Passport to profits? – Don’t get stuck in work travel doc delay this summer.

The words “A1”, “Travel” “Europe” and “Work” rarely conjure shockwaves of excitement.

However, right now, they could be some of the most important things you will read this summer.

That’s because if you are planning to work abroad this year, you need to do some prep ahead of the journey and I don’t mean arguing over which sandwiches will stink the car out more.

Passport to profits – Spoiler alert…

I cannot abide the smell of egg sandwiches!

Or tuna sandwiches for that matter.

Thankfully, I have a roadmap for you – no awkward unfolding at the roadside required.

But as with anything government department related, you must get your vehicle in gear NOW -the tailback of delays is already getting way too long!

What is all this about then Louise?

OK – an ‘A1 form’ is a certificate issued by HMRC certifying you pay UK National Insurance.

So? Why is that relevant if I work aboard?

Within European Social Security Legislation, a self employed person from one member state pays LOCAL social security when working in a foreign member state…UNLESS they can prove they pay social security in their country of residence, up to a period of 24 months.

Enter, stage left, the A1 form, to avoid the liability of paying local social security. Handy!

Why the rush all of a sudden?

Remember that Brexit thingy?

Well, before then, the rules still applied but let’s just say they were more casually observed.

That is not the case now, so don’t hope for the best! Deal with it and get this sorted pronto.

What if I do all this but I don’t get it in time?

Guess what…the longer you leave it, the longer the risk and the bigger chance you will get stung by a nasty fiscal surprise from one of our EU neighbours – danke very much. Not !

Thankfully, as long as you submit your notification and capture proof of your submission, this may will suffice for some countries.

How to apply (online)

● a Government Gateway user ID and password — if you do not have a user ID, you can create one when you apply but beware, these can take EVEN longer to get.
● an email address

What you’ll need

To complete the online form, you’ll also need (but may need other information):

● your country and place of birth
● your name, and details of any previous names
● contact details
● National insurance number and UTR if you have one
● which nationalities you hold
● Date you will be away
● The address of where you are staying (I tend to use the work address)

If you do not have this info, you may be unable to complete and submit this form. Even if you are able to submit the form without the information, it may take HMRC longer to process. If you’re applying for a certificate of coverage for a period longer than allowed, you’ll need to attach a signed statement.

The signed statement should cover why you want to continue paying UK National Insurance while working abroad and how it’s in your best interest. This will only apply if you are covered by certain agreements.

But it takes soooo long

Yep – I have known it to take 10 to 15 weeks (yes I did say weeks), so if it gets to be a month before you have to go, try applying for a certificate of residence, but you need to do it from your government gateway/HMRC tax account. They say it takes 15 days, but it is more like 25.

And if it still does not come though? – think passport to profits!

Potentially you could ask them not to pay you until you have the money, but if that is not possible, the locally paid social security charge is not allowable against UK accounts or tax.

And if all else fails…contact me and we can have a chat (free 15 mins), chargeable if you need to get techy up to 30 mins.