So for those of you that don't know when you come over to the UK you have to apply for an NI (National insurance) number. Even if you are like me British.
If you have lived in the UK all your life you automatically receive your NI number when you turn 16, however if you have not lived in Britain you have to go through a process to get it.
This process is very annoying and not the best experience in the world.
The first thing you have to do is call a number to make an appointment for the interview. If you click here it will take you to the page with the number you have to call and it'll explain what an NI number is.
So when you call the number you will have a mini interview, where they will ask you why you need an NI number, your address etc.
They will then give you a date and place where you have to go for the proper interview. They will also tell you the documents that you will have to take with you on the day.
You will also receive a letter confirming the date of the interview and all the things you have to bring with you.
So when that day finally comes make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the place. My interview was an hour and a half journey away. So if that is the same as yours make sure you have planned the journey beforehand.
When you get to the place there will be a lot of waiting around and there will be some unfriendly people. I had a horrible bossy man tell me all sorts of idiotic things, but you just have to ignore them.
They will have already given you the time of your appointment, however you probably won't actually have the interview at that time. My appointment was supposed to be at 14.00, but I had to wait 45 minutes before actually having my interview.
The interview is very simple. The woman was very pleasant and I was literally sitting there for 10 minutes just answering normal questions. For example why I'm applying for an NI number, what my date of birth is, where I was born etc.
She then asked for my documents (Passport, driving licence,birth certificate) and told me to take a seat because they needed to make copies if them.
So like I said I did a lot of waiting around that day. I was in there for an hour and a half and only 10 of those minutes were actually spent interviewing me.
After 30 minutes they called me and gave me back my documents and said that my number would come in the post in about 1/2 weeks.
I have now received it and won't ever have to do that experience again.
Have any of you had to apply and get your NI number? If so what was it like for you?
Izzy
xxx
it was a real pain for me too! i was meant to already have one cos my mum had child benefit for me. only being my mother she then lost it. i read online i had to go to one place to find out what it was, and then they sent me to somewhere else, and they sent me to somewhere else, and eventually the third office told me that it had expired as i'd been out of the country for so long and i'd have to start from scratch. fun.
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