RAF Regt recruitment query

[PretoriaSillyperson]

G'day gents. I have a quick q. re the RAF Regiment. Collegue of mine "just off the boat" from Sith Ifrica. 25 yrs old, good egg, bright, cheerful and fit. As a Commonwealth citizen, he would appear to be correct in the assumption that all doors are open to him in the RAF. As it is, his first choice is the Regt. in the ranks. Are there many foreign johnnies in the Regt? Also, my only knowledge of their rols is that they guard you chaps on the ground. Is this correct? Well, that and a no doubt well-deserved reputation for fitness. As a Boer this lad's probably been brought up on 2 kudu a day so he'll be fit enough.

For my part, I'm a civvie pilot and have had a few years in the Harmy and I'm sure he'd be an asset whether in green or blue.

Thanks chaps,

PSP
EGKK

[jamino]

firstly i dont know where he stands if his parents are not nationals,also although his not too old,he is if you know what i mean...he would have no problem joining for his age but he would be expected to excel,and be beasted around by guys a lot younger than him. I was in regt and there were not a lot of non nationals in there then,only those on detachment from foreign forces.I dont think being from the commonwealth gives you any more rights than any other country in the world when it comes to joining,the commonwealth is a trade issue not a citizenship issue,these days.

[foldingwings]

Had a similar request myself about 2 years ago from a distant (very distant) relation who was from South Africa but with no rights (parental) to UK citizenship. Answer was, regrettably, that he would require to achieve UK citizenship by fulfilling the residency (3 years IIRC) requirement. Commonwealth doesn't cut it these days unless HM Queen is your head of state; that does not apply to RSA.

Best thing he can do is approach the recruiters in the High Street for the definitive 2005 update!

[airborne_artist]

Nationality

For most RAF jobs, you must have been a citizen of the UK, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland – or holder of dual British/other nationality – since birth.

For security reasons there are extra nationality requirements for some jobs. These requirements may change to reflect the international situation. You will find details of specific nationality requirements in each relevant job file.

For a few branches and trades, the nationality of your parents is also important. In exceptional circumstances, it is possible that some individuals who do not meet these requirements exactly could still be considered for service.


Residency

Candidates, whether or not they are of UK origin, should normally have resided in the UK for the 5 years immediately preceding their application. However, provided satisfactory enquiries can be made in your country of residence, we may be able to consider an application even if you have never lived in the UK.