Visit the UK on an India Young Professionals Scheme Visa
Are you an Indian citizen between 18 and 30 years old and want to visit and work in the UK? Then you may be able to apply for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa. The visa enables you to stay in the UK for up to two years to live and work in the country.
With the India Young Professionals Scheme visa you can travel to and from the UK as much as you want for a period of as much as 24 months.
While in the UK on an India Young Professionals Scheme visa, you will be able to work most UK-based jobs and be self-employed. You will also be able to study, though you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme Certificate depending on your choice of course.
India Young Professionals Scheme Visa eligibility requirements
Eligibility for application for this visa is reliant on you first being successful in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot. To enter the ballot, you need to declare that you would be eligible to apply for a visa under this scheme if you are successful in the ballot.
If you are successful in the ballot, you will receive an invitation to apply from UK Visas and Immigration. If you are unsuccesful, you will not be able to apply for a visa under the India Young Professionals Scheme.
In addition to being an Indian citizen aged between 18 and 30, to be eligible for this visa you must also:
- Hold an eligible qualification at UK bachelor’s degree level or above (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8) or an equivalent overseas qualification at degree level or above
- Have the equivalent of £2,530 savings in your bank account to prove you are able to take care of yourself while in the UK. These savings need to be available for at least 28 days in a row within 31 days of applying for this visa
India Young Professionals Scheme Visa application process
If you are selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot, you will need to apply for the visa within the given deadline – this is usually within 30 days of receiving your invitation to apply. You must also not arrive in the UK later than 6 months from when you apply.
You will usually know the outcome of your application within 3 weeks of lodging your application.
Once you are ready to apply, you apply for the visa online. The verified documents you will need to supply in support of your application are:
- An official document showing your nationality and identity (e.g. a valid passport)
- Proof that you are between 18 and 30 years old by the time you lodge your application – If you turn 31 while on the visa, you can stay in the UK until it expires
- A bank statement showing you have enough savings to support yourself (at least the equivalent of £2,530)
- Written confirmation from your education provider confirming your qualification(s)
- Results from a tuberculosis test if you live in India or another country from which the UK requires visa applicants to take a TB test
- A certified translation of your documents if they are not in English or Welsh
- A criminal records check certificate from India
- A blank page in your passport for this visa
India Young Professionals Scheme Visa application costs
The India Young Professional Scheme visa application fee is £298, plus a healthcare surcharge for each year that the visa will be valid. The healthcare surcharge is payable in advance at the time your application is submitted.
If you’re unsure if this visa is right for you or how to apply, you can seek advice from one of our qualified migration agents below.
Demetris Demetriou
Demetris is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK (Solicitor) and Cyprus (Advocate) with 10+ years of experience in UK immigration. He completed his legal studies at University College London and City University London. Over the course of his career, he held key roles as Head of Immigration at Legal 500 firms and within the Big4, overseeing teams of 15+ fee earners handling 2000+ applications annually.
Demetris went on to co-establish his firm in London and continues to offer innovative solutions and strategic immigration planning to multinationals, SMEs, and private clients.
He personally represented 1500+ clients in 30+ visa routes including investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, sole representatives, students, family visas, global talent, UK ancestry, administrative reviews and appeals. Demetris has managed corporate relocations, conducted immigration law training and implemented post-Brexit immigration policies for corporate clients.
Demetris has been featured in various events and publications focusing on UK immigration, notably at the Cambridge Network, the Westminster Policy Forum and most recently at DGEMS, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.
If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.
Tatiani Preifelt
Tatiani has a wealth of expertise in global mobility and corporate immigration. Her ample skills were acquired within leading immigration practices including three out of the Big4 firms in both the UK and Sweden. Tatiani went on to co-establish her firm in London where she continues to advise clients predominantly in corporate, business and skilled work migration.
Having personally relocated to 10 different countries, Tatiani understands the importance of an expedient and successful immigration process and takes pride in delivering a seamless experience to her clients as well.
Over the course of her career, she has assisted over 500 individuals and businesses to obtain the appropriate visa permits in the UK.
Her awarded academic work at The University of Oxford, The London School of Economics, and at The Geneva University is in the fields of Political Science, International Human Rights Law, and Global Migration Governance.
She regularly provides immigration training and has recently participated as a speaker and panellist at DGEMS 2023, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.
If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.