The UK government has invited applicants to apply for its India Young Professional visa scheme, with the ballot for the initial 2,400 places available, opening on 28 February 2023.
Indian citizens between 18 and 30 years of age can enter the ballot, providing they meet the relevant criterion.
What is the criterion?
Applicants must:
- be an Indian citizen
- be between 18 and 30 years old
- have a qualification equivalent to UK Bachelors' degree level or above (or an equivalent overseas qualification at degree level or above)
- have £2,530 in savings held continuously in a personal bank account for a 28 day period
- not have any child dependants under the age of 18
- not have previously held a visa under the Youth Mobility Scheme or as a working holiday maker
- Applicants need not be in India on the date of application.
How to enter the ballot
There is no fee for entering the ballot. Applicants may submit one entry per ballot with the 2,400 available places in the February ballot being allocated at random.
Applicants can submit their entries online between 2:30pm India Standard Time (9am GMT) on 28 February 2023 and 2:30pm India Standard time (9am GMT) on 2 March 2023. Basic personal information and a photograph are required.
Decision on successful and unsuccessful entries
Successful entries will be picked at random. Results will be sent by email within two weeks of the ballot closing. If successful, applicants will be invited to apply for a visa. They will have 30 days from the date of the email to submit their application and pay both the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
If an entry is unsuccessful, there is no right of appeal. Applicants may instead enter future ballots. The Home Office has stated that the next ballot is likely to be held in July 2023.
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