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[confused]

Does anyone have advice on getting national insurance numbers, and how long it takes? I am a US citizen moving to the UK for a job that starts Sep. 1.

It appears from the website that I need to have a residence before I start the application process b/c you have to apply at your local office (I'll be in London, so I'm sure there are a few). But I won't have that until late August or so, and then have to come back to the US to get my work permit from the UK consulate (also apparently required for the application), so by the time I start the NI number-getting process with an address and work permit it could be after Sep. 1. Does that mean I will be at risk of having no health coverage till this is worked out? My US insurance will still be in place through Sep but I'm not sure that will be any use, though I have heard rumors there is some sort of exchange in place.

From the website it appears there is a "fast path" process to a NI number that can be used by employers, but they only list a mailing address & no other contact info, so I dont' know if this possibility could apply to me & finding out could take ages (maybe one of you knows how to track them down faster?). I am currently in the US & will be here till mid-August.

Has anyone out there been in a similar boat? Any advice would be very helpful.

[%sig%]

[Green Eyed Lady]

I didn't get a national insurance number (which was a rather daunting set of interviews during which I had to account for all of my comings and goings on my passport, among other things) until I had been living in the UK, working part time as a TA and being treated under the National Health Service for two or three years (Unfortunately I don't have a work permit, so I can't advise there). So that particular worry, about the health insurance side of things- can fall by the wayside. Once you have an address you should try to get into ('register at') the nearest 'surgery' (that's what they call the clinics), and if they say they are full, they will tell you where to write to about them finding a surgery for you. In my case, 'they' (admin authorities) decided the surgery that said they were full was the one that would be admitting me and my children. Pretty funny. Just to drive home the fact that you don't have to worry about not being registered with the National Health Service prior to arrival, when I first moved here I was very overwhelmed by the international move with two kids under ten, and one of said kids went out and had a serious bike accident on about the tenth day living in the UK. I had made no contact whatsoever with the National Health Service before that, and yet they treated him. I explained the situation in the ambulance and they said 'no problem.' No bills, nothing. You gotta love that.

[Anon 2]

I don't know how long it takes to get you NI number when you are not a citizen.  But, as a citizen it took me about eight weeks to get my NI in the mail.

[British person]

My wife was given a temporary number to start which was  just a version of her date of birth. She had to have an interview with an official from the Job Centre in order to get a proper one. It did take a few months.

[UKtoUS]

My (American) wife had no problem getting one either recently.  It didn't take very long at all.  She had to do a short (friendly) interview with some bureaucrat somewhere.  They just want to know that you have a legit reason for being here and having a job.  Maybe you should contact the Human Resources department where you have a job and get them to help.  They could maybe make a few phone calls.  My HR department here was very helpful getting me all of the proper paperwork when I was hired here.  Do you have a work permit yet, by the way?  If not, you'll want to get that process started, like, yesterday.  That's much more involved than an NI number.

[Expat in UK]

I got a temp NI number as soon as I arrived because I came over on a work permit. It took me four years to find out how to get a real one! As someone said... go to the job center. From there they will make an appointment for you to have an interview to get a real number. Make sure that you document ALL your trips outside the UK between the time you enter and the time you get your number. Do NOT leave the UK for more than a few weeks (for holiday or such) until you get the NI number.