Lifestyle

It’s now much easier for South Africans to emigrate to the UK through the army – here’s what you need to know

Staff Writer

 ·12 Nov 2018

The UK’s minister of Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, recently announced that the UK will be making it easier for Commonwealth Citizens looking to join the British Armed Forces.

According to Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants,  it was previously only possible for a citizen from one of the Commonwealth countries to apply to join the British Armed Forces if the person held residency in the UK.

Because residency is acquired by having spent five years in the UK, a person would only have been able to apply after he/she has spent five years in the UK on an immigration route such as the UK Ancestry Visa.

However, going forward any person from a Commonwealth country will be able to apply to join the British Armed Forces and applicants will no longer need to fulfil the five-year residency requirement, Breytenbachs said.

“In future, the application for all roles and ranks in the British Armed Forces will be open to Commonwealth citizens, from the age of 18 years and older,” it said.

“The British Ministry of Defence said that they will increase the number of recruits from the Commonwealth to 1,350 recruits per year over the next several years.

“The British Army will hire about 1,000 personnel per year. The Royal Navy will hire about 300 persons per year, and the Royal Air Forces about 50 persons per year.”

“The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Forces have already started the new recruitment drive. The applications for the British Army will open in January 2019.

The good news for Commonwealth citizens who are successful in their quest to join the British Armed is that it will be possible for them to eventually obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain, leading to British Citizenship, said Breytenbachs.

It added that dependants (spouses, partners and dependent children) will also be able to accompany the successful recruit to the UK.

Persons interested in joining the British Army, or who need more information, can apply directly from the British Armed Forces website.

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