The government of the United Kingdom will open on February 18 to 20 the application process for 3,000 Indians interested in living, studying, or working in the country for up to two years.
The ballot, which will open next week as part of the reciprocal UK-India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) permits citizens of both territories aged 18 to 30 to travel to each other’s countries for the above-mentioned purposes, VisaGuide.World reports.
While there is a ballot system for Indians interested in living in the UK, capped at 3,000 this year, no ballot is applied for Britons aiming to visit India under this scheme.
Indian applicants are required to register for the ballot on the official website of the UK’s government. Entry to the ballot is free while successful candidates will be randomly selected.
Requirements to Benefit From YPS
In order to benefit from this program, citizens of India are required to meet some needed requirements, among them:
- Be 18 years old
- Hold a qualification that is equal to UK bachelor’s degree level
- Proof of f £2,530 in savings to support themselves in the United Kingdom
Prior to applying, applicants are required to ensure they meet all the needed requirements before entering the ballot.
Selected applicants will be informed through an email within two weeks of the ballot closing.
Through a statement, the government of the UK notes that those selected will have 90 days in order to complete their visa application, pay the required fees, including the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge, and also provide biometric data.
British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, considering the program excellent, called on people aged 18 to 30 to apply for this program.
The Young Professionals Scheme is an excellent programme which helps build a modern understanding of our countries among Brits and Indians alike. I strongly encourage people from all corners of the country to apply – from Itanagar to Coimbatore, from Leh to Surat, and from Bhubaneshwar to Indore.
The figures provided by the government of the UK reveal that in the year ending December 2023, there were more than 2,100 YPS visas issued to Indian citizens.
Announcing the opening of the ballot next week, the government of the UK in its statement calls on all UK visa customers to be aware of visa agents or any similar agencies that promise a visa under this program in exchange for money.