Youth Mobility Scheme Visa UK

The Youth Mobility Visa scheme is visa for young people who wish to live, work, study and travel in the UK for up to two years. For your application to the Youth Mobility Visa Scheme to be granted, applicants must fulfil the following general requirements to show eligibility:

• They must be a “youth”, between 18 and 30 years of age
  • Applicants from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and South Korea may be aged between 18 to 35.
• They must have enough money to support themselves to live and work in the UK (without including any salary they earn)
• They have been sponsored by an educational institution in the UK
• They must demonstrate this by showing they have £2530 in their bank account (that they held at least 90 days before they made their application). This shows they are financially responsible. This must be in cash funds and evidenced through a bank statement, a savings account passbook or letter from the bank to confirm the amount of funds.
• They do not have anyone who is financially dependent on them (such as a child or partner)
• They have not had a Youth Mobility Visa or a Working Holiday Visa in the past

You have eligibility to apply for the youth mobility visa scheme if you are a national of one of the following countries:

Eligible age: 18 to 35

• Australia
• Canadav
• New Zealand
• South Korea

Eligible age: 18 to 30

• Andorra
• Iceland
• Japan
• Monaco
• San Marino
• Uruguay

You must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before you can apply for this visa if you’re from: Hong Kong (with an SAR passport) and Taiwan

British overseas nationals and citizens of overseas British territories are also eligible for the youth mobility visa.

To prove that you fit the eligibility requirements for the Youth Mobility visa, you will need to provide a range of documentation to accompany your application. The exact required documents will vary based on your circumstances. However, the most commonly required documents include the following:

• A valid passport or travel document. It must display your identity and nationality, and have a blank page for the visa.
• Proof that you meet the financial requirements, such as a recent bank statement.
• Tuberculosis test results if you are from a nation that is high risk for TB.

These documents must be translated into English or Welsh to be valid. Additional documents may be required depending on your nationality. This includes the following:

• Andorra – a certificate of criminal records issued less than six months before your application.
• Hong Kong or Taiwan – email confirmation from the Home Office that you were successful in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot.
• Iceland – criminal certificate for private use (called a Sakavottorð).
• San Marino – A letter Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs of the Republic of San Marino Department of Foreign Affairs issued in the last six months. It must confirm you’re suitable for the scheme.
• Uruguay – certificate of judicial records (called a Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales) issued less than 6 months before your application.

The Youth Mobility Visa UK allows visa holders aged between 18 and 30 or 18 and 35 (depending on nationality) to live in the UK for up to two years. During this period, you can leave the country and return as much as you would like.

Once in the UK, you will be able to work in most jobs. You can also be self-employed and set up a company. However, you must rent any business premises, cannot have equipment worth more than £5,000, and cannot have any employees. You can also study, although some courses will require you to obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate.

This visa comes with excellent rights in the UK that will be appealing to many young people. However, it also has notable restrictions. Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders cannot conduct some types of work, including as a professional sportsperson or coach. You must also look after yourself without using public funds, such as universal credit. Finally, family members cannot be listed as part of your application. They must apply for a different visa if they would like to join you in the UK.

For your application to be successful, you will need to prove that you have £2530 in savings. The UK government has included this requirement so that you are not financially dependent on the state. You will need to demonstrate that these funds have been in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before you make your application.

On top of this requirement, to successfully apply for the visa, you will also need to have enough income to survive in the UK without assistance from the UK government. You must arrange work to support yourself. Alternatively, you can arrange financial assistance from your family members if you will be studying.

You can apply for the Youth Mobility visa six months before you intend to come to the UK. The application must be made from outside the country by completing the process detailed below:

• Step 1: Complete and submit the “Temporary Work or Youth Mobility Scheme” application form online. Pay the application fee.
• Step 2: Attend an appointment at a visa application centre in your home country. At this centre, your biometric information, including your photograph and fingerprints, will be taken.
• Step 3: Wait approximately three weeks for your application to be processed. If you need an answer sooner than this, you can pay for priority processing. Please note that this is not available for all countries.
• Step 4: If your application has been successful, enter the UK within 90 days.

There are several Youth Mobility visa restrictions. As already mentioned, to apply you should be between 18 and 30 years old. You must also be a national of one of the previously listed countries.

As well as these restrictions, you are also prohibited from the following:

• Apply to bring any financially dependent children or partner with you on your visa application
• Extend your visa and stay longer (unless you are a New Zealand, Australia or Canada).
• Using the two year period as part of the qualifying period for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
• Taking on work as a dentist or doctor in training
• Taking on permanent work
• Training as a professional sportsperson

The government also caps the number of Youth Mobility visas that are granted every year on a country-by-country basis.

The Youth Mobility visa allows you to live and work in the UK for up to two years. The visa may be extended for another year beyond this, but only for citizens of New Zealand, Australian and Canada.

For other applicants, you wish to live and work in the UK for a longer period, you must apply for a different visa. You can apply for one of the following options if you wish to continue working as an employee or for your own business, once your visa expires:

• Skilled Worker Visa
• Start-up visa (formerly called the Graduate Entrepreneur Visa)
• Innovator Founder Visa (formerly called the Entrepreneur Visa)

You can apply for other UK visas, but these are the most common.

You cannot study in the UK after the initial time period of your Youth Mobility visa.

It usually takes approximately three weeks to hear back after you make an application for a Youth Mobility visa scheme. You can apply up to 6 months before the day you wish to enter the UK.

However, it could take longer depending on where you apply from. For example, applications from Hong Kong can sometimes take longer to process and more evidence is needed at the submission stage.

You may be able to have your application processed faster by opting for a premium visa service.

The UK Youth Mobility visa fees are as follows:

• £340 Home Office fee to apply to the scheme
• £776 per year for the Immigration Health Surcharge

There may be extra costs involved with your visa application, such as lawyer fees if you instruct the help of an immigration caseworker, and extra fees for services like document sourcing or translation.

The UK government has limited the number of individuals who can come into the UK under the Youth Mobility Scheme from Taiwan or Hong Kong. This limit applies to individuals from Hong Kong with a passport issued by a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China. The government has implemented a ballot that Hong Kongers and Taiwanese people must succeed in to apply for the visa. The limit has been put in place due to exceptionally high demand for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa from these areas.

The ballot opens twice a year, in January and July. Applicants have 48 hours to express an interest online. This is done through the UK government website, and you will need to give your personal information and confirm your eligibility for the visa by providing your passport and proof of funds. Make sure to keep the email confirmation that you have expressed interest in your records, as it contains your unique reference number.

Then, a random selection process decides who is able to access the visa. Every applicant has an equal chance of being selected as this ballot is completely random.

A few weeks after the closing date, successful applicants will receive an email guiding them through the application process. The email will include a timeframe during which your application must be submitted. Failure to do so could result in you losing your place.

The ballot is always oversubscribed. However, you are welcome to apply again during the next ballot period if you are still eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.

The Youth Mobility Scheme visa can be extended, but only by citizens of Australia, Canada, or New Zealand. This requires you to be living in the UK with a valid Youth Mobility visa when you apply for an extension. The extension period will begin the day after your original visa expires and will last one year. Regardless of your circumstances, your Youth Mobility Scheme visa can only be extended once.

You can apply to extend your visa within 28 days of its expiry. You can apply for the extension online and will need to prove your identity. This can be done with the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document or by having your biometric information taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

A decision will usually take eight weeks. While waiting, you must remain in the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man, even for temporary travel.

In some circumstances, it will be possible to switch from a Youth Mobility visa to a Skilled Worker visa, so long as you apply to do so before your current visa expires. Again, this application process occurs by filling in an online form and providing documentary evidence that you fit the application requirements. You will also need to prove your identity by using the UK Immigration ID Check app or you can attend an appointment at a local visa application centre.

The processing time will usually be around three weeks. Make sure you have a Skilled Worker visa before your Youth Mobility visa expires. You can apply to make the switch within three months of starting your role.

Please note that the Skilled Worker visa has different application requirements from the Youth Mobility visa UK. You need to have lined up a job with a UK company that has a Sponsor Licence and can assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This role must also be an eligible occupation and pay equal to or above the ‘going rate’.

Another common visa for Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders to switch to is the High Potential Individual visa, requiring you to have graduated from a top international university outside of the UK within the last five years. This visa comes with similar rights as the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, although you can remain in the country for up to three years if you have a PhD, and can bring family members with you.

Finally, the Global Talent visa may be an option if you are a potential leader in academic and research, arts and culture, or digital technology. This visa route is accessible only by the brightest and best, because you need to have won a prestigious prize in your field or received a suitable endorsement. However, it comes with great perks for eligible individuals, such as the ability to remain in the UK for five years.

If you fail to show that you meet the eligibility requirements, have previously broken immigration rules, have been convicted of a serious crime, or the UK government believes you may overstay the Youth Mobility visa, your application may be refused. However, a refusal does not always mean giving up your dreams of coming to the UK.

If you think a mistake was made with your visa application process, you can request an administrative review. Alternatively, you can resubmit your application, having fixed any errors with it. Finally, you can launch a judicial review legal challenge if you think immigration authorities have broken the rules. However, this is an expensive and time-consuming process. It should be avoided wherever possible.

You can apply online for your Youth Mobility visa from outside the United Kingdom. Your bio-metrics (a photograph and fingerprint) will still need to be taken at a visa application centre.

Once you arrive in the UK, and you have your Youth Mobility visa application approved, you will have 10 days to pick up your bio-metric residence permit.

How Manchester Immigration Lawyers Can Help

Navigating the Youth Mobility Visa application process can be an intricate and perplexing journey. Fortunately, our Manchester Immigration lawyers are at your service, offering expert guidance and unwavering support to simplify this process for you.

Why choose our team of legal experts:

• Specialised Proficiency: Our lawyers are esteemed experts in immigration matters, with a profound understanding of the Youth Mobility Visa category.
• Comprehensive Documentation: We ensure you have all the necessary evidence at your disposal for a successful Youth Mobility Visa application.
• Error-Free Application: Your application form will be meticulously prepared to the highest standards, eliminating any errors or oversights.
• Effective Home Office Liaison: We act as your liaison with the Home Office, keeping you informed at every stage of your application, granting you peace of mind.
• Maximising Your Success: Our primary focus is to optimise your chances of receiving the visa decision you want.

Embark on your Youth Mobility Visa journey with confidence. Reach out to our dedicated team of experts at Manchester Immigration Lawyers today on 0161 826 9783 for guidance and support. Your visa aspirations are our priority.