How do we get a National Insurance Number?

Question

I have 3 actress friends who are American and want to go over to london for a month or two to work in Film and TV. How do they get a National Insurance Number and visa. Tried calling the consulate - but they refered them to a 1-900 number. They can't call on 900 number from a cell phone. How do they go about doing this as legally as possible?

How many number are actually in the National Insurance ID #?

Answer 1

There are strict limits on foreign actors coming to the UK to work. Equity (the actors union) won't allow anyone from America to take a British actors job unless a British actor gets a job in America.
http://www.equity.org.uk/

Answer 2

If they are both American, and live in the US, and only intend to stay for less than 6 months, then they do not require a visa. They will need to apply for a National Insurance number from the local Job Centre.
National Insurance numbers come in the form:
AB 12 34 56 X

Answer 3

They actually need a work permit to be able to do any type of work here....and as NI contributions go towards a pension, and social security benefits, I somehow doubt that they need a number if they are only going to be here for a few months, though if they apply for one following the guidance in the second link in the first answer, they will be told if they need one or not...
Take a look through this site as well...
http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/working_in_the_uk/en/homepage/your_status/coming_to_the_uk_.html
If you can't find the info you need then use the contact us link and send them an email.

Answer 4

you are joking arent you?? national insurance numbers are given to RESIDENTS of the UK not to random people looking for work for a month! if they Have a job to come to then the people employing them would sort out something