Tax and form AN

Still waiting to be able to apply for naturalisation, due to my accountant's sudden glacial pace. I know UVKI are going to need me to turn over all accounts for my entire tax history (pay slips as well?) as well as a blood sacrifice, the 5 years of shared bills to prove my husband's devotion, and whatever else.

But do I need to pay the tax that will be due 31 Jan 2019, in full, in order to apply? I've already overpaid my tax on account for 2017-18 by a couple grand, so whatever the bill is should be manageable (particularly as, now that I'm employed, I can all but eliminate  tax on account for 2018-19). But obviously it would be nice to not have to pay straightaway ...

Aren't you applying as the spouse or partner of a UK citizen?  I don't see where we need to provide financial documents...?  I thought we just want all our affairs to be above board to meet the Good Character part.

This is what I see in the guidance for what evidence we need to send:
The fee (of course)
Identity evidence (BRP + passport(s))
LiUK test pass notification
Spouse/partner's passport showing UK citizenship
Marriage certificate
Completed Form AN with photo glued to referee page

Is there more that I need to include?

Aren't you applying as the spouse or partner of a UK citizen?  I don't see where we need to provide financial documents...?  I thought we just want all our affairs to be above board to meet the Good Character part.

This is what I see in the guidance for what evidence we need to send:
The fee (of course)
Identity evidence (BRP + passport(s))
LiUK test pass notification
Spouse/partner's passport showing UK citizenship
Marriage certificate
Completed Form AN with photo glued to referee page

Is there more that I need to include?

I am a spouse, but I was part-time self-employed in 2014 and early 2015 (in addition to employment), then self-employed from July 2015. I still have a couple self-employed projects to wrap up (manuscripts drag on foreverrrr), in addition to employment.

There's in thing in the guidance about how you have to prove that 'everything is in order', so I'm assuming just send everything and hope for the best that it's good enough, but not sure how quickly I have to pay the money due next year. I do have a record of usually paying in full 6 months in advance, but that I suspect that wouldn't count for much if 'in order' means paid up for 31 Jan 2019, and whatever's due on 31 July 2019.

Self-employed people do need to show evidence for citizenship (it’s listed on the form).

However, there is no need to provide any relationship documents other than your marriage certificate (so you do not need to provide 5 years of bills to show devotion).

Citizenship is extremely simple compared to the visa applications and almost no documents are needed.

Off the top of my head, the important things are:
- passport
- BRP
- marriage certificate
- LIUK test certificate
- spouse’s passport
- evidence of paying taxes during self-employment


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So even if she's qualifying as the spouse of a British national, because she has a period of self-employment (which requires self-assessment, rather than being paid through PAYE), she must show financial documents to prove that what she reported to HMRC was accurate and above-board?

And since I have not had any self-employment periods, I don't need to do any financial documents.  Correct?

Self-employed people do need to show evidence for citizenship (it’s listed on the form).

However, there is no need to provide any relationship documents other than your marriage certificate (so you do not need to provide 5 years of bills to show devotion).

Citizenship is extremely simple compared to the visa applications and almost no documents are needed.

Off the top of my head, the important things are:
- passport
- BRP
- marriage certificate
- LIUK test certificate
- spouse’s passport
- evidence of paying taxes during self-employment


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But we're, like, 1000 devoted on a scale of 1 to 'joint policy-holders on the contents insurance'.

I know I need to prove yet again that I'm maybe possibly good enough blah blah, I just don't know how quickly I have to pay.

And now I'm thinking that this puts me in a real timing mess. My 2017-18 payments on account are generated out of the 2016-17 tax year, but HMRC won't 'take' the money for the POA until the end of July, which will leave £2K there for them to take in Jan 2019, which I'll obviously top up before then in anticipation of that AND whatever they want 31 July 2019 ...

But all I can do is send the money and wait for HMRC to take it, so I'm basically going to be in a never-ending cycle of waiting to have proof that HMRC took the money that was sitting there for months until I've been solely in employment for a full tax year ... so how on earth do I time it.

But we're, like, 1000 devoted on a scale of 1 to 'joint policy-holders on the contents insurance'.

I know I need to prove yet again that I'm maybe possibly good enough blah blah, I just don't know how quickly I have to pay.

And now I'm thinking that this puts me in a real timing mess. My 2017-18 payments on account are generated out of the 2016-17 tax year, but HMRC won't 'take' the money for the POA until the end of July, which will leave £2K there for them to take in Jan 2019, which I'll obviously top up before then in anticipation of that AND whatever they want 31 July 2019 ...

But all I can do is send the money and wait for HMRC to take it, so I'm basically going to be in a never-ending cycle of waiting to have proof that HMRC took the money that was sitting there for months until I've been solely in employment for a full tax year ... so how on earth do I time it.

Don't you just need to request a Statement of Account from HMRC, and that'll show that you've made all payments on account that were due at the time of the SOA?  Do you have to provide the supporting bank statements and accounting documents, too?

The guidance says "Self-employed applicants
If you do not pay tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) arrangements, we require the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self-Assessment Statement of Account."  That's on page 16 of Guide AN.

Don't you just need to request a Statement of Account from HMRC, and that'll show that you've made all payments on account that were due at the time of the SOA?  Do you have to provide the supporting bank statements and accounting documents, too?

The guidance says "Self-employed applicants
If you do not pay tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) arrangements, we require the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self-Assessment Statement of Account."  That's on page 16 of Guide AN.

Yeah, so that form is the SA302 -- which, if you've ever seen it, is something so basic that I could knock it together for you in 15 minutes in InDesign. (Note that this does not constitute advice and is not something I would actually do.) It just confirms your filing of accounts for the year and lays out how much you owe and when.

I think the bit I'm worried about is from page 7:

We may ask H.M. Revenue & Customs for confirmation that your tax and National Insurance affairs are in order. When you sign the application form you will be giving your consent for us to approach them.

I'm terrified that the panic-inducingly vague phrase 'in order' is up for interpretation in a way that can let them keep me from achieving some semblance of security for longer (which is, you know, UKVI's entire remit).

Yeah, so that form is the SA302 -- which, if you've ever seen it, is something so basic that I could knock it together for you in 15 minutes in InDesign. (Note that this does not constitute advice and is not something I would actually do.) It just confirms your filing of accounts for the year and lays out how much you owe and when.

I think the bit I'm worried about is from page 7:

I'm terrified that the panic-inducingly vague phrase 'in order' is up for interpretation in a way that can let them keep me from achieving some semblance of security for longer (which is, you know, UKVI's entire remit).

Okay, this sense of anxiety over the unclear demands of UKVI is something I fully understand.  But I do think that in this instance they're just looking to see that you have been reporting as required and that you are not in arrears in tax payments.  Surely they will understand that when you provide the SoA and/or contact HMRC to verify.

Okay, this sense of anxiety over the unclear demands of UKVI is something I fully understand.  But I do think that in this instance they're just looking to see that you have been reporting as required and that you are not in arrears in tax payments.  Surely they will understand that when you provide the SoA and/or contact HMRC to verify.

You'd think. But. Lack of linguistic precision is especially cruel in instances like these.

I think you're seriously overthinking this. All they need to know is that you have been filing/paying your taxes.

For people who are not self-employed, they can just check this using their NI number/PAYE details, but if you are self-employed, they won't have that, so you just need to send the SA302 instead.

So, literally all you need to send is what's listed on the form:

SECTION 7
Evidence of tax for self-employed applicants only
• the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self Assessment Statement of Account

And all the Guide AN says is:

Self-employed applicants
If you do not pay tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) arrangements, we require the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self-Assessment Statement of Account.

As long as you send the SA302, I doubt UKVI will even bother to check further with HMRC.

I think you're seriously overthinking this. All they need to know is that you have been filing/paying your taxes.

For people who are not self-employed, they can just check this using their NI number/PAYE details, but if you are self-employed, they won't have that, so you just need to send the SA302 instead.

So, literally all you need to send is what's listed on the form:

SECTION 7
Evidence of tax for self-employed applicants only
• the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self Assessment Statement of Account

And all the Guide AN says is:

Self-employed applicants
If you do not pay tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) arrangements, we require the most recent HM Revenue & Customs Self-Assessment Statement of Account.

As long as you send the SA302, I doubt UKVI will even bother to check further with HMRC.

Thanks, KSand. I will attempt to breathe and, maybe, someday I will actually be able to!

Question: I'm finally on the brink of 6 months' employment -- do I provide the SA302 for last year, as well as the six months' payslips? Or just the payslips?