Your Guide to Youth Mobility Visa Translation. Learn More!

The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) lets young people aged 18–30 live and work in the UK for up to two years. It is one of the most popular routes. At first it covered only a few Commonwealth countries. In 2024–2025 it grew a lot, and it now includes India, South Korea, Uruguay, Andorra, and others. That means many more types of document. So you need to know which ones need certified translation before you apply.

The good news: if you come from an English-speaking country, or one where official paperwork is already in English, you may need few or no translations. The harder news: if you come from Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Uruguay, or several other countries, you will need to translate certain documents. This guide covers every case in detail.

UKVI Translation Requirement for YMS Applications

Every document you send with a Youth Mobility Scheme application must be in English or Welsh. If it is not, it must come with a certified translation. This covers bank statements, police certificates, TB test results, and country-specific documents such as family registers. UKVI caseworkers will not consider documents that are untranslated or uncertified.

What Is the Youth Mobility Scheme?

The Youth Mobility Scheme (once called the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme) is open to nationals of participating countries aged 18–30. Some nationalities can apply up to age 35. It lets you live, work, and study in the UK for up to two years. Unlike a work visa, you do not need a job offer first. You can come to the UK and look for work after you arrive.

Key features of the YMS route:

Age Requirement

You must be 18–30 when you apply. Some nationalities can be 18–35, including Australians and New Zealanders under updated bilateral agreements.

Duration

Up to 2 years leave to remain in the UK. You can work for any employer in most roles (some restrictions apply).

Financial Requirement

£2,530 in savings, held for 28 days in a row. You must show you have this money to support yourself when you arrive.

No Job Offer Required

Unlike a Skilled Worker visa, you apply on your nationality, age, and money evidence alone.

Ballot System

Some countries (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan) have annual quotas and use a ballot or lottery system. Places are limited each year.

One Use Only

The YMS visa can only be used once per person. You cannot extend it or use the route a second time.

Eligible Countries — 2026 Updated List

The scheme grew a lot in 2024–2025. Below is the current list of participating countries. It shows the main language of official documents, and the documents you will usually need to get and perhaps translate:

Country	Official Doc Language	Translation Needed?	Typical Docs to Translate
Australia	English	Usually no	N/A — all docs in English
New Zealand	English	Usually no	N/A — all docs in English
Canada	English / French	Sometimes	Bank statements or police certificates in French (Quebec-issued)
Japan	Japanese	Yes	Koseki tōhon (family register), bank statements, police certificate
South Korea	Korean	Yes	Family register (gajok gwangye jeungmyeongseo), bank statements
Taiwan	Chinese (Traditional)	Yes	Household registration extract, bank statements
Hong Kong	English / Chinese	Sometimes	Documents issued in Chinese only (some older HKID docs)
India	English (official) / Regional	Sometimes	Police certificates (if state-issued in regional language), bank statements
Uruguay	Spanish	Yes	Bank statements, police certificate (Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales)
Andorra	Catalan	Yes	Bank statements, civil registration documents
Monaco	French	Yes	Bank statements, police certificate
San Marino	Italian	Yes	Bank statements, civil registration extract
Iceland	Icelandic	Sometimes	Bank statements (many Icelandic banks issue English statements on request)

New Countries in 2024–2025

The UK widened YMS eligibility in 2024–2025 under bilateral trade and mobility agreements. India was added after the UK–India trade talks, with a quota of 3,000 places per year. Uruguay, Andorra, and several European microstates were added too. If your country is newly eligible, the document rules may still be changing. Always check the latest UKVI guidance before you apply.

Countries currently under negotiation for future YMS inclusion include Brazil, Argentina, and Thailand. Check gov.uk for the most current list.

Documents That Need Translation for YMS

These are the documents YMS applicants translate most often, whatever their nationality. Whether you need to translate yours depends on the language it is written in:

1. Bank Statements (Savings Evidence)

The document YMS applicants translate most is the bank statement that proves you hold at least £2,530 in savings. The money must sit in your account for 28 days in a row before you apply. If your bank writes statements in any language other than English, you must get a certified translation.

The £2,530 Savings Rule — What Must Be Translated

Your account name and account number (must match your passport)
The date range of the statement (must cover the 28-day period)
The closing balance on each statement page
The bank's name and address (so UKVI can check the bank is real)
Currency denomination (a certified translator will convert context — not the amounts)

Many applicants from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Uruguay use banks that only write statements in the local language. Even large banks (such as MUFG, Mizuho or SMBC in Japan, or the Korean commercial banks) do this by default. Ask for your statements early, and book the translation before your application deadline.

Can I Use an International Bank Account Instead?

Some YMS applicants open an international or online account (such as Wise or Revolut) and hold their savings in GBP. These accounts usually issue statements in English. UKVI does accept online bank accounts as financial evidence, as long as the statements are in the right format and show the 28-day holding period. Check current UKVI guidance, though, because the rules can change.

2. Police Certificates

Some YMS nationalities must send a police certificate (a criminal record check) with their application. Not everyone needs one. It depends on your nationality, and sometimes on your age. If you do need one and it is not in English, you must have it translated.

Countries Where Police Cert Usually Required for YMS

Japan — usually required; issued by local police (keisatsu) in Japanese
South Korea — may be required; issued by National Police Agency in Korean
Taiwan — check current guidance; issued by local police in Traditional Chinese
Uruguay — required; issued by Ministerio del Interior in Spanish

Countries Where Police Cert NOT Typically Required

Australia — no police certificate requirement for YMS
New Zealand — no police certificate requirement
Canada — no police certificate requirement
Hong Kong — generally not required for YMS route

Always check the current rule for your nationality on the official gov.uk YMS guidance page before you apply. Police certificate rules can change from one application cycle to the next.

3. TB Test Results

If you are from certain countries, you must take a tuberculosis (TB) test at an approved clinic and send the results with your YMS application. This rule applies to nationals of countries where TB is more common. Approved clinics are authorised to issue UKVI-compliant paperwork, so the certificate is usually in English. But if you tested at a local clinic that wrote the results in another language, those results need certified translation.

Country	TB Test Required?	Certificate Language	Translation Needed?
India	Yes	English (approved UKVI clinic)	Usually no — issued in English
Japan	Check guidance	English (approved clinic)	Usually no — approved clinics issue in English
South Korea	Check guidance	English / Korean	Sometimes — depends on clinic
Taiwan	Check guidance	English / Chinese	Sometimes — depends on clinic
Australia / NZ / Canada	No	N/A	Not required

UKVI-Approved TB Test Clinics

UKVI only accepts TB test results from clinics on its official approved list. These clinics are authorised to issue certificates in the correct format for UK visa applications. Most write the results in English. If your clinic used another language, or if you went to a clinic that is not approved, contact UKVI or take the test again at an approved clinic before you apply.

Country-Specific Translation Guides

Japan: Koseki Tōhon and Bank Statements

Japanese applicants face the hardest translation job. Japan's official documents are only in Japanese, and you may need several of them:

Japanese Documents That May Need Translation for YMS

Koseki Tōhon (户簿講本) — The family register is Japan's main civil registration document. Some YMS applications ask you to prove your nationality and age. A koseki tōhon (a full family register extract) is the standard proof. It is always in Japanese. It must be translated in full, including every family member listed.
Bank Statements (通帳) — Japanese bank statements (from banks such as Mizuho, MUFG, SMBC, and Japan Post Bank) are in Japanese. You need a certified translation of every page that covers the 28-day period. The balance must stay at the £2,530 equivalent or above the whole time.
Police Certificate (犯罪経歴証明書) — The local police station (keisatsu-sho) issues Japanese police certificates, in Japanese. They only cover your record inside Japan. If you have lived outside Japan, you may also need certificates from those countries.

Japan YMS Ballot System

Japan has an annual quota of about 1,500 YMS places for UK nationals, and the UK offers the same back. Japanese nationals who want to come to the UK apply through a ballot run by the UK government. If the ballot picks you, you usually have 30 days to send your full visa application. So have your translations ready before the ballot closes, or be ready to get them very quickly after selection.

South Korea: Family Register and Application Timing

South Korean applicants face much the same problem. Korea's family registration system (gajok-gwangeseo) is the main proof of civil status. Korean banks also write their statements in Korean (한국어).

South Korean Documents That May Need Translation

Family Relationship Certificate (가족관계증명서) — The gajok gwangye jeungmyeongseo shows your name, date of birth, and family status. It comes in Korean, so you need a certified translation for UKVI.
Bank Statements — Major Korean banks (KB Kookmin, Shinhan, KEB Hana, Woori) write statements in Korean. Some international branches can give you English statements if you ask. Check with your bank first. If it cannot give you English statements, you need a translation.
Police Certificate — South Korea's National Police Agency issues criminal record certificates in Korean. You may be able to get an English version through the Supreme Prosecutors' Office e-service for use overseas. Check that UKVI accepts it before you rely on it.

South Korea YMS Ballot and Quota

Like Japan, South Korea has a limited annual quota for the UK YMS route. The quota is 5,000 places per year. Places go on a first-come, first-served basis, not by ballot as in Japan. Once the year's quota is full, no more applications are accepted until the next cycle opens. Have your translated documents ready before the annual opening date.

India: Police Certificates and Regional Languages

India joined the YMS scheme in 2024. For Indian applicants, the translation picture is more mixed than for Japan or South Korea. English is an official language in India, so many central government documents are already in English. But state-level police certificates and some bank documents come in regional languages.

Indian Documents — When Translation Is and Isn't Needed

Passport — Indian passports are in English and Hindi. UKVI accepts the English parts, so you usually need no translation.
Bank Statements (major national banks) — Banks like SBI, HDFC, ICICI, and Axis typically issue statements in English. No translation required in most cases.
State-Issued Police Certificates — Some states issue police clearance certificates with parts in a regional language (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and others). If the certificate has any non-English text, translate the whole document, English parts included. Part-English documents are a common reason UKVI comes back with questions.
Regional Co-operative Bank Statements — If you use a regional or co-operative bank (common in rural areas), your statements may be mostly in a regional language. Those need translation.

YMS Translation — 2026 Pricing

Certified translation for YMS documents from £17.99 per page. Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Hindi, and all other YMS-relevant languages covered. Bank statements, police certificates, family registers, and TB test results — instant quote available online.

When You Do NOT Need Translation

Many people think every YMS document needs translation. It does not. Several documents need no translation at all:

Documents That DON'T Need Translation

Your passport (translated by default when issued)
Bank statements already issued in English
TB test results from UKVI-approved clinics (issued in English)
Australian, NZ, Canadian (English language) police checks
Any document printed in English — even if issued abroad

Documents That DO Need Translation

Bank statements in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Catalan, Italian
Police certificates in Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Spanish
Japanese koseki tōhon (family register)
Korean family relationship certificate
Any partially bilingual document with non-English text

The Ballot System: Documents to Prepare in Advance

Three countries use a ballot or quota system for UK YMS places: Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Places are limited, and applications open only for a fixed window each year. Once you are selected or accepted, you may have just 30–60 days to send your full visa application with all supporting documents.

That makes translation timing tight. You need your translations soon after selection, or better still before the ballot opens, so you can apply straight away. Here is what to get ready early:

Pre-Ballot Preparation Checklist (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan)

Obtain bank statements covering 28+ days showing £2,530 equivalent — arrange translation
Request family register / civil registration documents — arrange translation
Obtain police certificate from local police — arrange translation
Book TB test at an approved clinic (if your nationality requires it)
Note document validity dates — police certs typically expire 6 months after issue
Keep digital copies of all original documents and translations

Document Validity Warning

Your bank statements must cover a 28-day savings period that ends no more than 31 days before the date you apply. Police certificates can be no more than 6 months old. If you got your documents before the ballot round opened, check they are still valid when you submit. If the dates do not line up, you may need fresh statements or certificates.

How to Get Certified Translations Accepted by UKVI

UKVI only accepts translations that meet set standards. A certified translation is more than a translated document. It must have:

Translator Competency Statement

The translator must confirm they are competent in both languages and that the translation is accurate and complete. This statement must be signed.

Translator Contact Details

The translation must show the name, address, and contact details of the translator or translation company. That way UKVI can check it is genuine if it needs to.

Date of Translation

The translation must clearly show the date it was finished. Keep it as recent as you can.

Full Translation — Not Summary

UKVI requires a complete translation of all text in the document, including headers, footers, stamps, and watermarks. Partial translations are not accepted.

CertifiedVisaTranslation.com provides UKVI-certified translations that meet all these rules. Every translation comes with a full certification statement, translator details, and complete coverage of the document. It is ready to send to UKVI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to translate my bank statements if I bank with an international bank?

It depends on the language of the statements. If your international bank writes them in English (many do for accounts held in English-speaking countries), you need no translation. If it writes them in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, or another language, you need a certified translation. That is true even for a large international bank. What matters is the language on the page, not where the bank is from.

Can I translate my own documents for a YMS application?

No. UKVI requires a professional translator or translation company to do the translation, not the applicant. Even if you are fluent in both English and your own language, UKVI will not accept your own translation. The rule exists to keep translations accurate and independent. A certified translation service is the only safe way to meet it.

How long are certified translations valid for YMS applications?

Certified translations do not expire. A translation stays valid as long as the original document is valid. But the original documents do expire. Bank statements must be within 31 days of your application. Police certificates are usually accepted for up to 6 months from the date of issue. If your source document expires, you will need a new document and a new translation.

I'm Australian — do I need any translations at all?

In almost all cases, no. Australian bank statements, police checks (the Australian Federal Police check), and other documents are all in English. There is one exception. If you have lived in a non-English speaking country for 12+ months, you may have to send documents from that country. Those would need translation. Australians who have not lived abroad usually need no translated documents at all.

I was selected in the Japan YMS ballot — how quickly can I get translations?

CertifiedVisaTranslation.com usually delivers certified translations within 24 hours of upload. We cover all Japanese documents, including the koseki tōhon and bank statements. If the ballot has selected you and you need an urgent translation, upload your documents right away. We usually finish Japanese translations the same day. Scan all your documents before the ballot result is announced, so there are no delays.

Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) Visa Translation Requirements