A total of 1,000 places are available to Taiwanese youth under the 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme, continuing the structure used in previous years. Of these, 800 places will be allocated through the first ballot in February, while the remaining 200 places will be offered in a second ballot scheduled for the summer. Successful applicants who are later granted a visa will be permitted to live, work, and study in the United Kingdom for up to two years.
To be considered for the first ballot, applicants must submit a single email during the 48-hour application window, which opens at 00:01 on Tuesday 10 February 2026 and closes at 00:01 on Thursday 12 February 2026, Taiwan time. Each applicant is allowed to send only one email, and multiple submissions will result in only one being counted. All emails submitted within the window will receive an automated acknowledgement confirming receipt.
The email must be written entirely in English and include specific details. The subject line must clearly state the applicant’s full name, date of birth, and passport number exactly as shown in their passport. The body of the email must include the applicant’s name, date of birth, passport number, and mobile phone number. Applicants are advised to ensure their email accounts can receive messages and to check spam or junk folders for responses.
After the ballot closes, 800 applicants will be selected at random by UK Visas and Immigration. Successful candidates will be notified by email no later than Friday 27 February 2026 and will receive instructions on how to begin the formal visa application process, including details of the required supporting documentation.
Applicants who are selected must complete an online Youth Mobility Scheme visa application and attend a biometrics appointment at a Visa Application Centre. Both the application submission and biometrics appointment must be completed by 28 May 2026 for the application to be considered valid. Applications for this scheme cannot be made from within the UK.
Taiwanese youth who are living outside Taiwan are also eligible to apply through the same ballot process and, if successful, may submit their visa application from their country or territory of residence. Applicants who are not selected will be informed by email within two weeks of the ballot closing, and the results of the ballot are final and not subject to appeal.
Unsuccessful applicants may enter future ballots provided they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. Additional information about the Youth Mobility Scheme and guidance on the application process is available through official UK government channels, with application-related enquiries handled by the UK Visas and Immigration international enquiry service.
