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Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa, formerly known as the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa, is tailored for young adults from eligible countries, aged between 18 and 30, to live and work in the UK.

The application procedure is simple, and successful applicants are granted a stay of up to two years. After this period, individuals may seek to extend their time in the UK by applying for a different visa category, such as a student visa, skilled worker visa, or a UK start-up visa.

Advantages of the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa include the ability to:

  • Reside in the UK for a two-year period
  • Travel in and out of the UK multiple times during the stay
  • Engage in employment with minimal restrictions
  • Pursue educational courses
  • Start and operate a business as a self-employed individual, with conditions that you must not employ staff, must rent business premises, and cannot own business equipment valued over £5,000.

Notably, reaching the age of 31 while on this visa will not affect the remaining time you are allowed to stay.

Eligible Countries for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

Participants in the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa hail from the following countries, with allocated places:

  • Australia (30,000 places)
  • Canada (6,000 places)
  • Monaco (1,000 places)
  • New Zealand (13,000 places)
  • San Marino (1,000 places)
  • Iceland (1,000 places)

Residents of several additional countries must enter a ballot to qualify for application, including:

  • Hong Kong (1,000 places)
  • Japan (1,500 places)
  • South Korea (1,000 places)
  • Taiwan (1,000 places)

Furthermore, various categories of British nationals overseas are eligible to apply, including British overseas citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens, and British nationals (overseas).

However, the immigration rules specify that individuals who are financially responsible for children under 18, have children living with them, or have previously participated in the scheme, are ineligible to apply.

Youth Mobility Scheme Visa for Indian Nationals

Indian nationals will soon have the opportunity to apply for the newly introduced India Young Professionals Scheme, slated to launch later in the year. This initiative will require applicants to demonstrate advanced skills or qualifications, likely including:

  • A degree-level qualification (RQF level 6 or above), or
  • A minimum of three years’ experience in a skilled occupation

Further details on the India Young Professionals Scheme are expected to be released by the Home Office in the near future.

Qualifying for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

To be eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you must:

  • Be aged 18 to 30.
  • Be a citizen of a participating country or hold certain types of British nationality.
  • Have a minimum of £2,530 in savings to support yourself in the UK, with these funds present in your bank account for 28 consecutive days within the 31 days prior to your application.
  • Not have any children under the age of 18 who live with you or for whom you have financial responsibility.
  • Have not previously participated in the Youth Mobility Scheme.
  • Present a negative TB test result if required based on your country of residence.
  • Cover the application fee of £244 and healthcare surcharge of £776 annually.
  • Not pose any security risks to the UK.

Documentation for Application

When you apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you’ll be instructed on which specific documents to submit. The typical documents include:

  • Your current passport for identity and nationality verification, with at least one blank page.
  • A bank statement confirming you have the required £2,530 savings.
  • A TB test result, if applicable.
  • Translations for any documents not in English or Welsh.

Additional documentation may be requested based on your situation, which you will be advised of during the application process.

Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Fees

Applicants must pay the £244 application fee, the annual healthcare surcharge of £776, and a £19.20 fee for the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

Application Procedure

The application process for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa typically involves:

  1. Filling out the online application form.
  2. Paying the necessary fees and healthcare surcharge.
  3. Booking an appointment at a visa application center to provide biometric information or using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app if available.

For applicants from ballot countries, you must first register interest via email and, if selected, proceed with the standard application process.

Timeline for Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

  • Day 1: Submit the application, upload documents, schedule biometric appointment, and pay fees.
  • Days 2-14: Attend your biometric appointment.
  • Days 14-21: Await the decision from the Home Office.
  • Day 22 onwards: Collect your passport and prepare for UK travel.

Visa Conditions

With the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you can:

  • Stay in the UK for up to 2 years.
  • Leave and return to the UK multiple times during your stay.
  • Work in most jobs.
  • Study.
  • Start a business, provided you don’t employ staff, rent business premises, and your business equipment does not exceed £5,000 in value.

However, you cannot:

  • Extend the Youth Mobility Scheme visa (you can apply for another visa type).
  • Work as a professional sportsperson.
  • Access public funds or benefits.
  • Include dependents in your application; they must apply separately.

Switching Visas

Although the Youth Mobility Scheme visa is non-extendable, you have the option to transition to an alternative visa category. To do so, you must qualify for the visa you wish to switch to. Annually, numerous holders of the Youth Mobility Scheme visa choose to remain in the UK by applying for visas such as the student visa, skilled worker visa, UK start-up visa, or family visa. It’s important to note that you should apply for your new visa prior to the expiration of your current one.

Visa Refusal and Reviews

If your visa application is refused, you may be able to request an administrative review if you believe an error was made. Alternatively, you might consider a new application or a different visa type. Administrative review applications must be submitted within 28 days of the refusal, with an online form completed and an £80 fee paid. Decisions on administrative reviews can take 3 to 6 months.