Visa/PR Expenses

[itcontractor07]

Dear All,

I am currently running my own ltd co. with myself as the director.

Since I have been in the UK for 5 years, now I am eligible to become a Permanent Resident(PR). In order to get the status of PR, I will have to apply with the Home Office, which is going to incur me an expense of 950£ + any immigration lawyer's fee (Approx 550£).

My question is can I claim this as an expense from my company.

If my current visa expires, I am not supposed to be in this country and hence will not be able to run my business. Would this reason be sufficient for me to claim this expense as a company expense.

Any help is much appreciated

TIA

[stillooking]

visa expenses

Don't think this is legitimate business expenses.

You've been making enough in UK without trying to offset the tax for personal benefits.

[Beefy198]

Surely you're making a choice to run your business here?

Your choice, your cost.

[ipguy]

Dear All,

I am currently running my own ltd co. with myself as the director.

Since I have been in the UK for 5 years, now I am eligible to become a Permanent Resident(PR). In order to get the status of PR, I will have to apply with the Home Office, which is going to incur me an expense of 950£ + any immigration lawyer's fee (Approx 550£).

My question is can I claim this as an expense from my company.

If my current visa expires, I am not supposed to be in this country and hence will not be able to run my business. Would this reason be sufficient for me to claim this expense as a company expense.

Any help is much appreciated

TIA

Obviously many British companies provide work permits for their employees. I'm sure they claim legal expenses, relocation costs etc. for their emploees as expenses.

A better idea is to ask your accountant about this, because most of the contractors in the UK can hardly advise how to get a visa and live with it.

[Turion]

Best advice:: try to be more efficient. Go home and run your business from there. It must be cheaper, right. And you'll save a packet on visa costs.

[itcontractor07]

Thanks a lot for all your advice.

Turion: Try to understand the fact that since we are efficient, we are here in this country today. Not sure if you know, but if every immigrant stops coming to UK to save Visa costs, then the govt would be approx £190 million out of pocket. Data from the UKBA website.

Cheers

[NotAllThere]

... if every immigrant stops coming to UK to save Visa costs, then the govt would be approx £190 million out of pocket. ...

Well, you would say that, wouldn't you?

My approach to having my company pay for it is: unless I or someone else can show with some certainty, that it isn't legit, then if I consider it a legitimate business expense, and I think I can justify to HMRC as such, then I'll claim it.

You've got your argument wrong.

If my current visa expires, I am not supposed to be in this country and hence will not be able to run my business. Would this reason be sufficient for me to claim this expense as a company expense.

The correct argument is: if my current visa expires, I will not be able to work for my employer, therefore it is up to my employer to pay my visa costs (or for my permanent residency ).

[UKContractor83]

Thanks a lot for all your advice.

Turion: Try to understand the fact that since we are efficient, we are here in this country today. Not sure if you know, but if every immigrant stops coming to UK to save Visa costs, then the govt would be approx £190 million out of pocket. Data from the UKBA website.

Cheers

190 million ?, is that all. Considering how many nationals cant get jobs and are on job seekers. Think 190m would be a fraction. Nothing wrong with hard working immigrants coming over. But you should seek professional advice in regards to claiming immigration costs etc etc. Think it would be classed as personal gain, as your company has been running with you not being a national for how many ever years. Change will have little or no effect on your company.

[itcontractor07]

Thanks very much NotAllThere & UKContractor83.

NotAllThere: The reason you have given to substantiate the fact that it is a company expense sounds perfect for me, incase they come to investigate.

Thanks again

[ASB]

Thanks very much NotAllThere & UKContractor83.

NotAllThere: The reason you have given to substantiate the fact that it is a company expense sounds perfect for me, incase they come to investigate.

Thanks again

Another avenue might be to ascertain if your company (in its capacity as your employer) can sponsor the application. I have no idea whether this would be appropriate to your status and your visa type but it might be worth exploring. I would have thought that this is the sort of question you should perhaps be exploring with the immmigration lawyer you are using - they ought to know the ins and outs and the best way of forming and funding the application.