Your Guide to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa – UK visa news

In This Article

1. Introduction to the Youth Mobility Scheme
2. What Has Changed on the Youth Mobility Scheme as of August 2024?
3. Who Can Apply Under the Youth Mobility Scheme?
4. Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Ballot (For Hong Kong and Taiwan)
5. India Young Professionals Scheme
6. How Much Do I Need to Save Before I Apply?
7. When Should I Apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa?
8. What Else Should I Include in My Application?
9. Do I Need to Have a Job Offer in the UK Before Applying for the Youth Mobility Scheme?
10. Can I Work in the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa?
11. How Much Does a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Application Cost?
12. When Will I Hear Back About My Application?
13. What Can I Do If My Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Application Is Refused?
14. Can I Apply for the Youth Mobility Visa if I’ve Already Held a UK Visa?
15. What if I Want to Stay in the UK for Longer Than Two Years? 
16. Contact our Immigration Barristers
17. Frequently Asked Questions
18. Glossary

1. Introduction to the Youth Mobility Scheme

The UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa permits adventurous younger folks between the ages of 18 to 30 (or 35 for Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South Korean residents) to dwell and work within the UK for 2 years. Solely a handful of nations are included within the scheme, and the foundations differ relying on which of those nations you’re making use of from.

This submit goals to give you an summary of the January 2024 modifications to the Youth Mobility Scheme, along with answering some continuously requested questions in regards to the Youth Mobility Scheme visa software course of. 

2. What Has Modified on the Youth Mobility Scheme as of August 2024?

The current modifications launched to the Youth Mobility Scheme embody:

• The brand new 18-35 age vary for people making use of from Australia, Canada, or South Korea;
• The elimination of the ‘invitation-to-apply’ requirement for Japanese and South Korean residents;
• The extension of the scheme to Andorran and Uruguay residents; and
• The chance to use for permission to remain for an additional yr for Australian and Canadian residents.

3. Who Can Apply Below the Youth Mobility Scheme? 

As set out above, the eligibility necessities beneath the Youth Mobility Scheme are decided by the nationality of the applicant.

• If you’re a citizen of Australia, Canada, New Zealand or South Korea you should be beneath the age of 35 while you submit your software. It’s attainable to use as a minor, offered that you can be aged 18 or over when the visa is issued.
• If you’re a citizen of Andorra, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino or Uruguay, or you’re a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas), you should be beneath the age of 30 while you apply and aged 18 or over when your visa is issued.
• If you’re from Hong Kong (and have an SAR passport) or Taiwan, you should be beneath the age of 30 while you apply and aged 18 or over when your visa is issued. Moreover, you should be chosen within the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot (see under).
• If you’re from India, now you can apply by means of the India Young Professionals Scheme, which has a separate, however very comparable, algorithm (see under). 

No matter an applicant’s nationality, they need to fulfill the final suitability requirements. You may also want to supply proof you’ve been screened for tuberculosis. 

For all potential candidates, it’s also essential to notice that you simply can’t apply when you have any kids beneath the age of 18 who dwell with you, or are financially depending on you. 

4. Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Poll (For Hong Kong and Taiwan)

If you’re a citizen of Taiwan or Hong Kong, you should have been issued with an invitation to use to the Youth Mobility Scheme by the House Workplace earlier than you submit your visa software. 

The House Workplace normally publishes requests for expressions of curiosity within the Youth Mobility Scheme from Hong Kong or Taiwanese residents twice per yr. These ‘ballots’ are solely open for 48 hours and require you to ship an electronic mail along with your title, date of beginning and passport quantity in English. The ballots are free to enter and, after emailing, you’ll obtain an automatic reply from the House Workplace to verify you’ve been entered. 

The poll rounds ordinarily happen in January and July of every yr. Nonetheless, many of the locations are allotted throughout the January spherical so candidates ought to be sure you plan forward!

Should you’re profitable, you’ll obtain an electronic mail inside roughly one week along with your invitation to use for the Youth Mobility Scheme. 

You may then submit your software and enrol your biometrics (fingerprints and {photograph}) inside the time interval specified on the invitation. That is normally 90 days, however exceptions might apply should you’re not more than 14 days late and there have been extenuating circumstances which made it unattainable to submit your software throughout the time interval. If you’re not sure whether or not you’d fall inside this provision, you might want to contact one among our skilled immigration barristers, who can give you recommendation on this matter. 

5. India Younger Professionals Scheme 

The UK Authorities launched the India Young Professionals Scheme in 2023. This visa is legitimate for 2 years and has the identical prices and situations of labor hooked up to it as the usual Youth Mobility visa (see under). 

It’s essential to have been issued with an invite to use for the India Younger Professionals Scheme and should have made your software inside the time frame specified on this invitation. In 2024, 3000 locations had been out there on the India Younger Professionals Scheme. 

The poll for invites to use for the India Younger Professionals Scheme normally opens twice per yr in February and July, though most slots are made out there within the February poll. You may solely submit one entry per poll and the ballots are open for 48 hours at a time. You’ll have to submit your title, date of beginning, passport particulars and scan, cellphone quantity and electronic mail deal with. Candidates ordinarily hear again inside two weeks through electronic mail. 

The eligibility necessities are similar to the usual Youth Mobility Scheme. With the intention to apply, you should: 

• Be beneath the age of 30 while you apply and aged 18 or over when your visa is issued;
• Have held £2,530 in financial savings for a 28-day interval (see under); and,
• Maintain a qualification equal to or above RQF stage 6 (Bachelor’s diploma or above).

Past proof of your qualification, you should additionally present a neighborhood police certificates or a police clearance certificates issued not more than 6 months earlier than the date of software. 

6. How A lot Do I Have to Save Earlier than I Apply? 

Candidates for a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa will need to have held financial savings of at the least £2,530 of their checking account for a full 28-day interval earlier than their software is submitted. The financial institution assertion(s) will need to have been issued no sooner than 31 days earlier than you submit your software.

It’s essential to be capable of financially assist your self over the course of your keep. After getting entered the UK, you won’t be able to entry ‘public funds’ corresponding to unemployment advantages. 

7. When Ought to I Apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa? 

Apply Early within the Calendar 12 months

Yearly, the UK authorities allocates a sure variety of locations on the Youth Mobility Scheme to every eligible nation. For 2024, the allocations are: 

• Andorra – 100 locations
• Australia – 45,000 locations
• Canada – 8,000 locations
• Hong Kong – 1,000 locations
• Iceland – 1,000 locations
• Japan – 6,000 locations
• Monaco – 1,000 locations
• New Zealand – 8,500 locations
• Republic of Korea – 5,000 locations
• San Marino – 1,000 locations
• Taiwan – 1,000 locations
• Uruguay – 500 locations

It’s advisable to use on the earliest alternative inside a given calendar yr, because the House Workplace will refuse your software (even should you meet all the opposite standards) as soon as the variety of locations allotted to your nation has been met. 

Not like the nations set out above, there isn’t a allocation restrict for British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens or British Nationals (Overseas). The restrict gained’t apply to you if you’re a nationwide of Australia, Canada or New Zealand making use of for further permission to remain within the UK (see under).

Different Time Restrictions 

The earliest you possibly can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa is 6 months earlier than you journey to the UK. As talked about above, you should be sure you apply earlier than you attain the country-specific age restrict of 30 or 35. Even should you exceed this age restrict upon getting been granted your visa (i.e. you flip 31 or 36 while within the UK), your permission to remain will nonetheless be legitimate for the complete two years. 

8. What Else Ought to I Embrace in My Software? 

Chances are you’ll want to contact one among our specialist immigration barristers should you search recommendation on the evidentiary necessities for this software. Along with assembly the eligibility necessities set out above, if you’re from the next nations there are particular paperwork it’s worthwhile to present to show your prison historical past:

• If you’re from San Marino, you should present a letter from the Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs of the Republic of San Marino Division of International Affairs confirming you’re a appropriate candidate for the scheme;
• If you’re from Iceland, you should present a Prison Certificates for Non-public Use (you would possibly know this as a Sakavottorð);
• If you’re from Andorra, you should present a certificates of prison information; and,
• If you’re from Uruguay, you should present a Certificates of Judicial Information (you would possibly know this as a Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales). 

These paperwork should be issued not more than 6 months earlier than you submit your software.

Should you dwell in San Marino, Iceland, Andorra or Uruguay however you’re a British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens or British Nationals (Overseas) then you’ll not want to supply these paperwork. 

9. Do I Have to Have a Job Supply within the UK Earlier than Making use of for the Youth Mobility Scheme? 

No. One of many advantages of the Youth Mobility Scheme is that you don’t want to have a proposal of employment within the UK with a view to be granted a visa. Nonetheless, you should make sure you meet the monetary necessities (see above). 

10. Can I Work within the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa?

The Youth Mobility Scheme permits younger folks to work while they’re having fun with life within the UK. Nonetheless, try to be conscious that the next sorts of work are not permitted on this route:

• You can’t work as an expert sportsperson or sports activities coach; and, 
• You can’t be self-employed, besides within the following circumstances: 
  • You don’t personal a premises (apart from your residential house) from which you perform your small business (i.e. your small business premises will probably be rented); 
  • The entire worth of the tools you employ for your small business doesn’t exceed £5000;
  • You haven’t any staff. 

Should you had been planning on coming to the UK to work in both of those excluded skilled classes, you might want to contact one among our skilled immigration barristers to find what different choices can be found to you. 

You may as well research on the Youth Mobility Scheme (topic to the ATAS condition). 

11. How A lot Does a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Software Price? 

The applying payment is presently set at £298. Along with this payment, additionally, you will should pay the £776 immigration health surcharge for annually of your depart (£1552 in complete). 

12. When Will I Hear Again About My Software? 

When you’ve submitted your software and offered your biometrics and paperwork, it is best to get a choice in your visa inside three weeks. Needless to say the House Workplace is presently experiencing some delays in processing occasions. Our submit, How to Check Your UK Visa Application Status, gives data on test the standing of your visa software.

13. What Can I Do If My Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Software Is Refused? 

Purposes made beneath the Youth Mobility Scheme don’t have any proper of enchantment. Nonetheless, it’s attainable to submit a contemporary software within the occasion of a refusal. 

Alternatively, it’s attainable to request an Administrative Review should you imagine the House Workplace has made an error of their resolution. Additionally it is attainable to request a Judicial Review should you assume the refusal of your software was illegal, unreasonable or procedurally improper. Our skilled immigration barristers can advise you additional on whether or not these choices can be applicable for you.

14. Can I Apply for the Youth Mobility Visa if I’ve Already Held a UK Visa?

Sure, so long as you haven’t held a Youth Mobility visa earlier than. For instance, you would apply for the Youth Mobility visa should you had beforehand held a Scholar visa.

15. What if I Wish to Keep within the UK for Longer Than Two Years? 

Software for Permission to Keep (Australia, Canada or New Zealand) 

Nationals of Australia, Canada and New Zealand are capable of apply for permission to remain within the UK for one extra yr on the Youth Mobility Scheme. On the time of software for this further yr, you should nonetheless be within the UK on a legitimate two yr Youth Mobility visa. 

The permission will quantity to a complete of three steady years: the additional yr has to comply with instantly after the unique two years you had been granted. You can’t change again into the Youth Mobility Scheme from one other sort of UK visa or apply for an extra yr after your depart has expired or you’ve returned to your property nation. The additional yr of depart can even solely be granted as soon as. 

The House Workplace recommends making use of no sooner than 28 days earlier than your authentic two yr Youth Mobility Scheme depart expires. No matter while you do apply, your permission to remain within the UK will expire precisely three years after the date your depart initially began. 

Different Visa Choices to Keep within the UK 

Sadly, the Youth Mobility Scheme just isn’t itself a path to settlement, so that you gained’t be capable of keep within the UK on this visa for greater than two or three years, relying on the place you’re from. Nonetheless, it’s attainable to increase your keep within the UK by switching into different immigration routes, together with routes that may result in settlement and British citizenship. If you’re looking for to proceed residing within the UK, you might want to take into account the varied different options available, such because the Skilled Worker, Innovator Founder or Global Talent routes. 

For skilled recommendation and help on the Youth Mobility Scheme, or any associated visa or immigration software, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or full our enquiry kind under.