FLM(R) self employment help!

[h2_giles]

Hi All, I got the following email this morning:

Ms X (my name), when you were at our office last week, we discussed the exceptions allowing you to carry out work as a self employed person in the Tier 5 youth mobility category. They are as follows:

Self employment

Self employment is only allowed if:

the applicant does not own premises where they do business, other than their home, although they may rent premises for the purpose of self employment

the total value of the equipment they use in their business is no more than £5000, and

they have no employees.



Can you please confirm that you meet this requirement, signposting the evidence you have already provided as relevant.

Jane Doe
Senior Case Worker
Premium Service Delivery Team, Cardiff PEO
then the address of the cardiff office
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I'm unsure of what I'm meant to provide, and if I'm meant to email it or post it. I had already sent two emails (which I'm not sure if she'd gotten as they were sent to a general email address, not hers), so I replied:

Dear 'Jane', thank you for your email.

I'm not sure if you've got the last two emails I sent last week (I imagine you guys get a lot of emails!), so just in case I've cut and paste them below this email.

Is that the information you require, or would you like a signed original letter from myself? I can get this, perhaps with another letter from the university hospital where I work confirming that I do not own the property/equipment/have employees? Sorry to ask I just want to be really clear on what you'd like so as to get it right. I can send it by first class tomorrow so it would be with you on Thursday of this week.

Best wishes, Rose X


Dear Cardiff UKBA staff,
Re Rose X Spouse Visa application, case reference xyz
I emailed the below earlier today but haven't heard back. I know you guys are really busy at the moment but I'm just wondering:

a) if I should try to get any documentation proving I don't own a property or have equipment (my accountants letter states that I don't have any employees). I'm not entirely sure how I would go about this. Is it possible for you to search and check that I indeed don't have any property in my name? There is a letter from the manager at the veterinary hospital were I work on as a contractor, she mentions that I can stay there for a fee if required- would this be enough to show that I don't own the property? It is a university hospital so is owned by the Royal Vet College. Also as it is an established hospital it has all it's own equipment, so as I locum vet coming in I/my limited company do not need nor have any equipment. I suppose if I did own equipment it would have been declared as a tax deduction, as you can see there are no such deductions in my CT600 tax return.
If it would be helpful to get a statement from myself, or further information from my accountant or the (Name of place I work) Animals' Hospital (Royal Vet college teaching hospital), I would be more than happy to get this to you ASAP.

b) Do you have any idea how long it will take to reach a decision on my case? I had thought that if a decision wasn't reached on the day it is usual to give a time estimate of when the decision should be made by. When I asked the lady who had informed me about the potential self employment issues she wasn't sure.

I am sorry to email you twice in a busy time, am just worried about what to do as this was totally unforeseen. Best wishes, Rose X

Dear Cardiff UKBA staff,

Re Rose X Spouse Visa application, case reference xzy

Following the information given to me that on a tier 5 youth mobility visa I should not be self employed (with some exceptions), myself and my partner have looked into it as we were very shocked to hear that given it was 2 different accountants that recommended I become self employed/the director of a limited company. In the process of getting together my application I had also paid and spoken to 2 immigration lawyers who had not flagged it as an issue. I'm pleased (and very relieved!) to say we found the following:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...me?view=Binary
pg18 of 22

Self employment
Self employment is only allowed if:
the applicant does not own premises where they do business, other than their home,
although they may rent premises for the purpose of self employment
the total value of the equipment they use in their business is no more than £5000, and
they have no employees.

I meet all of those criteria (see accountant's letter). I do not own any property in the UK or elsewhere, do not have any equipment nor employees.

Have a good Easter and please don't hesitate to contact me should you require any further information, Rose X, (my phone #) P.S If you are able to give me an estimate as to when I will have an answer I would be most grateful.
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I feel it's a good sign that I've got that email, just wondering if anyone knows what she means be 'signpost the evidence' that I've 'already provided'? Or has any suggestions about how I go about proving that I don't have any property/equipment/employees.

One final thing- it won't matter that in the hospital where I work there is well over £5000 of equipment will it?

Thanks in advance, Rose