Applying for a National Insurance Number

When you first start working in the UK, you have to apply for a National Insurance Number, which is necessary for pension and (I guess) social security stuff. To do so, you need to get an interview at a local jobcenter. When I phoned up to make an appointment, the lady on the phone told me, that amongst other papers, I will need to make a list of all trips I made to England within the last 2 years (with entry and exit date for each trip)... hmmmmm, I guess making this list will take me a while :)

When I explained my situation to her and that it might be impossible to come up with an accurate list, she said, I should at least try, because this would at least show some good will to the person who will interview me...

It's a funny thing, but it seems to me, that this is something that the British burocracy likes: lists from the past. When opening up a bank account, I had to provide the bank with a list of all the adresses I have lived over the last 5 years. And I already thought THAT was a challenge ;)

Well, at least I have enough time to dive into the past as the interview is only on the 18th of April. Apparently there are only 5 jobcenters doing these interviews for the whole of London.