Youth Mobility Scheme visa: ballot system

Who needs to enter

You need to enter the ballot if you want to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and you’reyou are from:

• Hong Kong, if you have an SAR passport
• Taiwan

You no longer need to enter the ballot if you’reyou are a Japanese or South Korean national. You can apply at any time on our website.

You also do not need to enter the ballot if you’reyou are a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas).

How to enter

The first ballot openedwill inopen on 10 February 2025,2026, andwith thea second ballot wasexpected held in Julythe 2025. There will be no further ballots in 2025.summer.

You enter the ballot by sending an email. Only one ballot entry can be submitted per person. Any duplications will not be counted.

Ballots will be open for 48 hours. All emails we receive within this 48 hour period will be entered into the ballot. You will get an automated reply confirming your entry.

For the Youth Mobility Scheme visa in 2025, there are 1,000 places available for nationals of Hong Kong and 1,000 places available for Taiwan. Most places are allocated during the February ballot, while the remaining places will be allocated in the summer.

Writing your email

Your email must be in English.

The subject line of the email must include your:

• name
• date of birth
• passport number

Write these in the format: Lastname Firstname – DD/MM/YYYY – passport number.

The body of the email must include your:

• name
• date of birth
• passport number
• mobile phone number

Emails received without this information or not in this format will not be considered.

Hong Kong

Email hongkongyms@homeoffice.gov.uk between 00:01am (one minute past midnight) on Tuesday 10 February 2026 and 00:01am on Thursday 12 February 2026 (Hong Kong time) to enter the ballot.

Taiwan

Email taiwanyms@homeoffice.gov.uk between 00:01am (one minute past midnight) on Tuesday 10 February 2026 and 00:01am on Thursday 12 February 2026 (Taipei time) to enter the ballot.

If you’reyou are successful in the ballot

You will havereceive received an email by Friday 127 AugustFebruary 2025 if you wereare successful in the second ballot.

You then have 90 days to submit your application, pay the visa fee and provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks of attending your appointment. Check the guidance on decision waiting times to find out how long visa decisions are currently taking.

You may be able to get your visa faster, depending on what country you’reyou are in. Check with your VAC.

If you’reyou are unsuccessful in the ballot

If you are unsuccessful in the ballot, you will receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing.

The results of the ballot are final. You cannot appeal if you’reyou are unsuccessful.

You can enter future ballots if you’reyou are unsuccessful, ifa long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.