If you are a young tech professional in India thinking about building a startup, you have probably looked at the UK's Innovator Founder visa, the Skilled Worker route, or maybe even a student visa.
But there is another route that most people overlook, and it might be the most practical way to get started.
The India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) is a UK government visa that allows Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 to live and work in the UK for up to two years. No job offer required. No employer sponsorship needed. And here is the part that matters most for aspiring founders: you can be self-employed and set up a company on this visa.
The 2026 ballot is now open. There are 3,000 places available this year, with most being allocated in the February ballot. The ballot closes at 2:30pm India Standard Time on 19 February 2026.
Here is everything you need to know, sourced directly from the UK government's official guidance.
What Is the India Young Professionals Scheme?
The India Young Professionals Scheme is part of the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme, established under the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership. It allows eligible Indian nationals to live, work, and study in the UK for up to 24 months.
Unlike the Skilled Worker visa or the Innovator Founder visa, this route does not require sponsorship from an employer or an endorsement from an approved body. You enter a ballot, and if selected, you apply for the visa.
The scheme is reciprocal. UK citizens can apply for the Young Professionals Scheme to live and work in India through a separate process.
Who Is Eligible?
According to gov.uk, you must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible:
You must be an Indian citizen. You must be aged between 18 and 30. You must have a qualification at bachelor's degree level or above (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8). You must have at least £2,530 in personal savings. You must not have any children under the age of 18 who live with you or who you are financially responsible for. You must not have previously been in the UK on this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
You need to be selected in the ballot before you can apply for the visa.
How the Ballot Works
The ballot system is straightforward. You enter online during the ballot window, and successful entries are picked at random. It is not first-come-first-served, and it is not merit-based. Everyone who enters during the window has an equal chance.
For 2026, the first ballot opened on 17 February at 2:30pm IST and closes on 19 February at 2:30pm IST. Most places will be allocated in this February ballot, with the remaining places offered in a second and final ballot later in the year.
You can only submit one entry per person per ballot. Any further attempts will not be counted. Results are sent by email within two weeks of the ballot closing.
If you are not selected, you cannot appeal. But you can enter future ballots as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria.
It is free to enter the ballot.
How Much Does It Cost?
If you are selected and proceed with the visa application, you will need to pay the following, as stated on gov.uk:
The visa application fee is £319. The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,552. This gives you access to the UK's National Health Service during your stay. You must also prove you have £2,530 in personal savings.
Your application fee will not be refunded if your application is rejected.
What You Can Do on This Visa
This is where it gets interesting for tech founders. According to the UK government, on this visa you can:
Work in most jobs. Study (some courses may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate). Be self-employed and set up a company, as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000, and you do not have any employees.
You cannot extend your stay beyond 24 months on this visa. You cannot apply for most public funds or benefits. You cannot include family members on your application (they must apply separately). You cannot work as a professional sportsperson.
Why This Matters for Aspiring Tech Founders
Most UK work visas require employer sponsorship. The Innovator Founder visa requires endorsement from an approved body. Getting either of these takes time, paperwork, and often money.
The India Young Professionals Scheme is different. If you are selected and your visa is approved, you land in the UK with the legal right to set up a company from day one.
Yes, there are limits. You cannot hire employees on this visa. Your equipment cannot exceed £5,000 in value. Your premises must be rented. But for a tech startup in its earliest stages, these constraints are not unusual. Most early-stage founders are building from a laptop in a co-working space anyway.
Think about what you can realistically do in 24 months. You can validate a product idea, build an MVP, acquire early customers, join an accelerator, raise a pre-seed round, and establish yourself in the UK tech ecosystem. The UK has attracted over £45 billion in committed AI investment and produced 188 technology unicorns. London alone hosts 68% of all UK AI funding rounds. For a young tech professional from India, two years inside that ecosystem is a serious head start.
And if your startup gains traction, you would then be in a much stronger position to apply for a longer-term visa route, whether that is the Innovator Founder visa, a Skilled Worker visa through your own company (once it holds a sponsor licence), or another route entirely.
The scheme does not lead directly to settlement. But it gives you something arguably more valuable at the earliest stage: time, access, and legal permission to build.
How to Apply (If Selected)
If you are selected in the ballot, you will receive an email inviting you to apply. According to gov.uk, you then have 90 days to apply online, prove your identity, and provide your documents.
The documents you need include a valid passport, proof of your qualification (your university must confirm you completed the course, the course level, and the course duration), a police clearance certificate from India, and proof of your savings.
You must travel to the UK within six months of applying for your visa.
You will usually get a decision within three weeks of submitting your application.
Key Dates for 2026
The first ballot opened on 17 February 2026 at 2:30pm IST. The first ballot closes on 19 February 2026 at 2:30pm IST. Results are emailed within two weeks of the ballot closing. A second and final ballot is expected later in 2026 (likely July, based on previous years). There are 3,000 places available for 2026, with most allocated in the February ballot.
A Practical Checklist for Tech Professionals
If you are a developer, designer, data scientist, or any kind of tech professional between 18 and 30, here is how to make the most of this opportunity.
Before the ballot: confirm you meet all eligibility criteria on gov.uk. Check your passport validity. Make sure you have at least £2,530 in accessible savings. Have your degree certificate ready.
If selected: start researching the UK startup ecosystem. Look into accelerators and co-founder networks. Understand how to register a company with Companies House. Familiarise yourself with the self-employment rules under this visa (rented premises, equipment under £5,000, no employees).
Once in the UK: start building. Attend startup events. Connect with the Indian tech founders community in the UK. Validate your idea with real customers. If you are raising funding, understand what investors look for at pre-seed stage.
The two-year window is short. Treat it as a sprint, not a sabbatical.
Important: All visa information in this article is sourced from the UK government's official guidance on the India Young Professionals Scheme. Rules and fees can change. Always check gov.uk for the most up-to-date information before making any decisions. This article is not immigration advice.
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