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Applying for UK Youth Mobility Visa

Applying for UK Youth Mobility Visa

Just sixty one days stand between me and what I hope will be the greatest thing I have done in my life to this date providing you exclude that moment in the backseat….

This looming date has made me aware I’ve been somewhat slow in ensuring I have the proper travel documentation I require for said great moment in life. So spurred on by the excitement of making my Facebook Fan Page (yeah total plug) I begun the application process of obtaining my Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa for the UK.

Its a mouthful alright but what it offers is a home for 2 years in the land of the Queen. For the uneducated here is a quick break down on just what this visa is:

Requirements

  • Available to anyone from Australia, Canada, Japan & New Zealand
  • You must be over 18 and under 31 years of age
  • Have £1,600 (£1,800 required after 12 June 2012) in available funds at the time of applying
  • Can only apply from your country of residence
  • You can only use this visa once

What You Get

  • Ability to stay in the UK for 2 years
  • Allowed to work for the entire 2 years
  • Allowed to come and go from the UK as you like within the 2 year period

Now its no wonder London is full of twenty-something Aussie’s all looking to explore and have a good time.

if your an Australian the visa application can be completed online here but be sure to at least read this page first to get an idea of what you are doing. The online form appears to be the easiest thing I have filled out yet, providing you know where your parents were born and when (hey I can’t seriously be expected to know that… can I??).

Eventually you come to a point where money needs to be handed over. Plug in your credit card details and they will happily take $231 AUD $304 AUD from it, while at the same time notifying you that if the form is screwed up your not getting that money back… thanks guys doesn’t the Queen have enough money already.

Next up is when they start to screw with you, which is obviously a test to see if you can hack it living in the UK. I pick my appointment date and time to have my biometric data taken (big brother is watching me now). Then get told to send my paperwork in via post but also to bring it with me to the appointment or I can’t be processed??? I mean seriously which one is it, needless to say first thing tomorrow I’ll be making a phone call for the correct procedure.

Once you’ve printed off the application your left with the task of ensuring you have the following bits of supported documentation to go with it come appointment day.

The list of paperwork to take with you come that day is:

  • Printed visa application form
  • Appointment booking confirmation form
  • Valid passport
  • One passport sized color photo (per these requirements)
  • Completed self-assessment form and accompanying documents (Appendix 7) EDIT: Not required for biometric appointment

The Appendix 7 form is fairly self explanatory. Its just double checking you meet the requirements and that you can prove your sufficiently funded to enter the UK. My advice be sure to chase up current bank statements or a letter from your bank before applying and setting an appointment date. I say this as I didn’t and now have to scramble for it as my appointment is a week away eek.

Next step is my appointment in Melbourne on the 1st of March so come back soon as I’ll be sure to give a full report on what goes down. Hopefully they just want my fingerprints because I sure ain’t bending over.

Read up on what happens at the biometric appointment and what you need to do after the appointment on my second post UK Youth Mobility Visa – The Reckoning.

UPDATE: Please click here to see the updated article on applying for a Working Holiday Visa/Youth Mobility Visa. It details the entire process and includes a detailed frequently asked questions section.

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309 Responses to Applying for UK Youth Mobility Visa

  1. JOYCE July 8, 2015 at 12:05 PM #

    Hi Mark,
    Thank you so much for your blog, it’s a life saver!!
    However, i got a questions that is bothering me,
    when I fill up the Tier 5 form, there is a question asking about my marital status.
    I don’t know if I should put it as single,
    or put it as unmarried partner (I have been with my boyfriend who is Scottish for almost two years and we are planning to get a unmarried spouse visa within my two year stay in the UK)
    I am a bit concerned that putting a UK citizen as my unmarried partner will influence my visa approvement. Can you please give me some advice on this please?
    Thanks a lot!!!!!!!

    • THE AUSSIE NOMAD July 11, 2015 at 1:27 AM #

      Hi Joyce, for the sake of keeping it simple just put down you are single. I can’t see them asking you that at any other time.

      • JOYCE July 30, 2015 at 1:54 PM #

        Thanks a lot Mark,
        I just got my visa 🙂
        I ended up putting my bf as an unmarried partner, cause we think it might be useful in the future (when i wanna transfer the visa).
        Just think i should leave the result here so if anyone whos got the same question can see this answer.
        Anyway, really thank you so much for this blog, super helpful!! 😉

  2. TESS HILTON July 21, 2015 at 2:31 PM #

    Hi there, i was wondering if you knew how far in advance can you apply for the tier 5 youth visa. Im leaving next Aug 2016 and pretty keen to start getting things done now.

    thanks in advance

    T

    • THE AUSSIE NOMAD August 5, 2015 at 12:38 AM #

      Hi Tess, you can apply for the visa up to 3 months out from the date you wish to arrive in the UK.

  3. CHRISSY L August 8, 2015 at 1:42 PM #

    Hello! G’day from the beautiful Magnetic Island, Queensland.

    The time has come for me to want to live and work abroad. Hoping to move to the UK in April when my lease runs out. I have looked and it seems I can qualify for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa. I will be 30 next year. Firstly, do you know if this would be the best visa for a skilled worker (I am a lawyer). I think it should be fine? Is there an application cost?

    My only concern is I can’t seem to work out what visa would be best for my partner. He will be 33 this year. He does not have any formal post High School education, other than a few certificates.

    I do not and will not move without him. My excitement has been deflated since I am wondering if he would be able to get a Visa with me. Any recommendations?

    His great grandparents were born in the UK so I think this rules him out of the ancestry visa.

    Thank you so much- sorry for the multiple questions.

    I look forward to your help 😀

    x

    • THE AUSSIE NOMAD August 28, 2015 at 5:42 PM #

      Hi Chrissy, if you intend to work as a lawyer in the UK you may need to apply for a skilled visa and not the YMV as I’m pretty sure a skillset of yours much like doctors etc requires a bit more checking and validation of qualifications. For your partner they would need to find a sponsored job as that is pretty much the only visa available for people over the age of 30 who don’t have a way to claim a heritage visa. If you went the skilled visa route however you may be able to sponsor your partner as I THINK it has different rules and rights.

  4. SARA August 20, 2015 at 12:25 AM #

    If an Australian is refused for the youth mobility visa due to a silly error in maintenance funds can they re apply???? Or can you only apply once. Plz help!

    • THE AUSSIE NOMAD August 26, 2015 at 9:53 AM #

      Hi Sara, yes you can re-apply if you’ve been refused for something like that.

  5. SALOMAE November 4, 2015 at 12:11 PM #

    Hi,

    So grateful to come across this post, I am currently attempting to apply for the Youth Mobility Visa and it’s an absolute nightmare and what’s more is I can’t seem to find any phone number in Australia I can call and ask for advice, my Immigration and Border Protection Office (Adelaide) only seems to take calls for people from overseas applying for Australian Visas) and the Australian number on the gov.uk website who want £1.37 per minute from my card even if I call the Australian number! (Giving them enough of my money already, they shan’t have more unless it’s a last resort!)

    So, questions (sorry for how many there are but I am seriously confused and this is the only online help I can find. gov.uk don’t seem to want me to live there because I’ve emailed for help four times and had no response).

    1. Is there anyone I can call?
    2. If yes WHO???
    3. I have had no email notification for any stage of my application (I’m up to the bit where you have to fork over 400 quid for the immigration health surcharge). Is this normal? I feel like I should have gotten something.
    4. Will I get this money back if unsuccessful? (Not sure if this is the 304 AUD you mentioned in your post or not)
    5. Also the bit about registering a UK post office for your biometric data card thing, do I need this before I have an appointment or pick it up upon arriving in the UK?

    I think that’s it. Sorry again.

    Thanks 🙂

    • THE AUSSIE NOMAD November 11, 2015 at 5:04 AM #

      Hi Salomae, in short there’s nobody to call no other than the pay per minute number you’ve most likely already found.

      You won’t get any email notifications until your application is lodged and you have your appointment for your biometric data to be taken. You don’t however have to pay any immigration health surcharge as an Australian so I’d double-check your options there because it’s free for us. Also you don’t get your money back if your application is unsuccessful, that is for the application fee mentioned in the post above.

      You pickup your BRP card once you are in the UK, that info is provided after you’ve applied and have your passport back.

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