2 definitions of a term ‘Self-employed’ and which one to use for UK visas.
We often hear from the clients: “I am employed but by my own company” or “My accountant says I am not self-employed, I have a limited company”. There are 2 definitions of a word ‘self-employed’, one for HMRC (the taxman) and accountants, another for UK Home Office and UK Border Agency, which is also used as a common sense definition. UK Immigration Rules refer to self-employed people when it comes to meeting the points for Earnings in the Tier 1 General, Entrepreneur categories as well as when applying for an ILR based on them. Furthermore, rules on meeting the Financial Requirement under Appendix FM and FM-SE when it comes to applying for a Spouse/Partner/Fiancee visa. For Home Office (UKBA) ‘self-employed’ means a person who works for him/herself, rather than working for someone else. This includes running a company or a shop as well as being a one-man-business. It also includes ‘contractors’ – workers who are employees in practice but who are self-employed ‘on pa