The India Young Professionals Scheme visa permits young people aged 18 to 30 years old to travel and live in the UK for up 2 years. This presents a fantastic opportunity for young people from India to be able to travel to the UK, and, providing that the applicant is a graduate and has enough savings, offers a risk free opportunity.
Whilst holding the visa, applicants are permitted to work in the UK without the need of sponsorship from a UK employer. This sets it apart from other schemes such as the skilled worker visa which requires sponsorship.
Considering applying for any other type of UK visa? Start your journey today by contacting us here.
How does the ballot work?
In order to apply for a visa for the India Young Professional Scheme, you must enter the ballot.
The ballot will open at 2:30pm India Standard Time on 20 February 2024, and close at 2:30pm India Standard Time on 22 February, giving applicants 48 hours to enter. Once the ballot is live, you can click here to enter.
You can only enter the ballot if you are an Indian citizen and eligible for the visa. See below for more information on eligibility.
There are 3,000 visas available in the February 2024 ballot and all successful applicants are selected at random. Most places will be made available in the February ballot. The remaining places will be made available in the July ballot.
What information will I need to provide for the ballot?
In order to enter the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot, entrants will need to provide the following information:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Passport details
- A scan or photo of your passport
- Phone number
- Email address
You will need a number of documents during the process including:
-
- A valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality
- Evidence that you have at least £2,530 in your bank account, for example bank statements
- Evidence of your qualifications
- Your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re living in India or another listed country
- A police report or clearance certificate from India – check how to apply for criminal records checks
- You will also need a blank page in your passport for your visa.
Eligibility for the India Young Professionals Scheme
To be eligible to enter the ballot, you must:
- Be an Indian national or citizen
- Aged between 18 and 30 years old
- Be at least 18 years old on the date you plan to travel to the UK
- Hold qualification at a bachelor’s degree level or above,
- Have £2,530 in savings.
- Not have any children under the age of 18 who live with you or who you are financially responsible for
Furthermore, you cannot apply if you have already been in the UK using this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
You can have an equivalent overseas qualification to a UK bachelor’s degree at degree level or above. This is level 6,7 or 8 on the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework. It is worth checking with your college or university if you aren’t sure whether you are eligible.
Successful applicants
Should you be successful, you will be informed 2 weeks after the ballot closes. You will then have 90 days to submit an application for the visa. You will need to pay the following Home Office fees:
- pay the application fee of £259
- pay a healthcare surcharge of £940
After applying, providing your documents and proving your identity, you should expect to hear back regarding a decision within 3 weeks.
The Home Office may require more information. If this is the case, you will be contacted about your application taking longer. This may be because:
- Your supporting documents need to be verified
- You need to attend an interview
- Of your specific personal circumstances, such as if you have a criminal conviction
If you are successful in the ballot but choose not to apply for the visa, you do not need to notify the Home Office. You can ask to cancel your application, however you will only get a refund if UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have not started processing your application.
Once you have been granted a visa, this will be for a period of 24 months where you can live, work and/or study in the UK.
What if your application is unsuccessful?
Unfortunately if your application is unsuccessful you cannot appeal this, the results are final. However, you will be able to apply for future ballots. The Home Office have suggested that the next one is likely to be held in late July.
Final thoughts
This ballot scheme presents an excellent opportunity for young Indian citizens to live and work in the UK. Nevertheless, this is a relatively limited scheme with just 3,000 visas available.
Lisa’s Law specialises in a range of aspects of immigration law, and are able to help with visa applications, from graduates visas to skilled worker visas to high potential individual visas. These applications can sometimes be tricky, and any small mistake can be costly for your chances of living in the UK. But by contacting Lisa’s Law, you can have peace of mind.
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Page last updated on 15/02/2024
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