The Youth Mobility Scheme is a temporary UK work visa route for young adults from a limited number of countries, including Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan. For these nationalities, access to the route is controlled through a competitive ballot held once or twice each year rather than a direct application.
The next ballot opens in February 2026 and selection only gives permission to apply, not a guaranteed visa.
Who is the UK Youth Mobility Scheme ballot for?
The February 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme ballot is limited to Hong Kong SAR passport holders and Taiwanese nationals. It is not open to any other nationalities, regardless of where the applicant lives or what residence rights they may hold in Hong Kong or Taiwan.
For these two nationalities only, entry to the Youth Mobility Scheme is controlled through an annual ballot rather than a direct application. Selection in the ballot does not grant a visa. It only gives the applicant permission to submit a full visa application within a fixed timeframe.
Applicants who hold multiple nationalities should note that eligibility is assessed strictly by the passport used for the application. Holding an additional nationality does not prevent entry to the ballot, but the application must be made using an eligible Hong Kong SAR or Taiwanese passport.
Age requirement and when it is assessed
Applicants must be aged 18 to 30 inclusive at the date the visa application is submitted, not the date they enter the ballot and not the date they plan to travel.
This distinction is critical. The ballot is only an expression of interest. Age eligibility is assessed later, when the full application is filed. Applicants who turn 31 before submitting their visa application will be refused, even if they were successfully selected in the ballot.
Anyone approaching the upper age limit needs to work backwards from the application deadline and ensure that the full application can be submitted while they are still 30.
Personal circumstances requirements
At the point of application, applicants must not have children under the age of 18 who are financially dependent on them. This is assessed strictly, and dependency can be inferred from financial support even where the child does not live with the applicant.
Applicants also need to meet the Youth Mobility financial requirement. This requires evidence of at least **£2,530 in personal savings**, held in the applicant’s own account for a continuous 28-day period. The 28-day period must end no more than 31 days before the date of application.
Funds that fall below the threshold at any point, recent lump-sum deposits without explanation or reliance on third-party funds remain common refusal grounds.
How the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot actually works
The Youth Mobility Scheme ballot is a short, time-limited entry window run by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) using an email-based system.
Entering the ballot is free. It does not involve submitting documents, paying fees or completing a visa form. Instead, applicants submit a single email in a prescribed format during the ballot window.
Only one entry per person is permitted. Multiple entries or incorrectly formatted emails can lead to disqualification without notice.
Ballot opening and closing dates
For 2026, the first Youth Mobility Scheme ballot opens at 00:01 on 10 February 2026 and closes at 00:01 on 12 February 2026, Hong Kong SAR time.
The window is strict. Late entries are not accepted and there is no discretion to reopen the ballot for missed submissions. Applicants should not wait until the final hours, as technical issues or formatting errors can result in exclusion.
What you submit at ballot stage
The ballot entry consists of a single email containing specific personal details exactly as set out in Home Office instructions. No documents are attached and no evidence is assessed at this stage.
Importantly, nothing submitted at ballot stage is verified. Selection is random and demand routinely exceeds the number of available places.
Being selected does not mean you meet the visa requirements. It only allows you to move on to the application stage.
Selection limits and outcomes
Each eligible nationality has an annual allocation of 1,000 places under the Youth Mobility Scheme. Where the number of ballot entries exceeds available places, selection is random.
Applicants who are selected are notified by email. Applicants who are not selected simply receive no invitation and are not penalised in any way. An unsuccessful ballot entry is not a refusal and does not appear on immigration records.
What happens if you are selected in the ballot
Selection in the ballot triggers a strict 90-day window in which the applicant must submit a full Youth Mobility Scheme visa application.
Missing this deadline results in the loss of the place. There is no extension and no discretion once the 90-day period expires.
The visa application stage
The visa application is a standard UK visa application and involves completing an online form, paying the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, and attending a biometric appointment.
The application fee is currently £298. In addition, applicants must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full length of the visa. For Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, this is charged at **£776 per year**.
Supporting evidence is assessed at this stage. This includes proof of funds, passport validity and confirmation that the applicant still meets the age and personal circumstances requirements.
Biometrics and decision timeframes
Applicants are required to provide biometric information at a visa application centre. Processing times vary by location, but decisions are typically issued within standard UK visa processing times once biometrics are submitted.
Applicants should not make irreversible travel plans until permission has been granted. Selection in the ballot does not protect against refusal if the application does not meet the requirements.
What the visa allows
A successful Youth Mobility Scheme application grants permission to live in the UK for up to two years.
Visa holders can work in most roles without sponsorship, study and undertake self-employment within the scheme rules. The visa cannot be extended and the Youth Mobility Scheme can only be used once.
Switching into another immigration route may be possible if the applicant meets the requirements of that route, but this is not automatic and should not be assumed.
If you are not selected in the ballot
Applicants who are not selected in the February 2026 ballot are not disadvantaged in future applications. A further ballot is usually held later in the year, although dates are confirmed by the Home Office closer to the time.
Applicants approaching the age limit need to consider carefully whether waiting for a later ballot is realistic. Turning 31 before submitting a future application will remove eligibility entirely, regardless of prior ballot entries.
