Foreigners in the British military?
 

I have a friend whose mother has British citizenship but he is Dutch and has been told he cannot claim a British passport. He is interested in joining the British military, but is not yet sure which branch, although he does want to fly.

Anyway the question is can a Dutch person join the Brit military? Anybody have a definitive answer of know where he can get it?

Thanks.

New rules recently introduced mean that anyone who has to deal with "sensitive" contacts with the USA has to have a British passport. Many dual nationals and Republic of Ireland nationals, who are already serving, have been told that they will have to get a British passport. Indeed a new fast track service has been set up, a weekend in Paris at the taxpayer's expense (because you can only apply for nationality outside the UK).

The bottom line is that, especially for aircrew, you will probably have to have a British passport. But why not go to the local British Embassy and ask?

Whose rules? I thought we were a sovereign state.

So this "poodle" business is all true, then?

As a foreigner in the RAF, I can only tell you that it is not absolutely necessary to have a Brit Passport, but would help a shtiload. Eg. We non-poms can't view double vetted material (eg. UK/US eyes only) without a special dispensation from the US for every viewing. Great. As for the "fast-track" system....Believe it when I see it. For 18 months the RAF has been telling us we're getting a passport, ain't seen one yet.Fast-track smasht-track.At the mo we have to wait the 3-5 years to make sure we are of sound character! "Here is a jet, here are some weapons, but sorry you can't have a passport". Go figure

I believe that there's a team at Cranwell that receive and analyse applications from people wishing to join the RAF. They are probably the best placed people to let you know whether or not your friend is eligible. 'Phone 01400 261201 and ask to be put through to P2 Processing - someone should be able to give you an answer, or at least point you in the right direction if they themselves can't help.
CS

Don't they let someone from a Commonwealth nation join the RAF?

PAF

I'm British through and through. Could I have joined the RAAF.

Yes, as a Brit through and through, you could join the RAAF. In fact many do, and also the RNZAF.
As for "Don't let foreigners join the RAF?"??????????Dry your eyes; Try stopping people running across the borders illegally before you worry about citizens from other Commonwealth Countries joining the RAF!

I cant help thinking that the Aussies, Canucks, New Zealanders, Indians, and other nationalities never had this problem in 1914 and 1939, and they did not wait for two years before entering the fray.

The British Army has been employing certain gentlemen from Nepal for many years, and continues to do so... and pork curry for breakfast is excellent!

flyboy007,

It was actually a question asking whether we could join the RAF as I've often thought about trying.

OOPS> Apologies then PAF. The answer is then, yes you can join, 'cause I am a 'foreigner' and I have joined. Don't believe the transition will be as smotth and effective as they tell you though!!Good luck

Well Starfleet allows Vulcans and Klingons into their outfit now, and those Klingons are twats to work with, although I would prolly be the same if I had to walk around with a cowpat on me forehead.
.:rolleyes:

I served fourteen years in the RAF as a non-commonwealth foreigner. Noone noticed until I applied for a British passport and was turned down. Even then they let me continue playing around with live nuclear weapons on QRA.

I believe the latest change in the law, supposedly intended to get rid of an obnoxious religious extremist, means that I can now be deprived of the British citizenship that was so begrudginly granted at the Home Secretary's discretion if he so much as wakes up one morning with a monk on. An interesting subject is citizenship, especially the peculiar British variety...

**************************
Through difficulties to the cinema

The guy to talk to at OASC is formally called OASC 4e.


Trust me.

Pass a Frozo. Don't you still have ROSO??

or has the politically correct RAAF dispensed with that recently?

PAF;

That's because we're not foreigners, old chap! There's a bit in the corner of our flags which says so.

Hence Brits, Kiwis, Oz, Maple Leaf, etc, can join each other's Armed Forces, because they are all HM Forces.

So mote it be, and God Save QE2.
;)

Not foreigners?!! Try coming thru Heathrow with your Commonwealth passport!

Ah! What I do at Heathrow is enter through the British Passport Holders gate with a New Zealand Passport which has a patriality stamp in it, ignoring the Sikh gentleman welcoming you to his country while attempting to steer you away from his gate!

That way you avoid the ignominy imposed on you by a grateful but sometimes forgetful Britannia, of having to queue at the "Others" gate!

I'm Irish, years ago in the eighties I applied to the RAF as officer aircrew only to be told I had to be resident in the UK for five years before I could apply. After some haggling this was reduced to one year. This put me over the age limit so was a no go. Later I queried about enlisting as NCO aircrew and the five year issue came up again.

The Royal Navy and Marines stuck strictly to the five year residence rule.

Ironic considering the number of Irish in the UK armed forces historically. I suspect that rule hasn't changed unless you happen to be tranferring in from another air arm like the Kiwi's and Aussies do.

The army of course had no such residence rules for Irish people anyway. They have to fill those Irish regiments somehow.

I imagine our Dutch friend will fall foul of the same residency requirements even if he had some British relatives.

In the late '80s I too was told that I had to be a resident for 5 years. But in 2000, it must have changed, possibly due to the 'shortage of experience' and they recruited 'selected' individuals.


Good luck

The goal posts always change.


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