- Eligible Indian citizens must enter a ballot before applying for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme visa.
- Successful applicants can live, work and study in the UK for up to two years.
- Selected candidates must pay visa fees, a healthcare surcharge and meet savings requirements.
Indian citizens looking to live and work in the UK under the India Young Professionals Scheme will soon have another opportunity to apply. As per the official website of the UK government, the next ballot for the scheme will open on July 21, 2026, and remain open for 48 hours. Selected applicants can later apply for a visa that allows them to live, work and study in the UK for up to two years without requiring employer sponsorship. Here's a look at the eligibility criteria, documents required and other important details:
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What Is The India Young Professionals Scheme?
The India Young Professionals Scheme is a UK visa route that allows eligible Indian nationals to live, work and study in the UK for up to two years. Unlike many other work visas, this scheme does not require applicants to have a job offer or employer sponsorship before travelling. Applicants are first required to enter a ballot. Those selected in the ballot will receive an invitation to submit their visa application.
When Does The Next Ballot Open?
According to the UK government, the next India Young Professionals Scheme ballot will:
- Open: 1:30 pm IST on July 21, 2026
- Close: 1:30 pm IST on July 23, 2026
Entering the ballot is free of charge.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for the scheme, applicants must:
- Be an Indian citizen.
- Be between 18 and 30 years of age.
- Hold a bachelor's degree or a higher qualification.
- Have at least £2,530 in savings (Rs 3,27,151) to support themselves in the UK.
- Meet the other eligibility requirements specified by the UK government.
Applicants must also be selected in the ballot before they can apply for the visa.
How To Enter The Ballot
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Eligible applicants can enter the ballot online through the UK government's official website.
While entering the ballot, you will be asked to provide:
- Your full name.
- Date of birth.
- Passport details, including a scanned copy of your passport.
- Phone number.
- Email address.
Applicants should ensure that all information matches their passport details.
What Happens If You Are Selected?
If your name is selected in the ballot, you will receive an email inviting you to apply for the visa.
You will then have 90 days from the date of the invitation to:
- Submit your online visa application.
- Pay the visa application fee.
- Pay the immigration health surcharge.
- Provide your biometric information.
- Submit the required supporting documents.
Being selected in the ballot does not automatically mean your visa has been granted. Applicants must still meet all eligibility requirements during the visa application process.
How Much Does It Cost?
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Applicants selected in the ballot will need to:
- Pay the visa application fee of £340 (Rs 43,964).
- Pay the immigration health surcharge of £1,552 (Rs 2,00,687).
- Prove they have £2,530 in personal savings (Rs 3,27,151).
Documents You Will Need
When applying for the visa after being selected, applicants may be required to provide:
- A valid passport or another document that proves identity and nationality.
- Proof that they have the required funds.
- Evidence of their educational qualification.
- Any additional documents requested by UK Visas and Immigration, depending on individual circumstances.
Documents not in English or Welsh may need to be accompanied by a certified translation.
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Things To Keep In Mind
- Entering the ballot is free.
- You can enter the ballot only once during a ballot period.
- Duplicate entries may be removed.
- If you are not selected, you can enter future ballots if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
Since the ballot remains open for only a limited period, eligible applicants should keep their documents ready in advance and apply within the specified window. The latest details, eligibility criteria and application process are available on the UK government's official website.
