Joining the British Army can lead to an exciting and fulfilling career, as well as offering a life filled with adventure. As Russia flexes its muscles and seeks to restore its empire, UK soldiers could also soon be put to the test.
The British Prime Minister along with other European and Nato leaders are currently discussing security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. The UK is one of three countries that has so far indicated it is willing to send its troops to Ukraine to help police a future ceasefire. Potentially, British soldiers could soon be patrolling the vast steppes of Ukraine and called upon to repel any further Russian aggression against its western neighbour.
Given its possible extra security obligations, the British Army may well need to boost its ranks with further recruits.
Currently, the army has 108,413 personnel – this includes 73,847 regular soldiers, 4,127 Gurkhas, and 25,742 volunteer reserves.
So just who can join the British Army and help secure peace in the world, apart from UK citizens?
Some citizens from the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland can serve in the British Army. However the doors are firmly closed for refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, Nepalese citizens can serve in the Gurkhas, despite the country not being in the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth citizens must ensure their UK visas are valid and that they have entered the country legally to be able to sign up. If their visas have run out, they will need to return to their country of origin and submit a new application.
Once accepted by the Army, Commonwealth citizens will be given “exempt immigration control” status for the duration of their service. Family members can join them as long as they comply with immigration rules and can meet the minimum income (MIR) and English language requirements.
Currently the MIR is £29,000 per year for new applicants applying for a family visa. Commonwealth soldiers can naturalise and apply for UK citizenship while serving, but must cover all the application costs themselves.
The fee for each application is £1,735, which includes the £130 citizenship ceremony fee. Applicants will need to submit their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) when applying – but there is no fee for this.
The Commonwealth is made up of 56 independent countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific and has a combined population of 2.7 billion. More than 60% are under the age of 29.