The United Kingdom and India have announced a reciprocal Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) that will allow select nationals of each country to live, work, study, and travel in the other for up to twenty-four months. The visa program is open to Indian nationals between 18 and 30 years of age who hold at least a bachelor’s degree, have at least £2,530 in savings, and do not have any children. UK nationals seeking to travel to India are subject to similar requirements. Indian nationals will be required to enter their names in a ballot (lottery) system, with 2,400 applicants selected per ballot. UK nationals are not subject to a ballot system. The reciprocal program is intended to foster closer economic and cultural ties between the United Kingdom and India by opening binational opportunities to the countries’ young professionals.
Eligibility for the Young Professionals Scheme
In order to qualify for the Young Professionals Scheme, individuals seeking to enter the United Kingdom must:
- Be an Indian national or citizen between 18 and 30 years old;
- Be at least 18 years old on the date they plan to travel to the UK;
- Have a qualification at bachelor’s degree level or above (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8);
- Have £2,530 in savings to support their time in the UK; and
- Not have any children under the age of 18 who live with them or for whom they are financially responsible.
Individuals who have previously entered the United Kingdom under the Youth Mobility Scheme or Young Professionals Scheme are not eligible for the YPS visa.
Indian nationals who are selected in the ballot will have 30 days from the date of selection to apply online, pay the £259 application fee, and pay the £940 immigration health surcharge. Successful applicants will then have 6 months to travel to the United Kingdom.
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