JCNG

Hi, anyone can share their experience & timeline applying for TOR? I've submitted my application a week ago with necessary supporting documents but have not heard from them at all, not even an acknowledgement of receipt email.

Thanks!

Alilek

We've only received ours. It took them 2 weeks to approve/send it to us.

kirstyp

We're currently experiencing up to a month wait on some applications being processed as it's peak season however in many cases we've been told by our customers they've got an automated acknowledgement.

Were your attachments under the size limit? It may be worth calling the National Clearance Hub to check it was received on 03000 588 454... annoyingly there is quite a long wait time on the calls as they are very busy but when you do get through they are really helpful in our experience.

JCNG

Thanks Alilek and kirstyp. I didn't get any automated acknowledgment. I sent in my application 26th July 2017 and managed to get confirmation of receipt via the National Clearance Hub number (and yes the wait is very long). They couldn't confirm if my supporting documents are sufficient but said another week or so. My movers have advised to chase them frequently. Does this actually help the process?

kirstyp

In our experience, yes it can help... you never know they might get fed up of you calling and bump you up the queue

JCNG

haha nice one kirstyp!

JohnnyTravel

To add my experience to the thread:

Applied by email (to [email protected]) on 28th July. Didn't receive any notification, so I sent it again the next day (to [email protected]) - and received instant/automatic notification that it had been received.

Approved on 10th August.

Information sent (Completed TOR01 Form, Passport scans of all the family, purchase agreement for where we live in Malaysia, purchase agreement for where we are moving to in UK, Bank Statements and Utility Bills showing activity over a year, purchase receipts for some of the larger items being shipped, and two copies of the itemised packing list valued for customs purposes in GBP using the HMRC July rate).

I didn't phone/email/chase them, and got approved in around two weeks.

b813

Congratulations on successfully getting the approval on your TOR. Just a quick question, I'm a bit stuck on the question where it asks if "your belongings for you to wear, furnish your room or use for the purpose of your studies?". We answer no as we are not going there to study, I then get a popup message saying "These goods aren't eligible for relief and should be declared to free circulation paying any taxes due.". Is this how you also answered your form?

Also, do you know if they are going to tax me on a TV that is 2 years old?

Any help would be great!

JohnnyTravel

Yes, I laboured over that question, as I'm not going to study, but the other option is saying my goods aren't eligible for relief. So I said that my belongings are to wear or furnish my room, etc., as it can be argued they are, and otherwise why would I be filling a form out to get no relief, when I can just ship everything without a TOR01 and get no relief, too.

Not going to tax you on a 2 year old TV - if it's been in your use and possession abroad in your normal home for more than six months, and you plan on keeping it for 12 months after your arrival (not lend out, pledge, give away, hire out or transfer the goods within the first 12 months after the date on which they were imported) - then you're OK.

b813

Thank you so much for your help! Really appreciate this as the guys at the HRMC don't seem to like picking up their phones !

durham_lad

I agree with the above response.

It says "or for the purpose of your studies" not "will be for the purpose of your studies". So you answer "Yes" since you will be using your belongings for one or more of the other two options it gives.

They are not going to tax you on anything you have owned for 6 months or more before your move.

stretched2

the shipping company in UK, Gerson's that works with US company, Crown I'm using, keeps updating TOR info, and said sometimes the email address the TOR form lists has problems. There is a size restriction so you have to shrink mb size of attachments. I chose to use the postal address listed on the form, sent it Express.
Arrived 9.03 am Oct 16. but heard nothing by Oct 23. Gerson's gave me phone number to ring (0)3000 388 454. Only on hold for 15 minutes. Told me they had approved it Oct 18, sent email. I used an email address that gets almost no junk/spam. BUT on asking what email they had sent it too, they had misspelled my name in the email address !!!!! Nice woman was mortified and gave me number, but it was scary.

durham_lad

Thanks for the update, good news eventually. It shows you really have to badger them.

My son also had problems with the email size restriction, ended up sending a 2nd email.

Inselaffen

We will be staying in B&B accommodation for a few weeks when we arrive so we can look for a house to rent. planning to apply for the TOR in the next few days. We will be moving mid December.

What can we do about proof of where we will live in the UK?

kirstyp

My understanding is that you can use this temporary address but add a note explaining your final address is not yet known.