Tuesday, October 15, 2024

This is an ARCHIVED article at baff.org.uk. Information and/or links may well be out of date.

Please note that this is an archived article, and that the rules about Commonwealth recruitment have changed from time to time.

Anyone who is already serving or has served in the UK armed forces can apply to join the British Armed Forces Federation including, of course, those of Commonwealth or foreign nationality.

Individuals wishing to join the UK Armed Forces are subject to strict nationality and citizenship requirements. Generally applicants must have been born in the UK, the Republic of Ireland or a Commonwealth country and have at all times since birth been a UK or Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

All candidates must have the right of entry into the UK. Holders of dual nationality are eligible to join the Armed Forces as long as one of those nationalities is British. However, there are additional nationality requirements attached to certain trades within each Service. The applicant must also have lived in the UK for 3-5 years immediately prior to the application, depending upon which Service they wish to join. The only broad exception is with respect to the recruitment of the Nepalese Gurkhas into the British Army.

The British Armed Forces Federation is completely independent of the Ministry of Defence, so we cannot give help or advice in connection with your application to join Her Majesty's Forces, but we wish you the very best of luck, and a happy and successful career if your application is successful. All members of HM Forces are very welcome indeed to join the Federation.

If you are a Foreign or Commonwealth Citizen looking for British armed forces information, the following external links may be helpful: