India Young Professionals Scheme Visa
Are you an Indian citizen between 18 and 30 years old and want to visit and work in the UK? Then you may be able to apply for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa. The visa enables you to stay in the UK for up to two years to live and work in the country.
With the India Young Professionals Scheme visa you can travel to and from the UK as much as you want for a period of as much as 24 months.
While in the UK on an India Young Professionals Scheme visa, you will be able to work most UK-based jobs and be self-employed. You will also be able to study, though you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme Certificate depending on your choice of course.
Eligibility for application for this visa is reliant on you first being successful in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot. To enter the ballot, you need to declare that you would be eligible to apply for a visa under this scheme if you are successful in the ballot.
If you are successful in the ballot, you will receive an invitation to apply from UK Visas and Immigration. If you are unsuccessful, you will not be able to apply for a visa under the India Young Professionals Scheme.
In addition to being an Indian citizen aged between 18 and 30, to be eligible for this visa you must also:
- Hold an eligible qualification at UK bachelor’s degree level or above (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8) or an equivalent overseas qualification at degree level or above
- Have the equivalent of £2,530 savings in your bank account to prove you are able to take care of yourself while in the UK. These savings need to be available for at least 28 days in a row within 31 days of applying for this visa
If you are selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot, you will need to apply for the visa within the given deadline – this is usually within 30 days of receiving your invitation to apply. You must also not arrive in the UK later than 6 months from when you apply.
You will usually know the outcome of your application within 3 weeks of lodging your application.
Once you are ready to apply, you apply for the visa online. The verified documents you will need to supply in support of your application are:
- An official document showing your nationality and identity (e.g. a valid passport)
- Proof that you are between 18 and 30 years old by the time you lodge your application – If you turn 31 while on the visa, you can stay in the UK until it expires
- A bank statement showing you have enough savings to support yourself (at least the equivalent of £2,530)
- Written confirmation from your education provider confirming your qualification(s)
- Results from a tuberculosis test if you live in India or another country from which the UK requires visa applicants to take a TB test
- A certified translation of your documents if they are not in English or Welsh
- A criminal records check certificate from India
- A blank page in your passport for this visa
The India Young Professional Scheme visa application fee is £259, plus a healthcare surcharge for each year that the visa will be valid. The healthcare surcharge is payable in advance at the time your application is submitted.
If you’re unsure if this visa is right for you or how to apply, you can seek advice from one of our qualified migration agents below.