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United Kingdom · Working holiday5 min read

UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa 2026: Fee, Eligibility and How Long You Can Stay

The Youth Mobility Scheme is the UK's working holiday visa. It gives young people from a short list of countries up to 2 years to live and work in the UK with no job offer. The costs go beyond the application fee, so here is the full picture.

  • By Senne Bels

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The application fee is £340, about $456. On top of that you pay the healthcare surcharge, which gov.uk gives as usually £776 a year, and you need £2,530 in savings. The visa lasts up to 2 years.

Who is eligible

You must be aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on your country, and hold the right nationality. In Transita's catalogue the eligible passports are Australian, Canadian, Hong Konger, Icelandic, Indian, Japanese, Korean, New Zealander and Taiwanese. The gov.uk page and its eligibility section hold the full, current list, so check it before you pay for anything.

What it costs

  • Application fee: £340 (about $456).
  • Healthcare surcharge: usually £776 a year, so roughly double that for the full 2 years.
  • Savings: £2,530 to show on your application.

Transita records 1–3 months for processing. You apply from outside the UK, so plan the application before you travel.

Staying longer

The visa runs up to 2 years. Applicants from Australia, Canada and New Zealand can extend by one year after the 2 years end. Everyone else needs a different visa to stay on. The usual next step is an employer sponsor, which is covered in our UK Skilled Worker visa guide.

No family on the application

You cannot include a partner or children. They must apply separately, so a couple travelling together should check that each of them qualifies in their own right.

Other working holiday routes

If your passport is not on the list, see working holiday visas for Americans for the countries that do accept US passports, or the Australia 417 guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa?

The application fee is £340 (about $456). You also pay the healthcare surcharge, usually £776 a year according to gov.uk, and you must show £2,530 in savings.

Who can apply for the UK Youth Mobility Scheme?

You must be 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on where you are from, and hold a passport from an eligible country or territory. Transita's catalogue covers 9 nationalities: Australian, Canadian, Hong Konger, Icelandic, Indian, Japanese, Korean, New Zealander, Taiwanese. The gov.uk eligibility page holds the full list.

How long can you stay on a Youth Mobility visa?

Up to 2 years. Only applicants from Australia, Canada and New Zealand can extend, by one year, after the 2-year period ends.

Can you bring a partner or children on a Youth Mobility visa?

No. gov.uk says family members cannot be included on your application and must apply separately.

Can Americans get a UK Youth Mobility visa?

The United States is not on the passport list in Transita's catalogue. Check the eligibility page on gov.uk, which holds the current list.

Can you apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme from inside the UK?

No. It is applied for from outside the UK, so you would have to leave and apply from abroad.

More guides

Checked on: the visa figures cited in this guide come from the Transita visa database, whose entries were last reviewed on 2 November 2026.

official sources: YMS (T5) · gov.uk

Run your move abroad from one workspace.

Transita checks your passport and age against the UK Youth Mobility Scheme and other working holiday routes. Answer 8 questions to set up your free workspace. You see which routes you appear to qualify for, what may block each one and the official page to check.

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The workspace is free. The optional $9 plan adds the document checklist for each route with its costs and lead times, the gaps between your profile and each route, and a suggested filing order. Fees are estimates. General information, not legal advice.