employer would be able to write a letter confirming that the 127 days were for business purposes, if this helps my case (should this be included in the letter stating I am still needed for my job, or should it be a separate letter?).

Any thoughts or advice you have about my application would be very welcome.
Many thanks for taking the time to look at my questions, and for all of the useful information provided on this site!

1). If you would have applied your FLR before expiry of your current FLR, it will not be considered as a gap. Date of issue of your visa could be after expiry of your visa which is not an issue. There is no way to get FLR in a week, you would have applied before expiry of your visa. Hence there is no gap.

2). If your salary in your WP matches with your actual salary, there is no issue. It is tax rules that if you are paid low, no need to pay tax and NI. If you are issued WP with low income, you shouldn't worry about that.

3). Get a separate letters