4 Tips For Your Tier 5 (YMS) Visa Application

1. Timings

To play it safe, aim to apply 3-6 months before you intend to leave

Your application's processing time varies depending on the time of year (some periods are more popular for those moving). My application took 16 days (including 14 working days) for a response.

2. Savings

Tier 1 visa applicants are required to have a minimum level of savings (currently $2,530). When you apply, you must provide a bank statement to prove that you have this money available. Make sure that you do two things

1. The money has to have been in your account for 28 consecutive days, and the funds cannot have dropped below the minimum threshold during that time

2. Submit a bank statement no older than 31 days from the date you submitted your application (i.e. consecutive day 28 must be within 31 days after application).

For example, if you apply for a visa on 30 Jan, your statement must not be older than 30 Dec, and if your statement is from 30 Dec, you must consistently hold £2530 from 2 Dec onwards.

If you hold investments other than cash, such as term deposits and other types of savings accounts, remember to withdraw them well before applying.

London is an expensive city. Having more than the minimum required funds will give you peace of mind when you arrive. I estimate that for each month you won't earn any income, I you'll need at least £2 - 3k.

3. The application

You have three months from your chosen entry date to enter the country, so choose wisely.

If you need to change your entry date, you will need to cancel your application and reapply.

If you cancel and reapply, and you haven't yet attended your biometrics appointment you will receive a refund of your application fee. If you have already provided your biometrics, you are unlikely to receive a refund.

The IHS fee is refundable in most instances - including after you've attended your biometrics appointment and if your application is unsuccessful

VFS is basically impossible to get in touch with, so unfortunately in the time between your biometrics appointment and receiving your visa, you'll have to exercise a lot of patience. If there are any issues, the best solution I’ve come across is to go to the physical VFS office and hope they’ll see you.

4. BRP

When applying, you'll need to select a BRP pick up location. At this stage you may not know where you’ll live so I suggest choosing an easy to access location (like Kings Cross post office). Have a look at my guide for the top 10 things to do when you first arrive in London for more on this.

If you get an email telling you there will be a delay in the production of your biometrics, try to pick it up anyway - it’s often still available

Bonus tip: Britbound’s Tier 5 visa repository is really helpful for any other detailed questions