applying when self sufficient
Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:19 pm
Hi,
I'm an EEA citizen and applied for PR last year, based on a period of time about 10 years ago (I've been in the UK a long time). To my great relief, this was successful. Now I want to apply for citizenship, but I'm worried about a few things. Would any kind forum member be able to assist with the questions below?
1. I am currently self sufficient, and I have been filing a self assessment every year for the past 5 years. (I will include these in my application, of course.) This means that I have no P60, no place of employment that I can get a letter from, and very few ways that I can see to prove residency requirements to the satisfaction of the Home Office, since apparently they don't accept bank statements. I have some NHS appointment letters, all household bills, all council tax/ ground rent bills (all originals, not print outs), and that's it… Can anybody advise whether that will suffice, as far as they know?
2. I have been doing voluntary work for the past 5 years. For residency purposes, would it be helpful to get a letter from the organisations I worked for, if I can (there are 2 of them, one I worked for for about 4 years, and the other I'm still working for) saying that I have been working for them, stating when I started, etc?
3. HOW ON EARTH do I prove that I was present in the UK 5 years ago? I was, but since as an EEA national, my passport doesn't get stamped, how do I prove it? Do they accept bank statements for that purpose? If not, and in the absence of a P60, is it better not to apply? (I'm not so rich I can afford to throw the fee away, if they're going to turn me down for that reason!)
4. Maybe this should have been question 1 - is it actually possible to apply for citizenship if one is self sufficient???? The more I read the guidance, the more convinced I become that you need to be either an employee, a student, or on benefits to be able to apply!
5. For the past 5 years, my income has been below the personal allowance treshold, which means that I was not in the position to pay tax or national insurance - will that be counted against me?
If anybody finds the time to answer - thank you so much in advance, you have my undying gratitude!
Thank you.
I'm an EEA citizen and applied for PR last year, based on a period of time about 10 years ago (I've been in the UK a long time). To my great relief, this was successful. Now I want to apply for citizenship, but I'm worried about a few things. Would any kind forum member be able to assist with the questions below?
1. I am currently self sufficient, and I have been filing a self assessment every year for the past 5 years. (I will include these in my application, of course.) This means that I have no P60, no place of employment that I can get a letter from, and very few ways that I can see to prove residency requirements to the satisfaction of the Home Office, since apparently they don't accept bank statements. I have some NHS appointment letters, all household bills, all council tax/ ground rent bills (all originals, not print outs), and that's it… Can anybody advise whether that will suffice, as far as they know?
2. I have been doing voluntary work for the past 5 years. For residency purposes, would it be helpful to get a letter from the organisations I worked for, if I can (there are 2 of them, one I worked for for about 4 years, and the other I'm still working for) saying that I have been working for them, stating when I started, etc?
3. HOW ON EARTH do I prove that I was present in the UK 5 years ago? I was, but since as an EEA national, my passport doesn't get stamped, how do I prove it? Do they accept bank statements for that purpose? If not, and in the absence of a P60, is it better not to apply? (I'm not so rich I can afford to throw the fee away, if they're going to turn me down for that reason!)
4. Maybe this should have been question 1 - is it actually possible to apply for citizenship if one is self sufficient???? The more I read the guidance, the more convinced I become that you need to be either an employee, a student, or on benefits to be able to apply!
5. For the past 5 years, my income has been below the personal allowance treshold, which means that I was not in the position to pay tax or national insurance - will that be counted against me?
If anybody finds the time to answer - thank you so much in advance, you have my undying gratitude!
Thank you.