Youth mobility
Scheme visa
Unlock Your Adventure: Explore the UK with the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
The Youth Mobility Scheme is a reciprocal cultural exchange programme which grants young people aged 18 to 30 (or 18 to 35 in some cases) from participating countries the opportunity to experience life in the UK for up to 3 years in total (or 2 years in one application).
With a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you can live in the UK and study, work in most jobs or be self-employed during the visa’s validity period.
Eligibility
To apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you must:
- Be aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on where you are from.
- Be from a participating country (you may also be eligible if you have certain types of British nationality).
- Have £2,530 in savings.
You cannot apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if:
- You have children under the age of 18 who live with you.
- You have children you’re financially responsible for.
- You have already been in the UK under the scheme (although certain applicants may be able to extend this visa).
Participating countries
Citizens of the following countries can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if they are aged 18 to 35:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- South Korea
Citizens of the following countries can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if they are aged 18 to 30:
- Andorra
- Iceland
- Japan
- Monaco
- South Marino
- Uruguay.
Young people aged 18 to 30 from Hong Kong and Taiwan must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before they can apply for a visa.
You can also apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you are aged 18 to 30 and you are a British Overseas Citizen, a British Overseas Territories Citizen or a British National (Overseas).
Costs
When you apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you’ll need to have enough money to:
- Pay the visa application fee – It costs £298 to apply
- Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – The IHS costs £776 per year for Youth Mobility Scheme applicants
- Support yourself in the UK – You will need to show that you have at least £2,530 in savings.
How to apply
You must apply online for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and provide your supporting documents. You can do this by:
- Attending an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
- Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, if you are eligible.
Processing times
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
How long you can stay
A Youth Mobility Scheme visa is valid for 24 months.
If you are from Australia, Canada or New Zealand, you will be able to extend your visa by one year after the initial two-year period ends.
Permitted activities
With a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you can:
- Work in most jobs.
- Study.
- Be self-employed and set up a company (as long as you do not have any employees, your premises are rented and your equipment is not worth more than £5,000).
You cannot:
- Work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
- Access public funds (benefits).
- Bring in family members on your application.
How we can help
At Smith Stone Walters, our qualified immigration advisors are experienced in assisting with all types of UK visa applications. If you want to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, our team can assess your eligibility and provide practical support with the visa application process.
To find out how we can help, please contact us today.
Frequently asked questions
You can apply online for their visa as your dependant. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child.
You will need to provide a full UK birth certificate for your child, showing the names of both parents.
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