India Young Professionals Scheme visa ballot – mistakes to avoid & how to prepare

The next ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa for the UK is fast approaching. It is due to take place sometime in July 2023. The exact date is to be announced by the Home Office. Please bear in mind that most recent ballot took place in late February 2023 with a huge delay. We did write about the previous ballot in our other article here. Therefore, there is no certainty as to the date until it is announced by the Home Office.

India Young Professionals Scheme visa mandatory requirements

For those Indian nationals who intend to participate in the next ballot for India Young Professionals visa it is time to start preparations. Just like all other UK visa categories, the India Young Professionals visa Scheme has its strict requirements. It would be a shame to be successful in the ballot and then fail the visa due to  failing one of the mandatory requirements because you do not prepare in advance.

What are the eligibility requirements for India Young Professionals Scheme

Fulfilling all the visa eligibility requirements may require time to prepare so its best to start your preparations in advance. This approach will help you in avoiding dissapointment. The starting point is to understand in detail what are the Home Office requirements to qualify for the visa. The details of the elibilility requirements are set out in the immigration rules, guidance and ballot system.

To be eligible for an India Young Professionals Scheme visa you must:  

• be an Indian national or citizen between 18 and 30 years old   
•  be at least 18 years old on the date you 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 yourself in the UK  
• not have any children under the age of 18 who live with you or who you’re financially responsible for 
• You must first apply to and be selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot before you can apply for your visa.  You cannot apply if you’ve already been in the UK under this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.

Required documents:

• a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality    
• evidence that you have at least £2,530 in your bank account, for example bank statements    
• evidence of your qualifications    
• your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re living in India or another listed country (you can read our TB testing guidance for more details)  
• police clearance certificate(s) – check how to apply for criminal records checks (you can read our overseas criminal record guidance here
• You’ll need a blank page in your passport for your visa.

What mistakes India Young Professionals Scheme applicants make  

We recommend reading our previous article published when the first India Young Professionalas ballot was announced in February 2023. You should note that there is a strict deadline to apply for the visa within 30 days from the date you receive notication of successfull ballot.

At the date of application you must be able to evidence that you have at least £2,530 in your personal bank account.You will need to have the required funds available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for the visa.

We noticed that some applicants did not have the required funds on their account for the specified time before the application and therefore could not meet the financial requirement.

In addition, you also need to have the funds to pay the £298 application fee and £1552 for the NHS Surcharge.

Conclusion and recommendation

For those who intend to take part in the July 2023 India Young Professionals Scheme visa ballot it is high time to commence preparations. You should start from reading the immigration rules and Home Office guidance. This will allow you to understand the requirements for the visa and the specified evidence required for the visa application. Prepare in advance toll avoid disappointment when you are successful in the ballot.