Youth Mobility Scheme Visa (Tier 5)
You can apply for a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa if you:
want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years
are aged 18 to 30
have £1,890 in savings
have certain types of British Nationality or are from certain countries
meet the other eligibility requirements
How long it will take
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel.
Example
You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 September.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Find out about paying for a faster decision.
Fees
It costs £244 to apply.
You will also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you will have to pay before you apply.
How long you can stay
You will be given a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months.
You can enter the UK at any time while your visa is valid, and leave and come back at any time during your stay.
If you turn 31 while you are in the UK, you can stay for as long as your visa is valid.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
study - for some courses you will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
work in most jobs
be self-employed and set up a company - as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees
You cannot:
work as a professional sportsperson (for example as a coach), doctor or dentist in training - unless you can show you qualified in the UK
extend your stay
get public funds
bring in family members on your application - they must apply separately
See Also:
For Further Information on Youth Mobility Scheme Visas can be found on GOV.UK's website.