Dual citizenship and the RAF
 

I have been asked by a young acquaintance about his prospects of joining the RAF. He is Spanish by birth but has been educated largely in the UK including the last four years at university. He tells me that he will shortly acquire dual Spanish / British nationality (don't know on what basis) and would like to join the RAF. My first thought was "no chance", but then what about all those Fijians and Tongans now serving in the Army? Anybody know the answer? (Always assuming, of course, that the RAF was recruiting anyway)

I believe you will find the answer here http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ining-raf.html as it has several links that should answer the question.

I don't know the precise details of how, but I know it can be done as I once had a young lad work for me in the RAF who had an Australian mother and a Swedish father and had some form of dual nationality - only became a problem when he had to renew his passport during GW2 by presenting himself at Australia house in London........pity he waited until we were in Kuwait to tell me!

Indeed, the only bar I am aware of is/was South Africa......I seem to remember their government issuing an edict about 2003/4 that it would be illegal under SA law for anybody with South Africian nationality of any sort to serve in any other countries' armed forces!

There again I wasn't a scribbly so could be completely wrong!

Is there any difference these days between the rules governing the"old" commonwealth and Ireland and any old foreign country?

Mods - perhaps we could merge this thread with the similar Irish question?

TL

Timelord,

It may also depend on what he wants to do.

S41

If your 'dualness' includes an 'Anglo' part then I believe the only limitation is length of residency in the UK prior to applying for service.

As an Anglo-American I had no problems with joining the RAF, having lived in the UK predominately for over ten years beforehand and neither did it prove an issue with DV clearance at a later date.

Lady Captain on 30 always carried her US passport as well as her UK one.

What's their view on the ownership of the Falklands and Gibraltar? :E