Visit the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
If you are aged 18-30, you may be eligible to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, which allows you to visit the UK to live and work for up to two years.
With a Youth Mobility Scheme visa you can also travel to and from the UK as much as you want within a period of as much as 24 months.
While in the UK on a Youth Mobility 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.
Following the coming into force of the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreements in June 2023, the maximum age limit for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa has been increased for some applicants.
From 29 June 2023, the maximum age for New Zealand citizens applying for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa is increased to 35.
For Australian applicants, the maximum age is increased to 35 from 31 January 2024.
Eligibility criteria for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa
In addition to your age, to be approved for the Youth Mobility Scheme you must also meet certain nationality and financial requirements.
With regard to nationality, you must either:
- Be a citizen of:
- Australia
- Canada
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- San Marino
- Iceland
- Or, providing you have applied for and been selected by the Youth Mobility Scheme Ballot, be a citizen of:
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Or, be a British citizen eligible for a non-UK British passport, such as a British overseas citizen, British national (overseas) or British overseas territories citizen
If you are from India, there is a different scheme available for Indian nationals called the India Young Professionals Scheme Visa.
You must also 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.
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa application process
The earliest you can apply for this visa is six months prior to your estimated date of arrival to the UK. You usually receive the outcome of your application within 3 weeks after lodging your application.
You will need to supply the following documents with your application:
- 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)
- If you are from a country where you have to take a tuberculosis test, you will need to provide your (TB) test results
- A certified translation of your documents if they are not in English or Welsh
- You will also need to supply a blank page in your passport for this visa
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa application costs
The fee for submitting an application for a Youth Mobility Scheme is £298, plus an additional 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 and the precise amount owed will vary depending on the specific circumstances of each applicant.
If you’re unsure whether you need a visa or how to apply, or have any other questions, 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.