All ballots for the 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme have now closed. Details of the next ballot in 2027 will be published on this page.
Who needs to enter
You need to enter the ballot if you want to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and you are from:
- Hong Kong, if you have an SAR passport
- Taiwan
You no longer need to enter the ballot if you 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 are a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas).
How to enter
The first ballot was held in February 2026, and the second ballot was held in July 2026. There will be no further ballots in 2026.
You enter the ballot by sending an email. Only one ballot entry can be submitted per person. Any duplications will not be counted.
It is free to enter the ballot. You should only enter if you:
- plan to apply for the visa, which costs £340
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 2026, there were 1,000 places available for nationals of Hong Kong and 1,000 places available for nationals of Taiwan. Most places were allocated during the February ballot. The remaining places were allocated in the July ballot.
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.
Example subject line: Wong Janet – 31/03/2000 – 123456789
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 14 July 2026 and 00:01am on Thursday 16 July 2026 (Hong Kong time) to enter the ballot.
Taiwan
Email TaiwanYMS@homeoffice.gov.uk between 00:01am (one minute past midnight) on Tuesday 14 July 2026 and 00:01am on Thursday 16 July 2026 (Taipei time) to enter the ballot.
If you are successful in the ballot
You will have received an email by Thursday 30 July 2026 if you were 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 are in. Check with your VAC.
If you are unsuccessful in the ballot
If you are unsuccessful in the ballot, you will receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing.
Check your junk or spam folder if you have not received a response.
The results of the ballot are final. You cannot appeal if you are unsuccessful.
You can enter future ballots if you are unsuccessful, a long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.