Overview

Youth Mobility Scheme visa (T5)

You can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa (T5) if you:

• want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years
• are aged 18 to 30
• have £2,530 in savings
• have certain types of British Nationality or are from certain countries or territories
• meet the other eligibility requirements

This visa has replaced the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa.

How long it will take

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel.

ExampleYou can apply from 16 January if you plan to travel on 15 July.

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’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

How long you can stay

You’ll 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’re 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’ll 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)
• extend your stay
• get public funds
• bring in family members on your application – they must apply separately