UK Youth Mobility Scheme 2024: (Complete Guide)
How To Apply For The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa From India for The 2024 Ballot
If you are an Indian citizen who wants to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years, you may be eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa. Unlike any other UK visa for Indians this visa is part of the India Young Professionals Scheme, which is a bilateral agreement between the UK and India to facilitate the exchange of young professionals.
However, this UK visa is not available for everyone. You need to enter a ballot and be randomly selected before you can apply for the visa. The ballot system is designed to ensure fairness and transparency in the allocation of the limited number of places available each year.
In this blog post, we will explain how the ballot system works, what you need to do to enter the ballot, and what happens if you are successful or unsuccessful in the ballot.
What is the ballot system?
The ballot system is a random draw that determines who can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa from India. There are 3,000 places available for this visa in 2024, and most of them will be allocated in the first ballot in February 2024. The remaining places will be allocated in the second ballot in July 2024.
You can only enter one ballot per year, and you can only submit one entry per person for each ballot. after that you are not allowed to enter.
The ballots are free to enter, but you should only enter if you plan to apply for the visa, which costs £298, and are able to meet the financial, educational and other requirements.
How to Apply the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa ballot 2024 from India?
The first ballot for 2024 will be opened at 2:30pm IST on 20 February 2024. It will close at 2:30pm IST on 22 February 2024. The second ballot will open and close at the same times in July 2024. The exact dates will be announced on the UK government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/india-young-professionals-scheme-visa-ballot-system before they open.
To enter the ballot, you need to send an email to india.youngprofessionals@fco.gov.uk, mailto:india.youngprofessionals@fco.gov.uk with the following information:
- Your name
- Your date of birth
- Your passport details
- A scan or photo of your passport
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- Your email must be in English. The subject line of the email must include your name, date of birth and passport number in this format: Lastname Firstname – DD/MM/YYYY – passport number.
- The body of the email must include your name, date of birth, passport number, phone number and email address.
- You will receive an automated reply confirming your entry. You should check your junk or spam folder if you do not receive it.
What happens if you are successful in the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa ballot?
If you are successful in the ballot, you will receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing. You will then have 30 days from the date of the email to apply online for the visa. Pay the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge, and provide your biometric information at a Visa Application Centre.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks of attending your appointment. If your visa application is successful, you will have 90 days to enter the UK. Your visa will be valid for 2 years from the date of entry.
If you cannot travel to the UK within 90 days due to coronavirus or other reasons, you will need to apply for an extension. You will not need to reapply for the visa, but you will need to pay a fee of £154. The expiry date of your visa will not change, even if your arrival in the UK is delayed.
What happens if you are unsuccessful in the ballot?
If you are unsuccessful in the ballot, you will receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing. You cannot appeal or challenge this decision. The results of the ballot are final and based on a random draw.
However, you can enter future ballots if you are still eligible and interested in applying for the visa. You can also explore other options to live and work in the UK, such as Skilled Worker visas https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa or Graduate visas https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa.
As of July 2024, there have been some notable updates to this visa program. The annual quota for the UK Youth Mobility Visa has been increased to 35,000 places, up from the previous 30,000. This expansion aims to provide more opportunities for young people from eligible countries to experience living and working in the UK.
The list of participating countries has also been updated, with Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, and Taiwan currently eligible to apply.
Additionally, the application process has been streamlined, with a new online portal making it easier for applicants to submit their documents and track the status of their application. The visa fee has also been adjusted to £456, reflecting the increased demand and administrative costs.
Conclusion
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa is a great opportunity for Indian citizens who want to experience life and work in the UK for up to 2 years. However, it is not easy to get this visa, as you need to enter a ballot and be randomly selected before you can apply.
If you are interested in this visa, you should prepare yourself for the ballot system, which opens twice a year in February and July. You should also check the eligibility criteria and the application process on the UK government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/india-young-professionals-scheme-visa-ballot-system .
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