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Commonwealth and Non-british

Commonwealth and Non-british

The application window for Commonwealth residents is currently closed. Thank you for your interest in joining the Royal Navy. Commonwealth Sailors and Marines are, and always be, an important and valued part of the Royal Navy.

Commonwealth entry is currently closed

Please check back for updates

About your application

To manage expectations of those expressing an interest in joining the Service, the Royal Navy can only recruit a limited number of trainees from the Commonwealth every year. Following the opening of recruiting to Commonwealth candidates in October, we had an unprecedented level of interest and therefore currently we are not accepting further applications from overseas.  

If you were eligible and the profession had a space at the time of your registration, you will have already been informed by email. We have your details and date of application recorded in our system and you will be processed in the coming months for the profession that you applied for only. 
Happy St Vincent and the Grenadines Independence Day to those Commonwealth members embarked in HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Managing expectations

Please do not contact us for an update, but keep an eye on your email inbox as this is how you will receive an application link and be informed of the next steps to process your application. Visit our Overseas Candidates Guide V4 for further details on joining.

We thank all of our Commonwealth Candidates and their sponsors for the patience and commitment.

Requirements

Please make sure you read and understand the following requirements before submitting any application

Commonwealth applicants applying from inside their country of origin must be aged minimum 18. Residents in the UK who are Commonwealth applicants are eligible to apply at 16. Current valid passports and visas (where applicable) are a mandatory requirement to be eligible to apply, It is the responsibility of the individual applicants to ensure that they have permission to be in the UK and this permission is valid for the entirety of the recruitment process up to the point of entry. 

No candidate from outside the UK should travel to the UK, unless directed to by the Overseas Team, in order to conduct essential elements of the recruiting process prior to being assessed as eligible to join the Royal Navy or Royal Marines. Any person who travels to the UK without this direction will not be the responsibility of, or supported by, the Ministry of Defence.

Bringing your family

Once you are a serving member of the Royal Navy, you are exempt from immigration controls.That means you won’t need a visa to stay in the UK as long as you remain in service. This is the case from the day you start training.

Normal immigration rules will still apply to your family, so they could need a visa to visit the UK and may only be able to stay for a limited period of time. It's also important that your family meet the minimum English language requirements.

Minimum income requirements

If you want to bring your family to the UK, you’ll need to meet minimum income requirements, which vary based on your family circumstances.

  • £18,600 gross salary needed to bring a partner
  • £22,400 to bring a partner and a child
  • +£2,400 for each additional child £16,000 savings over this amount can count
  • £25,200 a rating starting salary after training
Visa costs

Once you meet the minimum income requirements, you will need to pay the appropriate visa costs. These include:

  • £1,532 per dependent for a five-year visa
  • £2,389 per dependent to permanently settle in the UK (2018/19) after five years of residency
  • £1,330 per dependent to gain UK citizenship by naturalisation (2018/19) after 12 months of holding permanent settlement

The Royal Navy cannot help you with any of these visa costs. Remember, choosing to settle permanently in the UK is entirely voluntary and is not a requirement.

Available roles

We have limited roles for Commonwealth applicants available in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines
Pictured here is Commonwealth Members onboard HMS Prince of Wales during the Commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales held on the 10th December 2019.

Royal Navy

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Pictured are Commando Forces yomping on snow shoes and carrying their skis on the extraction from the training area during their Cold Weather Winter Warfare Course near Skjold.

Royal Marines

Become an elite amphibious commando in one of the world’s most respected fighting forces.
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What countries and territories are accepted as Commonwealth?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, (United Kingdom (UK) or Britain), which includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles.

It also includes the British Overseas Territories of: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands and The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus.

Australia, including the Australian External Territories: Australian Antarctic Territory (including MacDonald, Heard and Macquarie Islands), Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.

New Zealand and its Colonies and Dependencies: Niue, Ross Dependency, Tokelau Islands Group, and the Associated State the Cook Islands. 

Other Frequently Asked Questions

During the recruitment process the Royal Navy will not provide you with accommodation whilst you‘re in the UK. You’ll need to have family or a sponsor willing to support you while you are here.

No, you will need to pay for all travel to and from the UK.

The Royal Navy will not pay your travel expenses to the AFCO, they will only pay travel expenses for courses you have to attend if you are successful in the recruitment process.

No. And all dual nationals must provide an official letter which states they have no obligation for service in their country of origin. Your duty to do national service will not go away if you join the Royal Navy.
Yes. All candidates will need to receive security clearance before they are able to join.

If your visa or stamp is running out and you are not successful in your application, the Royal Navy will not support your visa extension request, you will have to return to your country of origin.

If your passport runs out prior to joining the Royal Navy, you will not be able to enter the service. All candidate must have a valid passport and visa stamp.

If your application is unsuccessful, you may still have some time on your visa schedule which will allow you to try again, however this is up to the Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) you visit.

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