Your national Insurance (NI) number is unique to you throughout your life but it is not a form of identity. It is made up of two letters, six numbers and a final letter.
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Everyone who wants to work in the UK must have a national insurance number. To obtain a national insurance number, you must be 16 or over and resident in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Your National Insurance Number (NINO) is used as your unique reference number for the UK social security system throughout your life. It helps HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) make sure your tax and National Insurance (NI) contributions are recorded against your name.

Usually when applying for work visas / study visas to the UK this will already be endorsed on the BRP card and you do not have to re-apply for the national insurance no.

However, at times it may not be endorsed and a client would be required to apply. To apply is simple, once you have received your BRP card you can go the website here and apply.

Also, if you are travelling with your partner / spouse they may not already have a National Insurance no.

Once you start receiving your salary in the UK, you will continue to see your national insurance no. endorsed on your payslips.

National Insurance no. is also known as the following.

The national insurance no. format is simple with 2 letters 6 numbers and 1 letter.

Example: AB 12 34 56 C