Want to live, work, and study in the United Kingdom? The UK is offering visas to Indian professionals through a ballot system, allowing them to experience life in the UK for up to two years. The British High Commission in India has opened the second ballot of the 2024 India Young Professionals Scheme, targeting Indian citizens aged 18-30.
India Young Professionals Scheme visa: Here’s everything you need to know
The India Young Professionals Scheme visa (also known as a Youth Mobility Scheme visa) is an important part of the UK-India Mobility and Migration Partnership, which was signed between the two countries in May 2021.
Eligible candidates can apply on gov.uk. This visa allows Indians aged 18-30 to live and work in the UK for up to two years.
To apply for the visa, all eligible applicants must enter the ballot. The deadline to apply is 1:30 pm on July 18, 2024.
Eligibility criteria
— Must be an Indian national or citizen aged 18-30.
— Must have a qualification at the bachelor’s degree level or above.
— Must have £2,530 (approximately Rs 274,980) in savings to support yourself in the UK.
Who’s not eligible?
You are ineligible to apply for the visa if you have:
Children under the age of 18 who live with you.
Children for whom you’re financially responsible.
Already lived in the UK as part of the YPS scheme.
How to apply
To apply for the ballot, you’ll need to provide:
Name
Date of birth
Passport details
A scanned photo or photo of the passport
Phone number
Email address
All the documentation you supply to support your application must be in either English or Welsh.
If the originals of the documents you use in your application are not in either of these two languages, you must ensure they have been translated by a certified translation service before you submit them.
What happens after entering the ballot?
Successful entries will be picked at random and informed within two weeks of the ballot closing.
What’s next if you’re successful?
Application: You’ll be invited to apply for a visa.
Timeline: You’ll have 90 days from the date of the email to apply online, pay the visa application fee, including the immigration health surcharge, and provide your biometrics.
Limited spots available
There were 3,000 places available for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa in 2024. Most places were allocated in the February ballot, with the remaining spots available in the July ballot.
Note: You can only submit one entry per person for each ballot. Multiple entries will not be counted.
If you’re unsuccessful
The results of the ballot are final. There is no appeal process if you’re unsuccessful, but you can enter future ballots.
No cost to enter the ballot
Entering the ballot system is free, but the visa costs £298 (approximately Rs 31,100).
What you can and cannot do after getting the visa:
You can:
1. Study at a university or college. For some courses, you will be required to obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
2. You’re allowed to work in most jobs.
3. You can set up a business as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is worth less than £5,000, and you don’t have any employees.
You cannot:
Extend your stay: Extensions are not allowed under this visa.
Apply for most benefits: Public funds and most benefits are off-limits.
Include family members: Each family member must apply separately.
Work as a professional sportsperson: This includes roles such as a coach.
If you give birth in the UK:
1. Your child won’t automatically become a British citizen.
2. Apply online for your child’s dependent visa if you plan to travel in and out of the UK with them.
3. You’ll need a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.
First Published: Jul 17 2024 | 5:10 PM IST