YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME VISA
The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa is for young adults between the age of 18 and 30 from certain qualifying countries to live, work and experience life in the UK. This visa category is one of the sub-routes of Temporary Work visas but unlike the other categories, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa does not require a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
Your Youth Mobility Scheme visa will be granted for 2 years.
You can apply for Youth Mobility Scheme Visa if you are from one of the following countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- San Marino
You must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before you can apply for your visa if you’re from:
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- South Korea
- Taiwan
You can also apply if you are a:
- British overseas citizen.
- British overseas territories citizen.
- British national (overseas).
Maintenance
You must have sufficient funds of at least £2,530 for your maintenance in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before you can apply.
Other requirements
As with most visa categories, you must be at least 18 years old when you apply. You will also need to provide a tuberculosis test if you are applying from a listed country.
Once you receive your Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you should note that the following conditions will apply to your stay in the UK in this category.
You will be permitted the following activities on your Youth Mobility Scheme visa:
- Work in most jobs in the UK
- Study in the UK
- be self-employed and set up a company – as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees
- Stay in the UK for the duration of your visa if you turn 31 while you’re in the UK
- Bring your dependent family members to the UK – they must apply separately
You will not be able to do the following in the UK on your Youth Mobility Scheme visa:
- Apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you have already been in the UK under the scheme.
- Extend your Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- Settle in the UK on the Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- Apply if you have dependent children who live with you or who are financially dependent on you
- Work as a professional sportsperson
- Claim public funds (most benefits)
Fairmont Lawyers can help you navigate the requirements and provide you with professional legal assistance every step of the way to obtain a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
FAQ
No, but you may be able to switch to another visa category such as the Skilled Worker Route or Start-up Route, or a spouse or dependent visa, depending on your family relationships. You may need to leave the UK and apply for a new visa in your home country.
Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision on your visa within 4-8 weeks.
A Priority Service may be available at an additional cost.
The application fee is £244. You will also need pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £470 per year for this category.