Need Alternative Evidence of Presence, 2 Years Gap

[bobby409]

Subject: Need Alternative Evidence of Presence, 2 Years Gap


Hi everyone,

My first post on this awesome website. Please help me with a little complex situation. I got my ILR on October 2011 and now want to apply for Citizenship, I gathered the necessary Docs but I am stuck at this "Need Alternative Evidence of Presence" part. You see my old 3rd world country Passport Expired: Feb 2014, and new (3rd world country) Passport I applied and received on June 2016. There is a HUGE gap of more than 2 years... And therefore I "Need Alternative Evidence of Presence". After getting ILR, I did not work or study due to ill health & Painful foot i injured at work (I never claimed any benefits EVER till today), and after 2 years I started working at my Parents' Shop 200 miles away from Glasgow and been living with my parents ever since. I was employed from OCT 2013 till March 2015 at my fathers' Shop. I passed my Taxi Licence and have been self-employed Taxi Driver since Feb 2015 as well. To apply for Citizenship I therefore needed "Evidence of Presence" for my GAP Between Expired passports, in this case Feb 2014-Feb 2015 period, Since I have complete records of Self-Employed Tax returns etc since Feb 2015.

For the "Need Alternative Evidence of Presence" I noticed the Home Office accept:
* P60
* Letter from employer
* Letter from college/university
* Statement of taxes from Inland Revenue
*** In rare cases Appointment record with GP or Medical Surgery are accepted

So I thought I had the gap in Passport validity covered as I had been working at my parents shop with work declared and taxes going & NI Contribution Paid etc, through a BOOKKEEPER who also manages my TAXI work Self-Assessment. But I could not find any P60s for the period I was was Employed at my father's shop. So i called my accountant (the same Bookkeeper) and asked for the P60 & Payslips for that period. He tells me a long story... that few years back he had a system crash and had to buy new software for bookkeeping and the guys he bought new system from told him strictly to delete all the previous data but he held it on his system and he still can confirm by looking at records on his computer that I did work Part-time from October 2013 till March 2015 at my Father's Shop, but due to the change of software systems No PAYE taxes have been paid and only for 2-3 months of work got declared with some Nation Ins Contribution Paid here and there; 2 months in 2013 and 3 months in 2014 etc...

I complained to the accountant that it is VERY IMPORTANT that he fixes his record and gives me the P60 & Payslips, he said you won't get P60 now cuz the time for that is gone and I better not P*SS him OFF cuz he already told a previous client to bugger off and that client still had to come back begging for forgiveness SINCE HMRC will still direct anyone in this situation BACK to the SAME GOD DAM* Accountant!!! But due to long family relations he said he is willing to help me and he can give me Payslips & a letter from Employer (My Father) confirming the Employment period ... A few days later I get payslips print-outs in Post for the period i worked but with NO TAXES Paid and No N.I Paid, every single Payslip says "PAYE Tax = Amount £0.00" and "N.I. = Amount £0.00" and "Tax TD & N.I.C TD = £0.00" as well. I worked Part time 95 hours per month @ £6.50 per hour and only 5 of the Payslips show N.I. Paid £10.44 per month.

I planned to apply citizenship in Dec 2016 but because of the P60 not available and Payslips showing NO TAXES PAID... what am i supposed to do? As soon as i think of applying AN Form, I feel like I am digging my OWN grave & The home office will ban me for 10 years!! Because there will be a conflict in information received by Home office from HMRC and Me, obviously the Bookkeeper only REALLY mentioned my work for 4-5 months (he MESSED UP BIG TIME), AND Home Office will find no details of PAYE TAX Paid on the payslips provided by me and the HMRC record.... All of the Payslips seem so FAKE, i just don't want to declare as having worked there, but what will i do with the 2 years gap in Passport validity?


Q1: For the applications of Citizenship can i get away with only providing "Evidence of Presence" for the past 1 year? since it is Citizenship application not ILR?

Q2: What solution do you suggest? Should I only declare what the Bookkeeper REALLY Declared to HMRC of the 4 months I worked in 1.5 years and not tell about my complete employment i.e Oct 2013-Mar 2015? But then how will I prove my Presence in UK for expired Passport period with no other work? (I did register with HMRC as self Employed Taxi driver since Feb 2015 and have complete record until March 2016, so still need evidence for Feb 2014-Jan 2015)

Q3: Where exactly do we declare spent & removed Driving Licence Points? (There is no specific section for that) is it Page 17 of Form AN?

Q4: Would you recommend I wait till year 2022 or something when I have solid work history as they are asking for last 10 Years work history too? Cuz I have no work history since March 2008 till October 2013 or is Work History Irrelevant in Citizenship Application?

Q5: Is there any alternative way of me proving my "Evidence of Presence" in UK for Feb 2014 till Feb 2015? (I have rarely ever been to a GP, maybe 3-4 times, between those periods)

Q6: I have Statement of Accounts & Tax Returns 2015-2016 and paid TAX & N.I contributions for the Taxi work I do but the accountant hasn't filed for this tax year since the tax year will complete in 04 April 2017, how will I Prove my Presence in the UK for April 2016, May 2016 & June 2016 since current passport was issued in Jun 2016?

Please reply soon even if you know answer to a single question only, this Citizenship Application is a headache now and I don't want to go to a solicitor cuz I fear they charge me £2000 and a week later tell me I cannot apply due to non-sufficient paperwork for the 2 year gap between Expired Passports

[Obie]

Did you not see a GP at all or have any bank statements.

[bobby409]

yes I seen GP or Nurse between the Period Feb 2014 and FeB 2015, but the visits to the Surgery are 2-3 in that period, not many...

Statements I can Print anytime for upto past 5 years, but someone mentioned the Home Office don't accept statements, council tax record, utility or phone bills etc... thats why my hopes are down , otherwise I do have other documents

[Obie]

The list is not exhaustive.

[bobby409]

Thanks for the quick reply, that's very good news. So do you suggest I find out from the bookkeeper what exactly Work he declared me to have had at the shop and only declare that in the Citizenship form AN, and wait for the Home Office to ask me Further Proof of Residence after they take My Biometrics?

Do you know anybody who was asked for Bank statements or other than p60 and payslips & Employer letter?

The last thing I want is a BAN for 10 Years, so please suggest if i should go ahead with Application, thank you

[bobby409]

can anybody please answer this Question

Q3: Where exactly do we declare spent & removed Driving Licence Points? (There is no specific section for that) is it Page 17 of Form AN?