I would like to join the RAF as a maintenance engineer! but i am not a British citizen?

Question

will i be able to apply for this position?

Answer 1

No, you must be a UK citizen

Answer 2

I was in the same predictament as you are in now years ago. I was and still am fascinated by the Royal Army Medical Corps RAMC, but understand now that I can't join. I researched the same stuff. So, I'm going to give it to you right out straight.

You can't join, much less get free information from the British Army or the British Territorial Army unless you are either a Commonwelath Citizen, which states you must live in either Ireland, Wales or Britain to gain military enlistment, or you are a full British National. Scotland has also been added to the Commonwealth since then.

So, in essence, no, you cannot become a maintenance engineer for the RAF. Even if you were defect now from America, which is greatly frowned upon, and even since we are allies with the UK, you would likely never be able to regain full citizenship to the US, you would need to live in the Commonwealth for five years, a three year working status, and two years as a college student, then apply for citizenship after five years. By that time, you would be depending on your age, in your late twenties.

However, if you gain dual citizenship with UK and US, then there's the possibility of doing so. I'm not certain how that works out though. Here's an address that can assist you in figuring that out: This is a British Citizenship Office:
The Home Office
Queen Anne's Gate
London
United Kingdom
SWIA 9AT

Here are a few ACIO - Army Career Info Offices:

ACIO Aldershot
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire, GU11 IP8

ACIO Wenbley
594 High Road
Wenbley
Middlesex, HAO 2AF

ACIO Cramby
TA Centre
Kilmead
Northgate
Cramby
West Sussex, RH10 2BG


Best luck to you lad.
Happy Holidays!
J.F.

Answer 3

See the answer from navyaug84, he/she is absolutely right. Providing you are a british, commonwealth or ROI citizen and have been resident in the Uk for 5 years or resident in a country where we can do meaningful checks for the last 5 years, and meet our medical/fitness requirements you can make an application.
Please note that some trades/branches have specific nationality requirements i.e Intelligence trade/branch amongst others.

Check out the RAF careers website or call 0845 605 5555 for info.

Answer 4

To join the RAF you must at all times since birth have been a citizen of the UK, the Commonwealth, or the Republic of Ireland. In addition you should have been born in the UK, in what is, or was at the time, a Commonwealth country, or in the Republic of Ireland. Candidates, whether or not they are of UK origin, should normally have resided in the UK for the 5 years immediately preceding their application. However, provided satisfactory enquiries can be made in your country of residence, we may be able to consider an application even if you have never lived in the UK.

Answer 5

You can research your answer on the RAF Careers website or if you have a Armed Forces Careers Office(AFCO) near where you live - go and speak to them personally - this way you can ask questions and get the right responses - websites are good but you cant always ask them a question - take the time to make sure you ask the right questions and get the right answers - if you go down to an AFCO and you can enlist they will raise a file for you and assist you to make the right career choice. I wish you good luck - it is a shame you never said where you were from.

Answer 6

You would have to become a British citizen for 2 years i think.

Answer 7

You can apply for the position and the chances are very high that you will be successful,you did not say how long your family members have been in the UK its looked at for some reason

Answer 8

Be careful about joining a foreign countries military. For the US it is a hard balance of politics if you want to keep you citizenship. Contact the US State Department before you decide if you are American and ask them.

Answer 9

doubt it unless they have changed the rules, my mate in uni wanted to join but she was born in RSA as her father was stationed there with the RAF, her mam and dad were British, but she was classed as south African!
she could not join because of this!

Answer 10

I guess that depends on how long you have been living in the UK,Take a trip to your local job center i,m sure thy will be able to give you some advice.

Answer 11

go to the careers office and ask....The Gurkas are in the British forces