Can You Extend the UK Youth Mobility Visa to 3 Years?
Key takeaways
- Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians can extend the Youth Mobility visa once, by one year, for 3 years in total.
- Apply online from inside the UK, no more than 28 days before your visa expires.
- It costs £340 plus a £776 health surcharge (£1,116), and a decision takes up to 8 weeks.
- Don't leave the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision.
Two years in the UK goes fast. The good news for Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians: you can extend the UK Youth Mobility visa by one more year, taking your working holiday to three. Here's who can extend, when to apply, what it costs, and the travel rule that catches people out.
3 yearsIn total, with one extension
28 daysBefore expiry, the earliest you can apply
£1,116Fee plus health surcharge
8 weeksLongest wait for a decision
Who can extend the Youth Mobility visa?
You can apply to extend if you:
- are an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand citizen
- are living in the UK
- hold a valid Youth Mobility Scheme visa
You can only extend once. People from other Youth Mobility countries can't extend at all, and would need to switch to a different visa to stay on.
How long do you get?
The extension gives you one more year. It starts the day after your current visa ends, so there's no gap between the two.
When to apply
Apply online no more than 28 days before your current visa expires. Mark the date in your calendar well ahead, as it's easy to lose track two years in.
A decision can take up to 8 weeks, so you'll probably still be waiting when your first visa runs out. If you applied before it expired, you can usually keep living and working in the UK on the same conditions while you wait.
What it costs
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | £340 |
| Immigration health surcharge (1 year) | £776 |
| Total | £1,116 |
| Faster decision | Optional, extra fee |
Unlike your first application, the extension doesn't list a savings requirement. Fees usually change each April, so check GOV.UK before you pay.
How to apply, step by step
- Check your expiry date and diary the day 28 days before it.
- Apply online on GOV.UK in that 28-day window.
- Pay the £340 fee and £776 health surcharge.
- Prove your identity, either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services appointment. The application tells you which.
- Wait for your decision, which takes up to 8 weeks. Stay in the UK until it arrives.
- Update your employer. Once you're approved, share a new code so they can check your right to work for the extra year.
The travel rule that catches people out
Once you've applied, you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. With up to 8 weeks to wait, that can cover a big chunk of your summer.
To avoid it:
- take your big Europe trip before your 28-day window opens
- don't book non-refundable flights abroad for the 8 weeks after you apply
- use the wait for UK trips instead: Scotland, the coast or Ireland
Planning your three years
Knowing you can stay three years changes how you plan. A common pattern looks like this:
Year 1
Settle into London, work hospitality and events, and travel Europe on your days off.
Year 2
Try something new, like a live-in job in Scotland or a country house hotel, and save hard.
Year 3
Build your CV with longer-term work in an office, a café or a trade.
At any point you can change jobs, move cities or take a live-in role. Read our UK working holiday guide for how to plan your first year.
Want to stay longer than three years?
The Youth Mobility visa doesn't lead to settlement, and you can only extend it once. To stay beyond three years you'd need to switch to another visa, such as:
- a Skilled Worker visa, if a UK employer with a sponsor licence offers you a job
- a UK Ancestry visa, if you're a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK
- a Partner visa, if your partner is British or settled in the UK
Plan early: each has its own requirements, and some take time to line up.
FAQ
When can I apply to extend my Youth Mobility visa?
No more than 28 days before your current visa expires. You must apply online from inside the UK, and your new visa starts the day after your current one ends.
Can I travel while my extension is being processed?
No. You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, which can take up to 8 weeks.
How much does it cost to extend the Youth Mobility visa?
£1,116 in total: a £340 application fee and a £776 immigration health surcharge for the extra year. You can pay extra for a faster decision.
Planning your UK working holiday?
Start with your first Youth Mobility visa: our licensed agents check your documents and help you pick your start date, with a money-back guarantee.
Get help with your UK working holiday visa →New to the visa? Read how to apply for the UK working holiday visa.
