petitefrancaise

My son was born in Scotland, he is UK citizen but has lived outside of the UK since he was 3.5.
Will he have had an NI number assigned to him already? He is 18

scot47

No he will not have a NINO. These are now routinely issued to those whose parents have been in receipt of Child Benefit. Others, including your son, will have to make special arrangements. Contact a Jobcentre. they will set up an interview at a time and place they determine. They will want to check his identity. Getting a NINO is subject to quite high-level security checks.

durham_lad

As Scot says he will have to be physically present and also a resident in the UK to get a NIN. (The application for a NIN asks for the date the applicant became resident.)

BristolUK

If the son lived in the UK for 3 and a half years, there's a pretty good chance parents will have received child benefit.

If he's 18, that would mean he was born there around 1999 and the issue of NINOs for children on Child Benefit claims began some time before that, so he likely does have one, just not issued with it as he never reached the point where it was needed.

It's not really lost but this should do the job.

https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number

Novocastrian

True, but perhaps PF may know if she received Child Benefit or not?

petitefrancaise

Yes, I did receive child benefit for him.
His big sister got her NI number earlier this year.

Novocastrian

Then he's already in the system. Use BristolUK's link to find it.