Hong Kong and Taiwan nationals who need a ballot place for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa will have no further 2026 ballot to enter; details of the 2027 ballot will be published on the GOV.UK guidance page.
Key facts
- Who: Hong Kong nationals with an SAR passport and Taiwan nationals applying for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- From: 15 July 2026 (date the guidance was updated to say all 2026 ballots have closed)
- Source: Youth Mobility Scheme visa: ballot system
Updated 15 July 2026 to record that all 2026 ballots have closed.
The Home Office has updated its Youth Mobility Scheme ballot guidance to say that all ballots for the 2026 scheme have now closed. Details of the next ballot, in 2027, will be published on the same page.
The first 2026 ballot was held in February 2026 and the second in July 2026. The guidance says there will be no further ballots in 2026. There were 1,000 places for nationals of Hong Kong and 1,000 for nationals of Taiwan. Most places were allocated in the February ballot, and the remaining places in the July ballot.
The second ballot ran from 00:01 on Tuesday 14 July 2026 to 00:01 on Thursday 16 July 2026, in Hong Kong time for Hong Kong entrants and Taipei time for Taiwan entrants. Entry was by email, free of charge, and limited to one entry per person. Duplicate entries were not counted.
Successful entrants in the second ballot were to receive an email by Thursday 30 July 2026. They then have 90 days to submit their application, pay the visa fee of £340, and provide their fingerprints and a photograph at a Visa Application Centre (VAC). The guidance says a decision should follow within 3 weeks of attending the appointment. Successful applicants do not get a visa vignette; they must create a UKVI account and access their eVisa before travelling to the UK.
Unsuccessful entrants receive an email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing. Results are final and cannot be appealed. Unsuccessful entrants can enter future ballots if they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
Japanese and South Korean nationals no longer need to enter the ballot and can apply at any time. Ballot entry is also not required for British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens or British National (Overseas) applicants. India has a separate ballot, under the India Young Professionals Scheme.
What this means for applicants
The guidance says you need to enter the ballot if you want to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and are from Hong Kong (with an SAR passport) or Taiwan. With all 2026 ballots closed, there is no further 2026 ballot to enter. Details of the 2027 ballot will be published on the GOV.UK page, and you must make sure you meet all eligibility requirements before entering.
Applicants who were successful in the July ballot have 90 days to submit their application, pay the visa fee and provide biometric information at a VAC.