By Rogers Wanambwa 
KIU, Main Campus – Last week, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) announced new changes in the existing Tax Identification Number (TIN) application form that will make it easier to complete the process. 
According to Ian Rumanyika, the acting Assistant Commissioner, Public and Corporate Affairs, the changes are intended to improve the experience of URA clients and attend to the changes in the tax regime, technology, and the business environment.
Besides, the new web-based form offers a simplified user-friendly process that replaces the existing MS Excel-based form.
“We have guaranteed that the process is faster and more convenient,” said Rumanyika on the new process.
As it is, the improved TIN application process will start with Individual TIN applications by converting the current TIN application form from MS Excel Template into a web form to facilitate a better taxpayer registration experience.
According to Rumanyika, the non-individual TIN application process will follow soon. 

Changes in the Individual TIN Application form:

Pre-population of data from NIRA/URSB (Biodata and Directorship)
Use of NIN as Primary Identifier: TIN applicants are no longer required to photocopy their National IDs and attach the same to their application.
The URA and NIRA systems have been synchronized to validate and auto-populate particulars like the Name, Surname, Gender, first name, Middle name, Citizenship, and Date of birth once a National Identification Number (NIN) has been provided by the applicant.

Data validation from URSB:

Additionally, the URA and URSB systems have also been synchronized to allow for auto-population of business details like the business name once the Business Registration Number (BRN) has been provided by the taxpayer.
Removal of: Referee and Alternate contact person details
Requirement of: Unique email and Upload of attachments
No documents required if the applicant has a valid NIN/BRN
Online sign-off – Terms & Conditions: TIN applicants will no longer have to print, sign off and deliver the signed terms and conditions form to the nearest URA office in physical copy as has been the case.
Rumanyika said URA will instead acknowledge their agreement with the terms and conditions by ticking the terms and conditions agreement tab.
On employer data, he noted that TIN applicants who are employed will only have to provide their employer’s TIN and details about their employer will be auto-populated.
He added that the TIN application service is still available, under the e-services link on the URA web portal www.ura.ug. 
“We acknowledge the collaboration of our sister agencies NIRA and URSB for working with URA to achieve this taxpayer service enhancement milestone. We urge the public to always share feedback with us on how we can further improve our service offering,” said Rumanyika.

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