ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
Your Guide To The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
The UK is a favoured travel destination; millions of tourists flock to its shores every year. In addition to tourists, the UK is sought after by people who wish to migrate for a prolonged period to live and work in the country.
Because of its popularity and the high number of people wishing to come to the country, strict visa regulations are in place. As a result, only a small number of people succeed in moving to the UK.
For those who wish to live and work in the UK, different visa types are available. In this article, we’ll examine the Youth Mobility Visa and its implications.
What Is The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa?
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa is one of the many available visas in the UK. Also known as tier 5 or Working Holiday Visa, the program enables younger people to live and work in the UK for two years. Unfortunately, it is only available to the citizens of certain countries, and there is a strict criteria for eligibility.
Who can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa?
To apply for this scheme, you must:
- • Be aged 18 to 30
- • Hold funds of at least £2,530
- • Hold British nationality or come from one of the approved participating countries
What is meant by people with British Nationality
You will qualify if you are a British overseas citizen, British national (overseas), or British overseas territories citizen. That will include people from any of the following places:
- • Turks and Caicos Islands
- • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- • Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
- • Pitcairn Islands
- • Montserrat
- • Hong Kong
- • Gibraltar
- • Falkland Islands
- • Cayman Islands
- • British Virgin Islands
- • British Indian Ocean Territory
- • British Antarctic Territory
- • Bermuda
- • Anguilla
For more information on the different types of British nationalities, visit the official UK government website.
Which other nationalities qualify?
A citizen from any of these countries will qualify for the scheme:
Who is not elegible?
Unfortunately, only citizens from a qualifying country can participate in this scheme. Also, people from qualifying countries with children under 18 for whom they are responsible cannot apply. Additionally, those who have already used this visa in the past cannot apply again.
People from India do not qualify for the Youth Mobility Visa. However, Indian citizens can apply for the Indian Young Professionals Scheme.
Youth Mobility Scheme Ballot
People from the following countries can enter the Youth Mobility Scheme Ballot:
- • Taiwan
- •South Korea
- • Japan
- • Hong Kong (SAR passport holders - these are people who are also Chinese citizens)
Anyone from these countries who wishes to obtain a visa through this scheme is entered into the ballot. The winners become automatically eligible.
Citizens Of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong must provide an email from the Home Office to confirm that they won the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot. Those from San Marino must provide a letter from the Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs confirming their suitability for the scheme. Icelandic citizens must provide a Sakavottorð (criminal certificate for private use) issued 6 months prior to the application.
Documents Required To Apply
You will need the following documents to apply:
- • A passport or any other document to prove nationality and identification
- • A bank statement with a balance of at least £2530
- • Tuberculosis test results for those from a country where this is necessary when going abroad
How To Apply
You can apply online. As part of the application process, you will need to prove your identity. Depending on where you are from, you may need to:
- • Visit an application centre to have your photograph and fingerprints taken for a biometric permit
- Use the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app to upload the required identification documents
For those who need to visit an application centre in person, the centre may hold your identification documentation while the forms are processed. In some instances, the application centre may be in a nearby country, and travel arrangements will need to be made.
The application has a fee of £259 and there is an annual £470 health surcharge.
What The Holder Can And Cannot Do
The visa holder can study in the UK under the scheme. They can also work in most jobs and be self-employed or set up a company. The visa holder is not eligible to access benefits (such as Universal Credit), extend the stay or bring family members to the country.
From July 2023, New Zealand citizens can apply to stay in the country for an additional 12 months on top of the 2 years.
New Horizons
The Youth Mobility Scheme is a visa that enables adults between the age of 18 to 30 to live and works in the UK. Though the list of eligible countries is restricted, anyone eligible can live and work in the UK freely for 24 months.
