Things You Shouldn’t Worry About When Applying for YMS

I’m a worrier. It’s a well-known fact amongst my friends and family. I don't think that things are going to work out just fine; my brain is preoccupied with the endless possibilities of what could go wrong. So, when it came to applying for my Youth Mobility Scheme VISA, I dug deep into the corners of my mind to dredge up hypothetical situations in which my application would be rejected. 
Applying for an international VISA is a huge undertaking, so I want to use my paranoia for something productive. In case you happen to come upon a particular worry in the process of your VISA application, I hope this post can help put it to rest.

The first thing that I was worried about was the number of times that I had been to the UK prior to applying. I had thought that having visited at least 7 times would make my desire to obtain a VISA look suspicious. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Your previous visits do not have any bearing on your application – unless you had been refused entry.
I was also concerned about making visits back to Canada while on my YMS. I heard horror stories about people being refused entry back into the UK after visits abroad, and I was sure that, with my luck, the same thing would happen to me. However, it doesn’t matter. YMS is a multiple-entry VISA, so you can leave the UK and re-enter as many times as you’d like. 
Maintenance funds were also an issue. There were conflicting documents about maintenance funds when I first started looking into YMS. Some said I needed to have £1600 in my account for three months while others said it only has to be in there for one month. As the time for me to apply was drawing nearer, I panicked. I saved all of my money starting in January (I applied in May), living off of ramen noodles and tuna sandwiches so my maintenance funds would stay intact for the following three months. When I actually applied for my VISA, I discovered that the maintenance funds requirements had been changed, and I had only needed to prove the money had been in my account for one month. Doing a bit of in-depth research in January would have likely saved me the trouble – but regressing to my university student diet for a few months did wonders for my figure.
The resource that helped me out the most in my times of need was the Canuck Abroad UK Visas Forum. I posted any and all questions I had and received helpful replies from other members. It also helps to browse the forum to get an idea of issues that others are having and find solutions for them before you encounter them yourself. 
Aside from proclaiming to the world that I am anxious almost to the point of insanity, I hope that this blog post also serves to help anyone else that may be having concerns about their YMS application.