If you are an Indian citizen, aged between 18 to 30 years, you can apply for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa, which is a 2-year non-extendable visa allowing you to work and live in the United Kingdom (UK)
This visa allows you to:
- Work in the UK without requiring employer sponsorship.
- Study; however, for some courses, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
- Be self-employed and set up a company as long as:
- Your premises are rented.
- Your equipment is not worth more than £5,000.
- You do not have any employees.
Ballot System for India Young Professionals Scheme Visa:
The India Young Professionals Scheme visa is a lottery-based visa, meaning you must first enter the India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot, which is free to enter. There are 3,000 slots available for 2025, and the ballots will be conducted twice a year (usually in February and July).
Successful entrants will be picked at random, and selected candidates will receive an invitation to apply within two weeks after the ballot closes.
Details Required to Enter the Ballot:
To enter the ballot, you will need to provide:
- Full Name
- Date of Birth
- Passport details
- A scanned copy or photo of your passport
- Phone number
- Email address
NOTE: Enter the ballot only if you are interested in applying for the visa. You must confirm your eligibility before entering.
Eligibility Criteria for the Visa:
To qualify for this visa, you must:
- Be an Indian Citizen.
- Be between 18 to 30 years old.
- Have an undergraduate degree or higher qualification, equivalent to Level 6, 7, or 8 on the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).
- Have at least £2,530 (INR 2,60,000) in savings in your bank account.
- The required amount must be held for at least 28 continuous days.
- The last day of this 28-day period must be within 31 days before your visa application.
- Pay the visa application fee of £298 (~INR 32,000).
- Pay the healthcare surcharge of £1,552 (~INR 1,60,000) for two years.
- Not have any dependents, meaning you must not have children under 18 living with you or whom you are financially responsible for.
- Not have previously been in the UK on this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
Visa Application Process:
If selected in the ballot, you will have 90 days from the date of receiving the invitation email to apply for the visa.
Documents Required for the Visa Application:
- A valid passport.
- Financial evidence – bank statements showing proof of at least £2,530 in your account.
- Educational qualification – proof of your bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Tuberculosis (TB) test result.
- Police clearance certificate.
Processing Time and Travel Requirement:
- You will receive a visa decision within 3 weeks of applying.
- If approved, you must travel to the UK within 6 months of your visa application date.