Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
Youth Mobility visa (Tier 5) is designed for people aged 18 to 30 who plan to live and work in the UK for up to two years. To apply for this type of visa you need to meet standard UK visa eligibility requirements and have at least £1,890 in savings. It is also important to know, that the Youth Mobility Scheme visa is available only for certain types of British Nationalities:
- British overseas citizens – people, who became British overseas citizens on 1 January 1983 if they were citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) on 31 December 1982 and if they did not become British citizens or British overseas territories citizens on 1 January 1983.
- British overseas territories citizens (known as ‘British dependent territories citizenship’ before 26 February 2002) – people, who became British overseas territories citizens on 1 January 1983 if they were citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) on 31 December 1982 and if they had connections with a British overseas territory because they, their parents or their grandparents were born, registered or naturalized in that British overseas territory. Women married to men who became British overseas territories citizens on 1 January 1983 also became British overseas territories citizens.
- British nationals (overseas) – people, who were British overseas territories citizens by connection with Hong Kong and registered as British nationals before 1 July 1997. British overseas territories citizens from Hong Kong who did not manage to register as British nationals and had no other nationality or citizenship on 30 June 1997 became British overseas citizens on 1 July 1997 automatically.
Also, a UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) is available for people who are from:
- Canada
- Australia
- Japan
- Monaco
- Hong Kong
- New Zealand
- the Republic of Korea
- Taiwan.
You are not allowed to apply for a Youth Mobility visa if you have children who live with you or children for whom you are financially responsible. Also, you cannot apply for this visa if you have already been in the UK under this scheme or in the former ‘working holidaymaker’ UK visa category.
The earliest you can apply for the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa is six months before you plan to travel to the UK. For example, you can apply from 17 April if you plan to travel on 16 October. You are guaranteed to get a decision on your visa within three weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Some visa application centers allow you to choose their priority and super-priority services. There will be an additional cost for these services, but your visa decision will be made within five working days or even 24 hours of your appointment at the visa application center. Though the priority visa services are available in most countries, please, check if they are available in the country you are applying from.
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) costs £244 to apply for. Also, you will have to pay the healthcare surcharge as an obligatory part of your application.
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) allows you to live and work in the UK for up to two years (24 months). It is worth mentioning, that you are allowed to enter the UK at any time while your visa is valid, and leave and come back to the UK at any time during your stay. If you are a Youth Mobility Scheme visa holder and you turn 31 while in the UK, you are allowed to stay in the country for as long as your visa is valid.
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) allows you to study in the UK, but remember that for some courses you will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate. This visa type also allows you to work in most jobs, be self-employed, and even set up a company in the UK, but then your premises must only be rented, your equipment cannot be worth more than £5,000 and you are not allowed to have any employees.
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) does not allow you to work as a professional sportsperson, for example, as a coach, in the UK. Also, you cannot work as a doctor, or dentist in training, the only exception is if you have proof you are qualified in the UK. You cannot extend your stay in the UK and bring in family members on your application. If you want them to come with you to the UK – they must apply separately. Also, you are prohibited to receive public funds.
When you apply for the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa you need to provide your valid passport or other travel ID; a bank statement showing you have at least £1,890 in savings to support yourself in the UK (if needed); your tuberculosis (TB) test results. They are necessary only if you are from a country where you have to take the test according to the UK visa requirements. Remember, you need a blank page in your passport for your visa. Any documents that are not written in English or Welsh, must be translated and certified. Sometimes, you may need to provide additional documents depending on your individual circumstances. Your visa application center will inform you about that.
Your visa application process for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa (Tier 5) must start online. Then you will need to visit the UK visa application center of your choice. There you will have your fingerprints and photograph taken as part of your application process. This is needed for your UK biometric residence permit. Remember, you will have to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you would arrive in the UK even if you actually arrive at a later date to the country.
If Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders have children while they are in the UK, they can apply online to add them to their visa as the dependants. It is very important to add them to the visa to be able to travel in and out of the UK with the children. A full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents, is needed when applying for the addition of children as dependants to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant
