Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa Guide

Before you head off to the UK the first and most obvious step is to obtain the legal right to live and work in that country. As an Australasian or Commonwealth citizen one way to obtain this is via the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa, which allows a member of the commonwealth to work in the UK for 2 years. 

If your parents or grandparents were born in the UK you can obtain a 5-year Ancestral visa. Of course, if you or your parents were born there, you most probably can get citizenship. 

Application 

You can apply for this at this website: https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility 

Keep in mind that in order to be eligible for the Tier 5 visa, you must be between 18 – 31, from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Monaco, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Republic of Korea and have not secured the visa in the past. You must have proof of funds of £1,890 Pounds and apply outside the UK. 

Also, you can only apply for this visa within 3-months of when you plan to enter the UK. If you submit the application and pay the fee, your visa will start from the date you set, within that three months, regardless of whether you’ve entered the UK or not. It therefore pays to apply for the visa once you have a definite date of arrival. 

You can not get this visa more than once. So make sure you’re ready to go before you apply. 

In saying that, it is relatively easy to obtain the right to work in the UK.  

Filling out the visa 

Start an application online: https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/ 

Fill in your personal details. You’ll need this information: 

  • Current passport number and details 

  • Previous passport details if you have them 

  • An address and contact details to give of someone in UK 

  • Your past UK and international travel details of the last 10 years 

  • Details of your parents, their DOB, etc 

  • Details about children/dependent’s you may have 

  • Past UK medical treatment details 

  • Proof of funds for £1,890 Pounds 

You have to claim points towards the visa, to show you’re of the correct nationality, the right age, and have enough funds. You can work out the calculation for this here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator 

The points as you list them on your application are: 

  • Age Requirement = 10 points 

  • Maintenance Requirement = 10 points 

  • Nationality Requirement = 30 points 

Biometric Appointment 

After filling out your form, you sign an online confirmation and then proceed to choose a date to get your biometrics taken. Biometrics are a scan of your finger prints. Once you have chosen a date, you have to pay for the application. This costs £235

You can generally get an appointment within just a couple of days. When you head off to get your biometrics taken, make sure you have these documents: 

  • your current valid passport 

  • a passport sized photograph of yourself taken to UK passport specs (wise to get this done professionally) 

  • a bank statement showing you have at least £1,890 in savings 

  • the print out of your application 

  • a print out of your biometric appointment confirmation 

  • Two courier bags with postage pre-paid, one to send off to UK immigration, the other you send with you application so that they can send your passport back (hopefully with the visa inside) 

You must at this stage check if you have to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge. 

Waiting times 

Upto 15 working days 

Other Guides 

There are many guides already available on the internet that give exhaustive information for what this involves. The best of these was by The Aussie Nomad.  

Working in the UK 

Should you be a skilled IT professional do get in touch and if you are already looking to extend your stay and options for Tier 2 General Sponsorship do contact consult@mavisas.co.uk. 

 

Thanks in advance 

Mason Alexander 

Mason Alexander