UK offering 3,000 visas to Indians through ballot system. Full details here

United Kingdom is offering 3,000 visas to Indian citizens under its India Young Professionals Scheme through a ballot system.

Under the ballot system, candidates will have two-days time to apply. The ballot will be open from 2:30pm India Standard Time (IST) on 20 February 2024 to 2:30pm IST on 22 February 2024. Notably, entering the ballot is free.

The official X(formerly Twitter account) of the British High Commission in India has shared the details about the first ballot.

“The first ballot of the #IndiaYoungProfessionalsScheme opens in less than 24 hours! If you’re an Indian graduate who wants to live, work or study in United Kingdom for up to 2 years, you can enter the ballot for a chance to apply for a visa,” reads the post by the British High Commission in India.

“There are 3,000 places available for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa in 2024. Most places will be made available in the February ballot. The remaining places will be made available in the July ballot,” says the UK Government website.

According to the UK Government’s instructions, eligible Indian citizens will need to provide the following details to enter the ballot. Applicants must ensure that they meet the financial, educational and other requirements to apply for the visa.

Name
Date of birth
Passport details
A scan or photo of your passport
Phone number
Email address

The successful entries will be picked at random from the ballot. The results will be sent to the applicants by email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing. Successful entries will get 90 days time from the date of the email to apply the visa online. To apply for the visa, applicants will have to pay the visa application fee, including the immigration health surcharge and provide their biometrics. The cost of the visa is £298.