The UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa for Australians
The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the most popular working holiday destinations for young Australians, who have the opportunity to live and work in England, Scotland, Wales and/or Northern Ireland for up to 3 years!
Since 31 January 2024, this visa is available to Australian citizens aged 18-35. It’s initially valid for two years, with the option to extend it for a third year down the track.
Many young Aussies dream of living and working in London. Thanks to the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme visa, which is the UK equivalent of a working holiday visa, you can! In fact, thousands of backpackers travel each year between Australia and the UK – countries with strong cultural, economic and historical ties.
Some Australians may also be eligible for a UK Ancestry visa.
This guide contains information about the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa (previously the “T5” visa) for Australian citizens. It also contains tips on living in the UK. It was last updated on 14 July 2025.
Key facts about the UK
- Population: Approx. 69 million
- Capital city: London
- Largest cities: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool
- Currency: Pound sterling (GBP)
UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa requirements
The UK offers Youth Mobility Scheme visas to citizens of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay. See the UK government’s website for more information.
This information is applicable to Australian citizens and may be different for citizens of other countries.
To apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa as an Australian citizen, you must meet the following requirements:
- Aged between 18-35 years old (inclusive) at the time of application
- Have at least £2,530 (approx. AUD5,000) in savings
You cannot apply for this visa if you:
- Have dependent children who live with you and/or for whom you are financially responsible
- Have already completed a working holiday in the UK under the same scheme
More information is available on the UK government’s website.
Documents needed to apply for this visa
When applying for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa for the UK as an Australian citizen, you’ll need to provide the following documents:
- A valid passport
- Bank statement showing you have at least £2,530 or foreign currency equivalent in savings (you must have had the money in your account for at least 28 days in a row, and the 28th day must be within a month of your application)
Visa costs
It costs £319 (approx. AUD650) to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
However, you will also need to pay a £1,552 (approx. AUD3,180) Immigration Health Surcharge, bringing the total cost to around AUD3,830 for a 2-year visa application.
If you decide to extend your visa for a third year, you’ll need to pay another visa fee and health surcharge later on.
This is quite a lot of money, so you might want to consider a cheaper working holiday visa from a European country instead.
Immigration Health Surcharge
You will have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) at the time of applying for your visa. You can use the UK government’s calculator to determine exactly how much you would need to pay.
This would be refunded in the unlikely event your visa application is not approved.
An Australian coming to the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa could expect to pay £776 (approx. AUD1,590) per year, or £1,552 (approx. AUD3,180) for two years. While this is quite a lot of money, in return you will have access to free medical treatment through the National Health Service (NHS) while in the UK.
How to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa for the UK
You can apply for a UK working holiday visa up to six months before your intended arrival date in the UK. It generally takes around three weeks to get a decision but could take up to eight weeks, so ensure you leave enough time. You can pay an additional fee to get a faster turnaround time.
As of July 2025, average wait times are around three weeks.
You’ll need to apply online on the UK government’s website for this visa before arriving in the UK. You’ll then also need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (in Australia, this generally means visiting a VFS Global office).
It is possible to apply for this visa from countries other than Australia, as long as you’re outside the UK. When applying for the visa online, you’ll be asked to select which visa application centre you want to visit.
Supporting documentation to show proof of funds
When applying for this visa, make sure that you include sufficient proof that you have had at least £2,530 in savings (or foreign currency equivalent) for at least the last 28 days.
Your application may be delayed if the UK government needs to request further documents to support that you have enough funds. Unfortunately, this is something that happens quite often and the UK Decision Making Centre has been known to request further evidence even when relevant bank statements have already been submitted.
In addition to (or instead of) sending bank statement copies, some people have suggested getting a certified letter from your local bank. This signed letter should state that you’ve had the required funds in your bank account for at least the last 28 days and include the bank branch details. This letter must be dated within 31 days of your visa application date.
Arriving in the UK
When making your visa application, you’ll need to provide your expected arrival date in the UK. Once your visa is issued, you’ll need to arrive in the UK within 90 days of the start date on your visa.
You must collect your biometric residence permit in the UK within 10 days after your arrival in the country.
If it’s not already printed on your biometric residence permit, you might also need to apply for a National Insurance Number after arriving. You’ll need this if you want to work and/or open a UK bank account.
Settling in
If you wish to open a bank account, you may need a local address. But some banks no longer require this. You could also consider opening an online bank account, e.g. with Monzo.
Speaking of your address, you’ll need to find somewhere to live. Rental properties can be notoriously expensive in London, but may be more affordable in smaller cities and regional areas – as well as various boroughs of London.
If you do want to live and work in London, be prepared to commute to work every day. (Luckily, public transport in London is very good and you can even tap on & off the Tube using your credit card.) But don’t be afraid to live in other parts of the UK – there’s more than just London!
Spare Room and Badi can be useful websites for finding spare rooms and rentals with flatmates. Or you could try websites like Right Move or Zoopla if you’d like to rent a whole apartment.
Need accommodation when you arrive in London?
If you want to secure accommodation in London before you arrive, we recommend getting in touch with Crenns Properties. They are a family-run business that has been providing accommodation in shared houses for over 25 years to Aussies and Kiwis in West London.
All houses are close to the Tube and their rooms are fully furnished, so you don’t need to worry about buying furniture. You’ll share a kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities.
You can sign up for a short-term tenancy (starting with just a 1-month stay when you first arrive in London) or you can stay long-term. Your deposit will be registered and you will be given a proper contract. You can book a room before you arrive, so check their availability if you don’t want to spend your first weeks in London staying in a hotel or hostel!
See our guide to finding accommodation in London for more details.
After arriving you should also consider purchasing a UK SIM card and registering with a local doctor.
The Aussies in London website and Facebook group may also be useful resources for you. Plus, be sure to read our guide to setting up your new life overseas!
Extending your Youth Mobility Scheme visa for a third year
If you’re an Australian currently living in the UK with a valid Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you can extend this visa for a third year. You can only do this once. (As of 31 January 2024, this option is also available to Canadians, South Koreans and New Zealanders.)
At the time of extending your visa, you’ll need to pay a new visa fee of £319 (approx. AUD650) and another year’s worth of the immigration Health Surcharge.
You can apply online to extend your original two-year visa up to 28 days before it’s due to expire. If approved, your new visa will be valid from the day after the old one expires.
If you intend to stay in the UK for a third year, we’d suggest requesting this extension as early as possible. It could take a bit of time for the UK government to process this.
You cannot travel outside of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man between the time you request a visa extension and receiving a decision.
Unfortunately, if you’ve previously held a UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa which has already expired, and you’ve already left the UK, you can’t apply for a third year.
While best efforts are made to keep this information updated, we do not guarantee its accuracy. If you spot an error, would like to suggest new information to be added or simply have a question, please let us know in the comments and we’ll endeavour to respond or update the article as quickly as possible!
Before asking a question, please read through the previous comments to check if your query has already been answered.
Hi,
Thank you for the very helpful information. I was wondering if you knew the process regarding the proof of funds/28 days rule. I have well over the minimum amount however recently transferred savings from one bank account to another in preparation for travel (moved to a bank without international fees). Is there any way to explain the recent transfer/prove I have always had the money regardless of it not being in the current account for 28 days?
According to the UK government’s website (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-evidence-for-sponsored-or-endorsed-work-routes), you can submit multiple bank statements with your application. If both accounts are clearly in your name, and you can show that the transaction was simply transferring funds between your own personal accounts, I think you should be OK.
hi matt.
my question relates to our children.
I am a British citizen and will be moving to the UK.
my n.z partner will be applying for the youth mobility visa. will she be eligible to apply as she is a mother though the children are not in her care?
can she mark down that she has no children?
Hi Darren, the rule is that you cannot apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you have “children under the age of 18 who live with you” and/or “children you’re financially responsible for”. If neither of those apply, then she may be eligible.
Hello!
Are you able to study in the UK with this visa? Such as undertaking a university pathway program? Or would a student visa be required for this matter.
Thanks!
Yes, you can study in the UK with this visa. However, for some courses you need a special certificate. See https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility
Hi Matt,
If I am unsure what my UK arrival date would be, due to loose former travel in the EU, would it matter if my nominated arrival date was wrong by perhaps two months? How long is permitted between visa approval in AU and arrival to the UK?
I don’t know the answer to this, sorry, but I suspect it’s not possible because you need to physically collect your UK residence permit within 10 days of your nominated arrival date into the UK.
I would suggest that if you’re travelling in Europe beforehand, it wouldn’t be that hard (nor expensive) to get a quick flight or train over to London, enter the UK on your Youth Mobility Scheme visa, collect your permit, then finish off your trip around continental Europe.
Hello, I am heading to the UK in November this year for a holiday to see my partner. I plan on staying until i can apply for the visa. I’m 34 turning 35 in June 2024.
Are you able to confirm that I need to be out of the country to apply for this visa?
(I’m from Australia). Does this mean I return to Australia – apply – then re enter the UK once my visa is granted?
I’m also a citizen of Montenegro as I was born there. Would i be able to return there whilst my visa is being processed instead of Australia? Would they have any concerns with this?
Also when do you need to do biometrics vs proving identity online?
Thank you so much
Katarina
You do need to be outside of the UK when applying for this visa and can’t enter the UK while the application is being processed.
But I don’t think you need to return to Australia to apply. You shouldn’t have any issues applying from Montenegro and there is a UK visa application centre in Podgorica where, at least in theory, you could provide biometrics. This happens after you apply online.
Hi Matt,
I really enjoy you’re website and am hoping you can assist me with answering a question.
I have a Youth Mobility visa. I entered within the time frame detailed on my visa, however I did not pick up my BRP while I was there. I had to rush back to Australia because a family member was sick.
Do I need to apply for a another vignette or can I enter the country and still pick up the BRP from the post office.
Any assistance would be much appreciated!
Cheers
Glad you’re finding our website useful! Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to this, sorry – probably best to ask the UK government.
Hi Matt,
Thanks for all the content on this article, I’ve found it quite useful thus far.
I was wondering, if I were to apply for a YMV from a country outside of the UK (France as an example) and the assessment centre did choose to hold my passport whilst processing, would I then be able to freely travel between other Schengan countries whilst waiting for it to be approved and later return to collect it?
From what I can gather there is no border controls between Schengan countries but if I were asked to produce a passport during this time would I just be able to mention to local authorities that is it is held up at an assessment centre?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Jacob,
Technically it *may* be possible to travel within the Schengen Area without physically holding your passport. However, there is always a chance that you may be asked for your passport when crossing an internal Schengen border or when checking in for a flight or bus, for example. Sometimes there are random checks. You may also be asked for ID when checking into any hotel. I personally would not risk it and would wait in France until you get your passport back!
Hi Matt,
This article has been so useful!
I am looking at applying for the YMV but when I plan to leave I will be over 35. Is the new age inclusive meaning I have to apply for the visa before I turn 36 or do I need to apply for before I turning 35 and move within 6 months.
Ideally, I would like to move in early 2026 which makes me over 35 (I turn 35 June 2025) when applying for the visa, is that possible?
Thanks
Oh
Hi Matt,
My partner and I are planning a potential move to the UK next year. We plan to travel Europe first and gauge whether we would want to live in the UK or another country within Europe (Amsterdam, Germany etc.)
We were wondering, if we did decide to live in another European country for 12 months on a visa, are there rules that would limit us from doing so back to back either between different Schengan area countries or between one Schengan area country and then the UK for instance?
I understand this may be a silly question but I haven’t been able to find an answer on it…
Any known resources that may help us plan ahead in terms of knowing where we’d be best suited to living in advance of being over there would also be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Caitlyn
You can have two visas for different countries back-to-back – that’s fine.
Hi
Do you have the option to only apply for the YMV visa for only 5 months and not 2 years.
My daughter’s only working for 4 months then traveling. Trying to avoid paying for the health care when not needed,
Thanks in advance
I could be wrong, but I don’t believe it’s possible to apply for this visa for a period of less than 2 years. That being the case, your daughter would need to pay for two years’ worth of the healthcare surcharge.
At least, if she decides to stay longer or return to the UK before the two years is up, she would still be covered for that time.
Hi Matt,
Love this page, it is so helpful! Could you tell me if it is possible to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa whilst living in France (with a French visa)?
Thank you,
Michael
Yes, it is possible to apply from countries other than Australia, just as long as you’re outside the UK.
Please have a look at this comment: https://workingholiday.au/uk-youth-mobility-scheme/#comment-1611
I’m planning to do the same, I’m in France too.
Hi there,
I was wondering if a credit card balance is an approved form of funds evidence? Say I had $3,000 in my savings account for 35 days prior, but also $15,000 on my credit card, is the credit card allowed to make up some or all of the $5,000 funds evidence requirement?
No, credit card limits/credit balances are not accepted as proof of savings for the purpose of a UK visa.
Have a look at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-evidence-for-sponsored-or-endorsed-work-routes
Hi Matt,
Fantastic article – really really helpful!
I have a question specific to my situation I was hoping you may be able to help with.
I’ve read that the UK government plans to increase both the application fee and immigration healthcare surcharge (significantly) as of 16/01/2024 – would you happen to know whether this is true?
Off the back of that, if it is to be true, if I were to apply for the visa between 10-15/01 (just within 6 months of my booked flight on 10/06) would I be avoiding the increase in costs? In other words would the fees associated with my application be based on application date or approval date?
I understand if I were to apply at this time I would also only be applying for the 2-year visa but am happy with the fact that I could extend for a 3rd year down the track.
I’ve worked out the difference to be paying roughly $2k for a 2 year visa vs $5k for a 3 year visa (taking increased fees into account), hence my questions….
Thank you!
Jacob
I haven’t seen the exact date, but yes, the UK government will increase the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge for Youth Mobility visa applicants from GBP470/year to GBP776/year in January 2024.
I don’t know for sure, but since you pay the IHS upfront when you apply for your visa, I would assume that the current rate would still apply if you submit your visa application before the increase.
Hi Matt – thanks for this website which is more helpful than other more official channels!
My 18 year old daughter is currently in the UK and wants to stay and work. So she is investigating getting a youth mobility visa before the charges go up! She currently is there as a tourist. If you have any thoughts on following then your advice would be much appreciated!
1. I believe she cannot apply in the UK for a youth mobility visa. Could she travel to Portugal/Paris etc to do the application from there through a TLS office? Any tips here?
2. Is the healthcare surcharge payable if you are staying for under 6 months? If not, and you need health care, should this be covered by travel insurance?
3. If she does stay for two years, can the healthcare charge be paid annually or does it need to be paid fully for two years up front?
Big thanks!
Hi Tim,
Yes, she can go to another country and apply from there. When submitting the Youth Mobility Scheme application online, she can specify on there which location she wants to visit to provide biometrics etc.
And the IHS is payable up-front and applicable for the maximum visa duration, even if you don’t intend to stay that long. So, currently she would need to pay up-front for 2 years. (This will increase to 3 years from 31 January 2024.)
Hi Matt,
Echoing the above commenter to say thank you for this page, which is so much more informative than some of the official resources.
I’m living in the UK with a YMV expiring April 2025, and therefore eligible to apply to extend for a third year when those rules come into effect next year.
I know there’s not a lot of info out yet and you may not know the answer to this, but I’m hoping you may be able to take an informed guess based on the current rules.
My Australian passport expires in January 2026. I would be extending my visa to April 2026.
If I apply for the visa extension next year, will it matter that my passport is expiring before the end date of the visa extension? I’d rather wait until closer to the passport expiry date to renew the passport, but I want to get the visa extension sorted ASAP.
I can’t find anything about it online, I imagine the passport and visa would be separate things, but I wanted to check in case I put in the expensive visa application and get knocked back.
Thank you!
Unfortunately I don’t know the answer to this – what we know so far about the third-year extension for people in your situation is in this article: https://workingholiday.au/australians-reapply-third-year-uk-youth-mobility-visa/
That said, I doubt the UK government would give you a visa that’s valid for longer than the validity on your passport. If I were you, I’d get a new passport ASAP and then apply for the third-year extension with the new passport.
Hi Matt – Thanks for this!
Do you know whether I can apply for a YMV from inside the UK (but selecting another country like France for the appt.)? I am currently on a sponsored visa but wish to switch next year to the YMV (which I presume is possible?).
Many thanks in advance!
Technically, this is not allowed. You can only apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa from outside the UK.
Hi Matt – Great Article.
Do you know about applying for YMV as a dual national? I’m a Belgian and have been an Australian citizen for 10 months. I can’t find any info on it online.
Thanks in Advance
If you’re an Australian citizen then you should be eligible.
You just can’t apply for this visa more than once using different (eligible) nationalities.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for this article, it’s very helpful. I have a question regarding the YMV if that’s alright!
So, I currently am staying in the UK as a visitor, living in my partner’s house. (He’s British)
I applied for the YMV a couple of weeks back and got my approval e-mail a few days ago. I took my Biometrics in Dublin, so it was outside the UK (technically). I sent off my passport for the vignette and it should come back any day now.
Now here’s my question: Once I get my passport back, do I have to leave the UK/CTA once and come back in, because as far as I’ve read and heard, we cannot ‘switch’ to a YMV from a regular old visitor’s visa, or is there some other method that I’m unfamiliar with?
Just as a little add on:
1. I was VERY transparent with my application, I told them I’m currently staying in the UK with my partner, etc. Note that this wasn’t planned beforehand and I just ended up deciding to find a way to stay when it was only supposed to be a visit. (I got a lot of heat from quite a few people when I mentioned I did this application whilst in the UK and did my biometrics elsewhere, which is why I’m clarifying this.)
2. My passport is being sent back to the UK to my current address.
Thank you in advance
As you’re already aware, you’re not technically supposed to be in the UK when you apply for this visa. Because your situation is an unusual one, I’m unfortunately not sure I can give you good advice on this, sorry.
However, I do believe that you need to enter the UK on your Youth Mobility Visa and see an immigration officer on arrival to get a stamp at the border, when you arrive on this visa, in order for it to be valid etc.
If I were you, I would leave the UK and then re-enter on your Youth Mobility Visa once it’s approved, just to be safe. However, I can’t guarantee that you won’t have any issues. Might be best to ask the UK government directly if you have any concerns.
Hi Matt,
First off, great article! I’m learning so much from everything you’ve posted and even from the comments section.
I’m planning to apply for this visa on February 2024 with a nominal arrival date in July/August, but I also have a planned holiday in London this March/April. Would you know if this will affect the start date of the visa? I don’t want the visa to officially start before July.
Thanks in advance 🙂
Glad you’re finding the website useful, Angel!
As you’re probably aware, you’re not supposed to be in the UK when you apply. I’m not sure what would happen if you apply in February and then visit separately in March/April. However, my strong suggestion would be just to start the application process after you’ve left the UK in April. That still gives you more than enough time before you arrive in July (even without paying for faster processing, the average turnaround time is 3 weeks) and avoids any potential hassles.
Thanks for the reply. I’m thinking of applying first week of Feb (will turn 36 by end of Feb) and going to London by end of March which will give me 6-7 weeks to wait for the application result. I guess my concern is if my application gets approved before my trip in March, will I have an option to enter UK without triggering the start date of the visa?
My understanding is that once you have an approved visa, entering the UK would trigger the start of this. It’s also not advisable to travel to the UK while you have an impending visa application, even though this might technically be possible if you enter the UK on a different passport.
Since you’ll turn 36 at the end of February, I would probably suggest that you either just apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa with a start date of March, or otherwise, cancel the March/April trip.
Hi! Thanks for the info, I have a question around the “the earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel”
Does this mean you can’t apply 7 months before but 2 months before is fine?
Ie if I apply now and want to travel in March would that be okay?
That’s correct. You can apply up to 6 months before you intend to arrive in the UK. Given the average turnaround time is 3 weeks, applying 2 months before should be fine.
Hello,
Just want to clarify:
“you can APPLY up to 6 months before your intended arrival date”, but what about the info that says once you get it you only have 90 days to arrive in the UK? Which should we take into consideration?
Thanks so much!
Hi Julius, I’m not sure where you read that you have 90 days to arrive in the UK? That isn’t mentioned in our article, nor on the UK government’s website as far as I can tell.
You can apply up to six months before you intend to arrive in the UK. This is based on the date on your plane ticket that you will land in the country. You then need to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of arriving in the UK.
That said, I don’t think it’s really necessary to apply more than about 2-3 months in advance.
Say I apply in January, but actually don’t plan to go to the UK until late next year. When does the Visa actually come into affect? For when I apply? Or do I have to put a specific date I would like it active from?
The visa comes into effect from the arrival date in the UK that you specify in your application. Note that you cannot apply more than six months before you intend to arrive in the UK.
Do you know what grounds or steps can be taken for instances whereby the Covid-19 pandemic implicated this particular path? In February 2020, I was granted a Youth Mobility Visa and entered the UK. Within days, covid 19 hit and shut everything down and I had to make the decision to return home following government advice to do so. The same day I picked up my physical Visa card was the same day I flew home and due to Covid, could not return.
Noting that you can only obtain this Visa once, considering the grounds in which we were faced and that I didnt get to use this- is there any steps forward in this regard?
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your great information. Can you give any advice on the following:
I entered the UK on the YMS visa early February 2020 and had to return to Australia within 6 weeks due to the Covid pandemic. Australian borders then closed for the next couple of years. Do you know if I can get any exemption to re-activate the visa – given that I only used the visa for 6 weeks? If that is not possible, could I apply for a refund on the fees paid for the IHS?
Any advice appreciated. Susie
Hi Susie, did you ever get an answer about this from anyone? I am in the same boat.
Hi Millie,
So sorry to be late with this reply.
We did get a reply but it was a ‘no’. According to their rules, you cannot re-enter on the visa once you have entered, despite you having to return due to covid.
Good luck!
Hi Matt,
I was wondering if you had a general rule as to how much a person should have saved by the time they apply/move to the UK (specifically London). I’m looking to move to London later in 2024, and just wanted to know your thoughts.
Thanks.
Hi Ben,
To apply for a Youth Mobility visa, you are required to have at least around $5,000 (AUD) in savings, plus to pay for the visa fee and NHS surcharge. You’d also need enough money to buy a flight to the UK. But as a general rule, I would suggest having at least $10-15k in savings before you move. This will give you a bit of a safety net in case you don’t find work straight away or want to do some travel before getting a job overseas. If you’re planning to live in London, maybe add a bit more on top of that.
Hi, if i want to travel to UK at the end of this year (2024), am I able to apply for the youth mobility visa now before the change in prices? Or are you only able to apply for the visa within the 6 months prior to your planned arrival into the UK?
You can only apply for this visa up to six months before your intended arrival date in the UK. If you apply earlier, your application will probably be declined.
What about if I applied this month and said my expected arrival was 6 months from today, then later in the year said it has to be delayed 6 months due to personal reasons?
If you want to try this, that’s up to you – but I would not recommend it as it’s not within the spirit of the rules. I’m not sure what more you want me to say – the UK government is quite clear that you need to apply within 6 months of your intended arrival date in the country.
Hi! I’m in the process of applying for my UK youth mobility visa from Aus and I’m a bit confused about the timeframe of when to apply (it’s Jan now & I’m planning to arrive in the UK this June). On the Gov.uk overview page it says:
“The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel”
But then when I’m filling out my application it asks for my approximate arrival date, and under ‘why is this important’ is says:
“If your application is successful, you will be granted a visa to enter the UK. The visa will only be valid for entry to the UK for 90 davs. If vour visa expires before you travel to the UK, you will have to apply for a replacement visa.”
It sounds like two contradicting statements about the application timeframe (i.e., 6 months vs 90 days), but have I misunderstood? Thanks!
I take this to mean that you need to arrive within 90 days of whatever date you list as your planned arrival date in the UK (which must be within the next six months).
I guess it could also mean that you have 90 days to enter the UK once your visa is issued. I.e. you can start the application process up to six months before you intend to arrive, but once your visa is issued you have 90 days to enter the UK. There is a gap between when you apply and when the visa is issued, but that’s normally around 3 weeks. If that’s the case you might need to bring forward your planned arrival date if you can, but I don’t think this is what they mean.
I have a pre-existing holiday to the UK coming up in a couple weeks, but was also intending to apply for the visa to commence around the middle of the year. Mindful the fees will change, it’d obviously be advantageous to apply before Feb 6. However, with my existing trip there coming up, could I initiate the visa application but hold off on completing the biometrics, head to the UK (as a tourist), and then complete the biometrics part after returning? Or would that be contravening the whole, ‘you must wait for an outcome on your application’ before arriving in the UK.
You might want to ask the UK government directly to be sure, but I don’t think you can enter the UK while waiting for the outcome of your application, regardless of whether or not you’ve had your biometrics appointment yet.
You can pay extra to get a faster decision on your application, but that might defeat the purpose somewhat of applying earlier to save on the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Hi Matt,
Thank you so much for your knowledge and advise!
I currently live in the UK on a Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa (sponsored) but want to transfer to a YMV now they have increased the age, so I can freelance. I’ve resigned from my job so have a finish date with them, and was planning on applying for the YMV with an ‘enter the UK’ date, after my official finish date with my current company, getting my biometrics done somewhere in Europe, then re-entering on my YMV.
I haven’t been under this scheme before and can’t find any information on transferring from a skilled worker to YMV and hit all the eligibility so presuming it won’t be a problem, but saw your previous comment about it ‘not being possible’ so just wanted to ask further.
Also is the new age until your 35th birthday or 36th birthday?
Thank you SO SO much,
Kara
Hi Kara,
There’s not really a pathway to “transition” to a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, in the sense that it makes no difference that you’re currently in the UK on a different type of visa. However, you can still apply for a YMV under the same rules as everyone else. Obviously this is only possible if you’ve never held a Youth Mobility Scheme visa in the UK before (other visa types are irrelevant).
One of the conditions when applying for a YMV is that you need to be outside the UK. So if I were you, once you finish up with your current job, I would leave the UK (you can go to mainland Europe, back to Australia, or anywhere else – it doesn’t really matter) and then apply from there. It will take a few weeks, or you can pay for a faster application. Once you’ve provided biometrics and got the new visa approved you can return to the UK using that.
The new age range is 18-35 inclusive, so you can apply until the day before your 36th birthday.
Hi Matt,
Thank you so so much for the speedy response! So essentially you recommend applying online (I guess I can do that from London?) then booking a biometric appt somewhere in Europe – after my last official day at my current job? (March 11th).
No haven’t been on this scheme before, only the skilled worker visa for 1.5yrs
Thanks so much again,
Kara
Just be mindful that you are supposed to be outside the UK when you submit your application, so probably best not to do that from London. 😉
Hi Matt – me again.
Thanks again. Have just received a note from an immigration lawyer stating the application must be made ‘in the country or territory where the applicant is living’ (other than the UK) and ‘have the right to reside there’….she’s suggesting this needs to be Australia.
Really don’t want to have to go back from Australia and hope to apply from Spain…all your advice is that this is possible…to apply for the YMV outside the UK from any destination you can get your biometrics done? Just want to clarify this.
Thanks so much – hope you somehow get paid for all this advice and knowledge!! honestly worth its weight in gold.
Kara
Hi again,
Firstly, I’ll add a disclaimer that I’m not an immigration lawyer and this is definitely not legal advice! This is just my understanding based on the experiences of others in the past.
As far as I understand, you just need to have the right to remain in whichever country you’re applying from for at least as long as it will take you to get your visa issued. The whole point is that you don’t want to end up in a situation where you are staying temporarily in one place and have to leave before your visa gets processed. Obviously, you’d need to make sure you have enough Schengen days available to stay in Spain while waiting for your UK visa. If that might be an issue, consider applying from Germany where you get a full 90 days (regardless of the amount of time you’ve previously spent in the Schengen Area) through the bilateral agreement between Australia and Germany.
If you’re really concerned, you’d definitely be fine if you went back to Australia and applied from there. But I don’t personally think that would be necessary. However, once again, I’m not a lawyer!
Hope that’s helpful. Other than a bit of advertising and affiliate revenue, I don’t make much money out of this website – my motivation for running it is to help people like you. But feel free to leave a donation if you would like.
Hey Kara, how did you get on with this? I’m in the same situation and looking for advice. Thank you
Hi Matt
My partner is planning to apply for YMS in coming months. He is 31 and I am 38. We are both Australian citizens who been together for 12 years. However we are neither married nor have we registered our de-facto relationship. I have a couple of questions
– Is there a provision for partners to also travel and work in UK along with the primary applicant? If yes, can you please tell what additional processing we need to do.
– Would we need to register our relationship as de-facto before we apply?
Hi Gaurav, unfortunately there is no provision for partners to join on this type of visa. If you wanted to join your partner, you would need to get your own visa independently. As you are over 35 years old, unfortunately you would not qualify for the Youth Mobility Scheme.
Hi Matt,
I am moving over to the UK and my savings are in my partners account which is in her name. There is enough funds for the both of us. Can I use that statement if she is applying at the same time. Or am I better off cancelling my biometric and waiting 28 days and transferring the funds into an account. We live at the same address and have stated that we are partners unmarried.
Hi Mitchell,
I’m not 100% sure about this one, but the UK government does say that you must “prove you have enough personal savings”. As this is a personal visa application and not a partner visa, I suspect the bank statement would therefore need to be in your name. (I realise you are both planning to go to the UK together, but you still need to both apply for this visa individually.)
I could be wrong and you could always contact the UK government directly to ask if you’re not sure, but my personal opinion is that you’re probably better off waiting the 28 days for the funds to have remained in your account.
Thank you so much Matt – some seriously good karma coming your way! Do you know the quickest route to receiving the YMV / getting your passport back? I see Barcelona has a ‘premium’ option – not sure if that means same day service or if there are any other visa processing centres / biometric centres that are the quickest? Thanks again!!
I don’t know the answer to this, sorry. If you pay the extra fee for faster processing that should at least speed things up, and if Barcelona has a “premium” option that’s probably worth a try. Good luck!
Once I’m in the UK on this visa, am I able to travel back to Australia within the visa timeframe for a visit if need be, or will doing so void the visa?
Yes, you can leave and re-enter the UK as many times as you like. Obviously, doing so does not extend the visa.
Hi,
Would you happen to know the process for bringing forward the start date of a Youth Mobility Visa? My partner and I had applied for a Youth Mobility Visa in Australia and guesstimated that we would be in the UK around 31 July 2024 – we chose this date to give us ample time to search for a job, undertake interviews and land a job prior to arriving. However, it is now likely that one of us will land a job for a UK-based role within a few weeks so we would like to change the start date to bring it forward to late March/early April.
Noting that we have attended our biometrics appointment and recently received a letter confirming that our visa application has been successful – it happened a lot faster than anticipated (within less than a week)!
Unfortunately, most information and articles we have seen on this topic relates to pushing back the start date or changing the vignette period.
Any useful information and tips on this process would be much appreciated. Thank you!
My understanding is that it’s not possible to bring forward the start date on your visa once it’s approved, sorry.
Thanks for your response Matt. Does that mean that we have to cancel our successful application and then apply for a new application with our preferred date? Or is this also not possible?
I don’t think it’s possible to cancel a successful application. I think you’ll just have to work with the original date you provided in your application.
Hello, I am confused about the application steps if you are able to confirm them for me please. I am currently in the UK and will depart in order to apply for my visa. Do i need to submit the application outside of the UK strictly? Then from that date how long do i have to wait to have a biometrics appointment? And it is from this biometrics app date that the visa then starts to be processed? I am interested in paying extra for a quicker decision and want to understand from what day this takes affect? Also do you know if every country has a biometrics centre as i intend to apply from Serbia and cant find any information online? thank you, Nina
Hi Nina,
Firstly, yes, you must apply from outside the UK. During the application process, you’ll be asked to select which visa application centre you want to visit to provide biometrics. There is a list of centres here – https://www.gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre
Serbia is on the above list, there is a third-party service provider in Belgrade – https://pos.tlscontact.com/beg_en/
The amount of time it could take you to get the biometrics done mainly depends on the availability of appointments. You could check when the next appointments are in Belgrade. Once you’ve completed biometrics and the application is processed (you can pay to have this bit done faster), you could then enter the UK on your Youth Mobility visa.
Hi Matt! I’m currently on the YMS Visa, and I’ll be applying for the extension in the next few months as my initial two years is up in June.
The UK gov site says it can take up to eight weeks to get a decision, have you by any chance heard anything on current wait times? I know it’s just come into effect so maybe not!
I’ve also heard that if you apply earlier than the 28 days prior to your two years ending, the extension will start from the date with approved, as opposed to the date on which your first visa ends? Do you by any chance know if this is true?
Thanks so much!
At this stage I don’t have any further information beyond what’s in the article, sorry.
Hello Matt,
Your help on here is amazing thank you.
Do you know if getting the UK Youth Mobility Visa for 2 years then allows you to apply for the French 12 month Working Holiday Visa from the UK?
My understanding is that you need to have a visa with more than 6 months on to apply for the French Working Holiday one?
Its for my Australian nephew who has arrived in the UK and wants to go and work in France for the summer, this would prevent him I think having to go back to Australia to apply for the French one?
Thank you in advance
If your nephew has the right to live in the UK for two years, I don’t see any reason he couldn’t apply for a French working holiday visa from within the UK.
Hi Matt,
This article is so helpful, its fantastic!
This is the first I’ve looked into a Uk working holiday visa so this information has been really helpful. As i was scrolling i noticed needing to visit the visa application centre and i’m unsure what my options are. When i looked it up there are no local visa centres near by because i live regionally in FNQ. This might be a fairly obvious question but when i further researched it. It seemed there was only one centre pre capital city and you are required to attend the appointment physically, and i could only find vfs global as an option.
Do you know what options are available for people living regionally?
Hi Isabel, you would need to attend an appointment in person because you need to provide fingerprints etc. In your case, your nearest location would be in Brisbane.
Trust me though, it’s worth making the trip and this is a normal requirement when applying for many visas. If you’re planning to move to the UK then a quick trip to Brisbane shouldn’t be too much of a problem 😉
Hi Matt Graham,
This article is very helpful and I’ve been reading all the comments and answers.
I have a semi unique situation which I would like some assistance in please.
I originally applied for the YMV in 2018. I was 29 years old at the time. My YMV was all approved and even got my vignette sticker in my passport. Due to life choices at the time, I decided not to go through with the big move and hence never travelled within the 30 day window of my vignette entry date.
No issues here back in the day and I decided to stay in Australia.
Then covid happened and life happened and we now fast forward to todays date of 20/03/2024.
The Great news is that the Government has extended the YMV program to people up to age of 35.
I am currently 34 years old and about to turn 35 next month.
I do not want to lose out on this opportunity to work in the UK because I doubt the Government would extend the age limit again…
That being said, would I be able to Transfer my previous Approved non-used Vignette sticker from my old expired passport to my new one considering time has lapse so long?
Website currently says It costs £154 to replace your vignette… Surely it can’t be that easy? lol.
Can you see any issues here?
If you’ve already been approved for this visa, I’m not sure that you would be able to apply again. The UK government is allowing existing Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders who are currently in the UK to extend for a third year, within a month of their existing visa expiring, but this doesn’t extend to people whose visas already expired years ago.
You could try asking the UK government directly, you never know, but I’m unfortunately not optimistic that you’ll be able to apply again.
If you’re eligible for another type of visa, such as a UK Ancestry Visa, you could look at an alternative pathway. Otherwise, you might consider applying for a working holiday visa in another country such as Ireland, France or Italy which also have age limits of 35.
Hi Matt,
I’m an Australian who is hoping to get a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa to live and work in the UK later this year. I was hoping you could please clear something up for me.
I’m a bit confused about when to apply for one. The UK government website says:
‘The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel.
Example: You can apply from 16 January if you plan to travel on 15 July.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.’
I thought this meant you need to apply for your Visa six months before your intended travel date? However. I I also read somewhere that once your Visa is approved you only have 90 days to enter the UK, and if you don’t, you’ll have to apply for your Visa again?
You don’t need to apply for your visa six months before you intend to arrive in the UK – it’s just the absolute earliest date that they will accept your application.
I would personally apply 2-3 months before you plan to go. That way you have enough time for the visa to be processed and won’t get caught out by any such 90-day rule.
Thanks so much, Matt! 🙂
Hi Matt,
Please refer to the attached link from UK gov which states the following :
https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application
Cost for part of a year
The amount you have to pay depends on the length of the visa you’re given and where you apply from.
6 months or less
You do not need to pay the surcharge if you’re applying from outside the UK for 6 months or less.
If you’re applying from inside the UK, you’ll have to pay half the yearly cost. For example:
£388 for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme or under-18 applications
£517.50 for any other application
I am applying for the youth mobility scheme and have a return ticket for less tha 6 months yet it does not give an option to pay lass than the 2 year amount ? Very confusing
Also eligible for the Ancestry visa but it says you have to prove you are looking for work ? Do you know anything about this?
Although you may only be planning to live in the UK for six months, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for 2 years (with the option to extend for a further year later). There is no 6-month option for this type of visa, so you would need to pay the IHS for 2 years.
For information about the Ancestry Visa, please see our guide for that visa: https://workingholiday.au/uk-ancestry-visa/
Hi Matt,
I read your article and all the comments, great information.
I have a couple of questions that I’ve struggled to find info on:
It is my interpretation on Australian passport holders applying for the ‘UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa’ it is 35 years inclusive; Can you confirm that? I was born in October 1990, and want to travel to the UK April 2026 (35 years and 6 months) so can I apply in December 2025 (35 years and 2 months)?
Further question if the above is correct, and I do apply December 2025 (35 and 2 months) and it’s granted and I arrive in April 2026 do I still get two years out of the visa; until April 28th 2028 (37 years and 6 months)?
Further question, if the above is correct, am I able to then extend the visa for the additional year, April 2029 (38 years and 3 months) or not because I would be a lot older than the initial 35 years?
So basically, what is the latest date that I can apply to achieve two years on the visa, (ideally / potentially three), if I was born October 1990?
Any information and links that could assist would be much appreciated!
Thanks for your time.
Hi Ella, the eligible ages to apply for this visa are 18-35 inclusive. You can apply up until the day before your 36th birthday. Once you have the visa it’s valid for 2 years and you can extend down the track for a third year. So, basically, you’re fine. 🙂
Hello Matt,
My name is Isabella and I am currently in Europe. I am planning to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa and would ideally like it to start in July 2024.
I am flying to London in early May, potentially leaving the UK for mid-May, and then returning to London in late May. I plan to be on a tourist visa for this time. I will leave the UK in early June for 1 month.
Am I right in thinking that I cannot apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa until after I leave London in early June if I’d like it to start in July?
Or would it be possible to apply for the visa in mid-May when I am potentially outside of the UK (but have it officially start in July)? *Noting that I will definitely be in London at the end of May.
I’m concerned I could potentially not be allowed into the UK on a tourist visa at the end of May or that I may ‘activate’ the visa earlier than July 2024 (if that’s even possible).
Thanks for your help! Hope that makes sense. Cheers!
Hi Isabella,
You would need to apply for your visa after you’ve completed your May visit and left the UK. That’s because you cannot apply from the UK, nor enter the UK while waiting for a decision on your visa application. Once your visa is approved, entering the UK would then trigger your visa to become active.
If I were you, I would apply the day after you’ve left the UK in early June. That should give you enough time if you want to start your working holiday in July. You can also pay for faster processing if you’re concerned.
Thank you so much for your help!
I just wanted to say, thanks heaps Matt for doing all of this! I have never seen this kind of information in so much detail, easy to read, complete, all in one place, and accurate anywhere else. It is so well organised, clear and exciting how everything sounds that it feels encouraging to me to apply and have a great adventure over there.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Mauricio! Glad you found the content useful 🙂
I hope you make it over to the UK and have an amazing time.
G’day Matt
Thank you for the guide. Can you please advise as to whether the funds to ‘support yourself’ have to be available in your account for 28 days before you pay for the IHS and application online or for 28 days before you submit your documents at the visa centre? I have the funds, but not yet for 28 days, but want to submit the online application so that I can book a visa centre appointment in advance for the 29th day after I have had the funds available. Is this okay?
Thank you in advance
Hi Patrick,
This page may be useful – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-evidence-for-sponsored-or-endorsed-work-routes
I’d suggest that you probably need to have at least the required minimum amount of savings, in an account in your name for at least 28 consecutive days, *after* paying the IHS and visa fee. The point is that you need to prove you have enough funds to support yourself initially during your stay in the UK – if you used all your savings on the IHS then this would not be the case.
Hello Matt,
I’ve just been reading your helpful article on the youth mobility scheme.
I’ve got a bit of a unique situation. I’m currently here in the UK on holiday with my British husband, and we want to make the move permanently without having to return to Aus. I currently don’t have any active visas in any European country, and I have not applied for anything in UK as of yet. I am wondering is it possible for me to apply for YMS visa somewhere in Europe, whilst on holiday, without having to return to Australia to do so? For instance, could I make the visa application from Dublin?
Thank you so much in advance, it’s very difficult to find information online that isn’t conflicting advice.
Maddison
Hi Maddison, I believe you can apply from any country outside the UK. However, it’s probably in your best interests to leave the UK/Ireland Common Travel Area because, when returning from Dublin to the UK, you wouldn’t pass through immigration control. Therefore, the UK government wouldn’t have a record of you entering on your visa and you won’t have any stamp etc. in your passport. Perhaps you could consider applying from somewhere in continental Europe.
When you submit your visa application you’ll be asked which location you want to visit to give biometrics – just chose the location where you’re applying from.
I can’t 100% guarantee that this will work for you, but would suggest reading through all of the other comments here as others have had similar questions. 🙂
Hey Maddison! How did you get on with this? I’m in the same situation as well!
hi matt.
thank you for all information.
I have a question about the current 2 or 3 year youth mobility visa.
has the age limit increase been put into effect?
also the harder question, I was granted a visa in 2020 as in I paid all the fees got my biometrics and visa in my passport but with covid at the time I never flew to the UK or actived it officially.
am I still eligible able to apply again? and get a new visa before I turn 36?
regards jaspar
Hi Jaspar, the increased age limit is already in effect but to extend your visa for a third year, you need to currently be living in the UK with a valid Youth Mobility Visa. As this is not the case for you, I don’t think you would be eligible to renew this visa for a third year unfortunately.
Please see https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility/extend-your-visa
and I would not be able to be granted another visa completely even though I never activated my original one?
hi. sorry this may have been answered in some of these comments but just wanted to double check. I turn 35 in october. If I don’t apply before turning 35 am I ineligible for this visa? or can you apply right up until you turn 36.
The age limit is 18-35 inclusive. You can apply until the day before your 36th birthday. 🙂
thanks Matt : )
Hi. sorry have a other question. When does the visa actually start – is it once it is approved or when you actually arrive in the UK? Apologies, I couldn’t find the answer to this anywhere.
I’m pretty sure it’s based on the date you plan to arrive in the UK.