Youth Mobility Scheme Visa UK (YMS)

You can apply for a Youth Mobility Visa if you:

• Are aged 18 to 30;
  • If you’re from New Zealand, Canada, South Korea or Australia, you may be aged between 18 to 35
• Intend to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years;
• Have at least £2530 in savings;
• Are a national of one of the countries enlisted in this Scheme or you hold any type of British citizenship;
• Have not previously spent time in the United Kingdom under any working or studying scheme;
• Do not have children under the age of 18 who are living with you or are financially dependent upon you.

Applicants from specific countries may be required to meet additional requirements. For example, those applying from Taiwan and Hong Kong will have to apply via a ballot system due to strong demand.

If you are a national of Andorra, Iceland or Uruguay you must provide a certificate of criminal records issued no more than 6 months before applying.

Nationals aged 18 to 35 from the following countries are allowed to apply for the UK Youth Mobility Visa;

• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand
• South Korea

Nationals aged 18 to 30 from the following countries are allowed to apply for the UK Youth Mobility Visa;

• Andorra
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Japan
• Monaco
• San Marino
• Taiwan
• Uruguay

The Scheme is also available for those who are British Overseas Territories citizens or British overseas nationals.

Along with your application forms, you need to submit to the Home Office the following documents when applying for UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa:

• Your current passport, or any other valid ID;
• A bank statement, showing that you owe at least £2530 in savings;
• Your tuberculosis (TB) test results (if needed).

You are also required to provide a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh.

If you need any help with your portfolio of documents, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our London immigration lawyers now on 0204 502 8582.

One of the main requirement to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa is to have personal savings of at least £2530. This sum can be in the form of cash funds, and you will need to prove that you have had the money at least 28 of the 31 days immediately before applying for your visa.

Other accounts and financial instruments such as investments, shares, bonds, credit cards and pension funds are not acceptable.

To demonstrate your eligibility, you must provide one of the following as evidence of your maintenance:

• Personal bank statements (printed on the bank’s stationery or bearing the official stamp of the financial organisation);
• Saving account passbooks;
• Letters from your bank or a financial institution confirming funds.

Under the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you are allowed to stay in the UK for a period of up to 24 months, during which you can:

• Study
• Work in most jobs
• Be self-employed and set up a company, as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees

You will not be able to:

• Work as a professional sportsperson or coach
• Extend your stay unless you’re from Australia, Canada or New Zealand
• Receive public funds
• Bring any dependents with you in the UK

It costs £340 to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa for UK. As a part of your application, you also need to pay the healthcare surcharge of £776 per year.

You may also needs to pay for having your biometric information collected.

Nationals of eligible countries can apply for a Youth Mobility visa online on the UKVI website. The earliest you can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme is 6 months before your intended travel date. Depending on your nationality, you may need to participate in a ballot and get an invitation to apply.

Aside from completing the application form, you must also submit relevant identity documents. You’ll typically get a decision on your application within three weeks of submitting your ID documents. If your application is approved, you must enter the UK within 90 days.

The step-by-step application process for applying for the Youth Mobility Scheme from outside the UK is as follows:

1. Get an invitation to apply: If you’re from Taiwan or Hong Kong with an SAR passport, you must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot to be able to apply. You’ll be invited to apply to the Youth Mobility Scheme upon selection. Other eligible country nationals do not need to enter a ballot. They can apply at any time.
2. Gather your supporting documents: Collect all relevant documents, including proof of financial requirement and other country-specific requirements.
3. Complete the online ‘Temporary Work or Youth Mobility Scheme’ application form: Complete the application form on the UKVI website, fill out all required sections, and then upload the necessary supporting evidence.
4. Pay all applicable fees: Pay the temporary worker visa application fee and the healthcare surcharge.
5. Submit proof of identity: When filling out your application, you may be required to schedule an appointment to submit your photograph and fingerprints at the nearest visa application centre (VAC). You may also have to submit your passport and other documents at this appointment. If you don’t need a VAC visit, you can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to provide your identity documents.
6. Get a decision: If your application is approved, you’ll be notified via email. You won’t be issued a visa vignette; instead, you have to log in to your UKVI account to access your eVisa.

You can submit your application up to 6 months before the date you wish to enter the UK. It usually takes three weeks to get a decision from the Home Office.

You can get a response from the UKVI more quickly if you request a priority service. This will cost £500 and make you get your decision available within five working days.

Otherwise, you can pay an extra £1000 for the super-priority service, to receive a verdict from the Home Office by the end of the next working day.

If you’re from Taiwan or Hong Kong and have an SAR passport, you must enter a ballot to be eligible to apply to the Youth Mobility Scheme. This is because applications for the scheme outnumber the available quota. 1,000 places are available for Hong Kong and Taiwan in 2025.

Indians have a different mobility scheme known as the” Indian Young Professionals Scheme” with its own ballot system.

The Youth Mobility Scheme ballot opens twice yearly, in February and July. However, most places are allocated in February, and the remaining slots will then be allocated in July.

The ballot only stays open for 48 hours. You can enter the ballot by emailing your name, passport number, date of birth, and mobile phone number to the appropriate Home Office email. Only emails received within the $48-hour window will be considered. And you can only submit one entry.

The Home Office selects the ballot randomly. If you’re chosen, you’ll be notified via email and issued an invitation to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme. You must use the invitation to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa within 90 days.

If unsuccessful, you’ll receive an email notification within two weeks. The decision is final and can’t be appealed. However, you can enter future ballots if you still meet the requirements.

Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Quotas 

The Mobility Scheme allows you to remain in the UK for up to 24 months. During this time frame, you can leave and come back to the UK at any time.

If you turn 31 while in the United Kingdom, you can still stay until your visa expires.

Can I extend my Youth Mobility Scheme visa in UK?

The Youth Mobility scheme visa can only be extended if you’re from Canada, New Zealand or Australia. If you’re eligible, you will be able to extend your visa by one year when you’ve spent full two years in the UK with it. You should submit your application for extension no more than 28 days before your current visa’s expiry date. You can only extend your visa once.

Extending a Youth Mobility Scheme visa costs £340. You will also have to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge, which is £776.

What if My Youth Mobility Visa Application is Refused

If your application for a Youth Mobility Visa is rejected then you should reach out to an immigration expert.

There are a number of reasons why your application may have be denied including proving incomplete paperwork or failing to meet the criteria.

You should consider your next steps and whether to reapply or opt for a more suitable UK visa pathway.

If you hold a Youth Mobility visa and want to study or work long-term in the UK, you can apply to switch to a study or Skilled Worker visa, provided you meet the eligibility criteria for the visa.

You must apply for the new visa route before your Youth Mobility visa expires to avoid the risk of overstaying and immigration detention.

It’s best to consult with a UK immigration expert like London Immigration Lawyers to evaluate potential long-term routes. The Immigration lawyer will assess your situation and advise on which long-term visa you’re most qualified for and will likely get a positive outcome.

The Youth Mobility Scheme visa is categorised as a temporary worker visa. It generally cannot be extended and does not lead to settlement in the UK. Hence, you must leave the UK at the end of your two-year leave to remain.

However, if you want to remain in the UK longer and eventually settle as a permanent resident, you may be able to switch to a visa route that leads to settlement. This will mean applying for a long-term work visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, before your Youth Mobility visa expires.

You should consult with an immigration expert to assess your situation and determine the best route for you.