The Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for persons who wish to come to or, where eligible, stay in the UK under the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) route. This includes applicants for the India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) who will use the YMS application form. This route is for young people from participating countries or territories who wish to experience life in the UK.
You can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa for the UK if you are aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35 and from a participating country or territory. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be given a Youth Mobility Scheme visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months. This visa has replaced the Youth Mobility Scheme visa (T5). The Youth Mobility Scheme is a cultural exchange programme that allows people aged 18 to 30 from participating countries and territories to experience life in the UK for up to 2 years. An application for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa is made in accordance with the requirements set out in Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme of the Immigration Rules. You cannot switch to a Youth Mobility Scheme visa from inside the UK; applicants must apply for an initial Youth Mobility Scheme visa from outside the UK via an entry clearance application.
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The Youth Mobility Scheme route is not a settlement route, meaning it does not lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). However, it is possible to switch from a Youth Mobility Scheme visa to another visa type from inside the UK, which may lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. Dependants are not permitted on the Youth Mobility Scheme visa route.
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Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Applications
The following are the applications which can be submitted under the Youth Mobility Scheme visa category:
- Entry Clearance for Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
- Extension of Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
- India Young Professionals Scheme Visa UK
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Our immigration solicitors are specialists in Youth Mobility Scheme visa applications. As one of the best immigration solicitors, we have an excellent track record of helping clients obtain a Youth Mobility Scheme visa. Our highly experienced and fully qualified immigration solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable, and fixed-fee immigration advice and legal representation for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
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FAQs - Youth Mobility Scheme Visa UK
The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa is a UK temporary visa that allows eligible young people to live, work, and travel in the United Kingdom for up to two years (some nationalities can extend for an additional year). It was previously known as a working holiday visa and is designed for cultural exchange and short-term work experience.
To be eligible for a Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa, you must:
Be within the eligible age range: generally 18 to 30 years old at the time of application. Certain nationalities (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea) may apply up to the age of 35).
Be national of a participating country: you must hold a valid passport from a participating country or territory (e.g., Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Iceland, San Marino, India, Andorra, Uruguay; or be a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen, or British National (Overseas)).
Have not previously held a YMS visa: you cannot apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you have previously held a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
Have sufficient savings: minimum £2,530 held in your account for at least 28 consecutive days before you apply.
Meet other home-office requirements: ensure you meet the suitability requirements and do not have dependent children living with you.
- Standard duration is up to 24 months (2 years).
- Nationals from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can apply to extend their stay by 1 additional year, for a total of 3 years.
Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders may:
- Work in most jobs without requiring employer sponsorship (with some exceptions, e.g., professional sportsperson roles).
- Study full-time or part-time.
- Travel in and out of the UK freely during the visa validity period.
- Switch to other visa categories, including partner visa, student visa, skilled worker visa and other visas from inside the UK.
In most cases, you cannot extend or renew the YMS visa beyond the permitted duration unless you qualify for an extension under the specific nationality provisions (Australia, Canada, New Zealand).
Before your Youth Mobility Scheme visa expires, you must either leave the UK or switch to another eligible visa route (for example, Skilled Worker visa, Student visa, or a partner visa) if you qualify.
When applying for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa entry clearance from outside the UK, you must show proof of funds of at least £2,530 in your bank account, held for a continuous 28-day period before applying.
No. You cannot include dependants (spouse/children) in a Youth Mobility Scheme visa application.
No. The Youth Mobility Scheme visa is not a path to permanent settlement. If you intend to remain longer or settle, you can switch from a Youth Mobility Scheme visa to another visa category from inside the UK.
You can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa online.
You cannot apply if you have:
- children under the age of 18 who live with you
- children you’re financially responsible for
- already been in the UK under the scheme
You must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before you can apply for your visa if you are from:
- Hong Kong, if you have an SAR passport
- Taiwan
You do not need to enter the ballot if you are a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas).
India Young Professionals Scheme
There is a different ballot if you’re from India. The India Young Professionals Scheme visa allows Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years. You must be selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot before you can apply for this visa. To enter the ballot, you must declare that you are eligible for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa for the UK. You can apply for an India Young Professionals Scheme visa for the UK online after being successful in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot and receiving an invitation letter to apply for the visa under the scheme. The invitation letter will specify a deadline for visa application under the scheme, typically within 90 days of receipt. You must travel to the UK within 6 months of your visa application. You will usually get a decision on your visa application within 3 weeks of your biometrics enrolment date at the visa application centre in India.
Ballots typically open in January and July each year. You enter the ballot by sending an email. Strictly, only one ballot entry can be submitted per person. Any duplications will not be counted.
Make sure you meet all eligibility requirements for the visa before entering the ballot. Ballots will be open for 48 hours. All emails Home Office UKVI receives within this 48-hour period will be entered into the ballot. You will receive an automated confirmation of your entry.
Most applicants are usually chosen during the January ballot and the remaining places are allocated in the July ballot.