Ballots open for Youth Mobility Scheme and India Young Professionals Scheme
The second ballot for the 2024 Youth Mobility Scheme for Taiwanese youth will open in July.
800 places were allocated during the first ballot in February, while the remaining 200 places will be made available in the second ballot in July. Successful applicants will be able to live, work and study in the UK for up to two years.
Applications are submitted by email, according to the instructions here. The email account will only be open for 48 hours between 00:01 on Tuesday 23 July 2024 and 00:01 on Thursday 25 July 2024 (Taiwan time) and all emails received within this timeframe will be sent an automated reply confirming receipt.
Once the ballot closes, allocations for the 800 places will be chosen at random by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Successful applicants will be sent a second email by 31 July 2024 to confirm acceptance and provide further instructions on how to start their application, along with documentary evidence required to apply for their entry clearance.
Successful applicants must prepare online applications and online credit card payments and attend a Visa Application Centre biometrics appointment by 31 October 2024.
Taiwanese youth living overseas can also apply following the instructions above and, if chosen to apply, they will be able to do so in their country/territory of residence. Applications cannot be submitted for the Youth Mobility Scheme in the UK.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive an email by 31 July 2024.
Next date announced for India Young Professionals Scheme ballot
UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) has announced that the next ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme will open at 1:30pm India Standard Time (IST) on 16 July 2024 and will close at 1:30pm IST on 18 July 2024.
Anyone intending to apply for a visa for the India Young Professionals Scheme must enter the ballot and can do so at any time while the ballot is open.
- The ballot is open to Indian citizens who are eligible for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa.
- Successful entries will be picked at random. Results will be sent by email within two weeks of the ballot closing.
- Entry to the ballot is free but the visa application costs £298 and there are financial, educational and other requirements.
- There are 3000 places available for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa in 2024. Most places were made available in the February ballot. The remaining places will be made available in the July ballot.
- Applicants can only submit one entry per person for each ballot. Any further attempts to enter will not be counted.
- Successful entrants in the ballot will be invited to apply for a visa.
- Visa applicants will have 90 days from the date of the email to apply online, pay the visa application fee, including the immigration health surcharge and provide biometrics.
- Successful entrants in the ballot who choose not to apply for the visa do not need to inform UKVI.
- The results of the ballot are final. With no right to appeal. Unsuccessful entrants can enter future ballots.
An India Young Professionals Scheme visa allows Indian citizens between 18 and 30 years old to live and work in the UK for up to two years. To be eligible for the visa, applicants must:
- be an Indian citizen;
- be between 18 and 30 years old;
- have an eligible qualification;
- have £2530 in savings.
Visa holders can:
- study – for some courses they’ll need anAcademic Technology Approval Scheme certificate;
- work in most jobs;
- be self-employed and set up a company – as long as the premises are rented, the equipment is not worth more than £5000 and there are no employees.
Visa holders cannot:
- extend their stay;
- apply for most benefits (public funds);
- include family members on their application – they must apply separately;
- work as a professional sportsperson (for example as a coach).
For more information, please contact Smith Stone Walters.
