Since 6 April 2015, it has been a requirement for most applicants for citizenship to have a BRP. The residency requirements for joining the armed forces are generally in line with the Home Office rules for attaining British citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981. Other reasons for refusing based on ‘good character’ include ‘financial soundness’ (e.g. This would depend on whether your spouse and children are eligible to apply. Only qualifications on the UKVI SELT (Secure English Language Tests) list taken at an approved centre will be accepted, see below. c. Citizenship for children born overseas (but not on an overseas assignment) to a British parent. The MOD only funds teaching/courses which if of benefit to Service. Custodial convictions include time spend at MCTC, You should declare ALL convictions even if they are now ‘spent’. The exam has 9 levels but you only need to pass at level 4 to meet the B1 requirement. Those from inside the Commonwealth will not need British citizenship to apply. Children under the age of six do not need to provide fingerprints, but must have a digital photo taken of their face. However you must meet the KoLL and Good Character requirements. There are two ways to become a British citizen if you are married to a soldier. The first and most important point to note is that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act is separate from the British Nationality Act 1981 and therefore even if a criminal offence has been ‘spent’ under the terms of the ROA it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is spent for the purposes of an application for citizenship. Many thanks in advance! Commonwealth citizenship was a creation that arose from the end of the British Empire.Before 1949, all citizens of the British Empire were British subjects and owed allegiance to the Crown. More detailed information can be found here. The soldier’s nationality will no longer affect a spouse visa application. This costs 220 Euros. Settled status is only broken following a long period outside of the UK (2 years). Top. DV clearance requires seven years. Once you’ve done this, we have a fantastic book on how to join the RAF. In both cases, you need to have ILR first. As of 1 April 2015 children born to non-British parents serving on an overseas assignment can be registered as British at public expense. 1. If you are due a posting and have not had your passport returned to you, you must inform your unit who should raise the issue to HQ BFG. Should I apply through a Nationality Checking Service? Because of a cap on annual recruitment applications from the Commonwealth, only certain Regiments/roles are available. Children are not naturalised, they are registered as British Citizens but process is essentially the same. In 2016, the Government lifted the five-year UK residency requirement previously required for members of the Commonwealth applying to join the British Armed Forces. The added benefit is that they will take a photocopy of your passport so you don’t have to send it away. Irish citizens must be living in the UK to join the Reserves. WHEN YOU JOIN. Must meet requirement to have been in the UK at the start of the 3 year residential period as well as all other requirements. 5. a. You will need to complete Form SET (AF). You should read the guidance in the booklet carefully. I already have a certificate in literacy level 1 or 2. Becoming a British citizen The passport grants you the same rights as a full passport. You will need to send us a copy of your refusal letter. This requirement also applies to soldiers who apply. British Army Opens Recruitment to Foreigners - Apply Today! The test costs 204 Euros. This will tell you the type of role you can apply for (or if you can’t join). However, how do members of the Commonwealth go about applying to serve in the UK Armed Forces? It also does not apply if you were out of the UK on a non-work related trip. Read the ‘Main requirements’ section above. You should get a certified copy of your passport to send in with the application. You need to use your nearest IELTS examination centre. The British Council in Dusseldorf is the only accepted place to take the IELTS exam in Germany. Do I have to take the Life in UK test to apply for Citizenship? How to join the Armed Forces from the Commonwealth - all the rules and regulations. Will this cover the new B1 English Language requirement? To request your documents to be returned: www.gov.uk/visa-documents-returned, Katherine HoulstonForeign & Commonwealth Specialist, Sarah DrapperForeign & Commonwealth Assistant, “AFF - just a thank you for all that you do! The qualifying period starts 3 years before your application is received by UK. Spouses in the UK can only apply if they have ILR. You should contact the AFF F&C team on fcsupport@aff.org.uk. You will need to contact the consulate to arrange a time to attend the citizenship ceremony; this must be done within 90 days of receiving the letter. A Commonwealth soldier who served for 13 years in the Army has been refused British citizenship. The Home Office have confirmed that they “cannot overlook excess absences from spouses of serving Gurkhas because they cannot overlook absences from the soldiers themselves.”. This applies to all F&C and Gurkha soldiers. If your visa expires, then you are responsible for any costs involved with leaving the country and applying for a new visa during the process. Your time out of the UK on overseas assignments if you are a commonwealth spouse will count as residence. DEdCap have informed us that SLC cannot be used for exams or a course. debt), ‘deception and dishonesty’ and ‘immigration related issues’ (e.g. Children under 18 applying for registration as a British citizen much also enrol their biometric information. 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