Foreign National and Class 3 NI contributions

Hi, I hope someone can help. I am trying to establish whether someone from South America, who worked in the UK for 8 years between 2013 and 2020, can continue to pay voluntary class 3 contributions after returning to South America. Their intention is to continue to pay voluntary contributions until they have the full 35 years. Hopefully someone can advise me as to whether this is possible and, if so, what form would be required to apply to do so? Thank you in advance.

Hi Anthony,
Information about paying voluntary National Insurance contributions whilst overseas may be found in our leaflet NI38 ‘Social Security Abroad’ which you may find here: 
Social Security abroad: NI38
If you wish to pay voluntary contributions after reading the leaflet then please complete and return the CF83 application form which you will find at the same web page as the NI38.
Before applying to pay voluntary contributions you may wish to check your current and future entitlement to a British State Pension.
More details are given here:
Application for a State Pension forecast
Thank you. 

 

Thank you for your answer. I've read that helpsheet already but it was not clear whether the ability to continue to pay Class 3 NI abroad was open to someone who is not from the UK and came to work here for a few years. Can you confirm that someone who was born in South America, came here to work for 8 years, and then returned for the foreseeable future, to South America, can continue to pay Class 3 contributions? Kind regards, Anthony

Hi Anthony,

To be entitled to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions whilst overseas, a person must have resided in the United Kingdom for either 3 continuous tax years or have paid for any 3 tax years.  As you’ve advised that you’ve lived in the UK for 8 years then this condition would appear to be satisfied.
Voluntary class 2 contributions, currently £3.45 a week, maintain a persons National Insurance account for State Pension purposes as well as for claims to Employment & Support Allowance made in the UK.  
Voluntary class 2 contributions may be paid provided that the person is employed or self-employed overseas and was normally employed or self-employed in the UK before their departure.
Voluntary class 3 contributions, currently £17.45 a week, maintain a persons National Insurance account for State Pension purposes.

Thank you.