What to expect at a National Insurance identity interview
Most of the time you won’t have to attend a identity interview when you apply for a National Insurance Number. The list of questions you may get asked are below. It is unlikely you will get invited in for a interview. Reasons for being asked to attend a identity interview is to check your documents such as visa & passport.
You will be required to answer a few of the below questions when arranging your interview. The below questions generally get asked in the following order. Please review the questions to prepare your answers. The phone lines can be busy, and waiting times of 20 minutes or longer is not uncommon. Being prepared will ensure you have all the answers and will avoid having to call back.
National Insurance Number Identity Interview Questions
Are you in the U.K. now?
You must be living in the U.K. before you are able to submit an application and/or apply for a national insurance number. The recommended time between arriving and applying for a national insurance number is 1 day after arrival.
Have you ever applied for a national insurance number before?
You will be asked if you have submitted an application for a national insurance before. This is to stop duplicate applications so no confusion can occur further down the line of your application. If you have applied before but are unable to remember your reference number, you must state that you have applied before – they are able to source your previous application via your surname (family name) and date of birth. If you have already been issued a National Insurance Number you will need to find your lost National Insurance Number. They will be unable to arrange an identity interview for you in you already have a Ni Number.
What is your nationality?
You will be asked your nationality in order to build your background information. Your nationality will help in determine which route you will need to take in order to receive a national insurance number.
Do you have a dual nationality?
In some causes, applicants may have more than one nationality. If you do have a dual nationality you will need to bring proof to your National Insurance Identity interview.
What if your Surname (Family Name)?
At this point you must give over your full family name. This maybe more than one name.
What is your date of birth?
You must give over your full date of birth. In England we use the format ‘Day, Month, Year’ – for example, “23rd November 1976”.
What if your given name (First name)?
You must give your first formal name in which you were given at birth. You must not give a shortened or nickname.
Do you have any middle names?
In some cases, this question may be left out. If it is and you do have a middle name, you must state that you have a middle name and give over this information.
What is the postcode of the U.K. address in which you are currently living?
You will be asked for your address information starting with the postcode. They use your postcode locate your full address details.
Please can you confirm the first line of your address?
You will need to confirm your house number and street name in which you currently live. If you live in a flat or room, you will need to confirm your street name, building number/name and your flat/room number. They will confirm if the information you have stated matches the address which is registered to the postcode.
When did you arrive into the U.K.?
This question refers to your last date of arrival into the U.K. You do not necessarily need to know your exact date of arrival but just the month and year.
Once you have confirmed this information, they will then issue you with a reference number which you need to keep safe and proceed with booking you into an interview. They will ask if there is any time in which you are unable to attend an appointment – from this they will confirm the current availability of the job centres in which are available for you to attend. Once your National Insurance Identity interview is booked, they will confirm information about your appointment and ask if you have any questions.
IF you are in the UK on a VISA you will be asked the following questions.
What visa to your currently hold?
They are requiring the full name of your visa type. For example, “Tier 4 (General) Student, Leave to Enter”
Where did you apply for your visa?
By this question, they are meaning which country was you in when you first applied for your VISA (and BRP card).
If you state that you applied for your VISA whilst you were in the U.K. they will ask if you sent your VISA to the U.K. Home Office.
Has your VISA expired?
This question is asked to confirm that you currently have the required documentation in order to continue with your application. It also checks that you are following the correct procedure.
What is the expiry date of your VISA?
They will ask you to confirm the expiry date of your VISA. This is either stated on your BRP card which you have collected from either the post office or from your University/College, or your stamped VISA in your passport.
What if your Surname (Family Name)?
At this point you must give over your full family name. This maybe more than one name.
What is your date of birth?
You must give over your full date of birth. In England we use the format ‘Day, Month, Year’ – for example, “23rd November 1976”.
What if your given name (First name)?
You must give your first formal name in which you were given at birth. You must not give a shortened or nickname.
Do you have any middle names?
In some cases, this question may be left out. If it is and you do have a middle name, you must state that you have a middle name and give over this information.
What is the postcode of the U.K. address in which you are currently living?
You will be asked for your address information starting with the postcode. They use your postcode locate your full address details.
Please can you confirm the first line of your address?
You will need to confirm your house number and street name in which you currently live. If you live in a flat or room, you will need to confirm your street name, building number/name and your flat/room number. They will confirm if the information you have stated matches the address which is registered to the postcode.
Once they have your full details, they will move onto processing your reference number and start to arrange your National Insurance Identity interview. They may go quiet as they are processing your information. On the phone they inform you of which application team will be dealing and processing your application. It will either be the Glasgow office, or Isle of Wight office, this depends on your postcode area. They will state both your reference number and processing office contact number. You must keep both these numbers safe until your application has been completed.
