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Hi there lads, first time posting but i've been watching the boards for a few years now. My problem is i've been living in the states with my family for the past few years and when I called the recruiters office this morning they said I would have to be living in the UK for 3 years for a backround check before I would become eligible to join. Now I know this is the rule for immigrants, but i'm welsh and hold a british passport. I have no criminal record, I have an american high school diploma, and i've had a job for the last four years. I've been trying to save money up for the move back to start the recruiting process and this was a real kick in the teeth. I'm 21 and its probably going to be another year before I make it over but I don't see why I would have to wait another 3 years for a backround check. If I have to move back and wait three years then thats what i'll do but i'd like to get my ball rolling asap. I've heard the army have an overseas recruiting post so you can apply abroad and 6 months later go back and enlist so I might have to serve 3 or 4 years in the Regs(maybe i'll try out for the Paras) then enlist in the Royal Marines. If anyone can give me any help on this I would really really appreciate it. I've been waiting 4 years to join and it would really hurt to be set back another 3.

Sorry, but they're right. One of the girls I work with moved to France with her family at the age of 8, and she had to have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years before she was able to join up. At least she was only 18 or so when she found out, so she went to uni and did a degree. Her start date was also delayed quite a lot because of the extra security clearances required for our job (her family still live in France, which is what caused the delay), so she didn't actually join up until she was 23.

Switchblade Eddie wrote:Hi there lads, first time posting but i've been watching the boards for a few years now. My problem is i've been living in the states with my family for the past few years and when I called the recruiters office this morning they said I would have to be living in the UK for 3 years for a backround check before I would become eligible to join. Now I know this is the rule for immigrants, but i'm welsh and hold a british passport. I have no criminal record, I have an american high school diploma, and i've had a job for the last four years. I've been trying to save money up for the move back to start the recruiting process and this was a real kick in the teeth. I'm 21 and its probably going to be another year before I make it over but I don't see why I would have to wait another 3 years for a backround check. If I have to move back and wait three years then thats what i'll do but i'd like to get my ball rolling asap. I've heard the army have an overseas recruiting post so you can apply abroad and 6 months later go back and enlist so I might have to serve 3 or 4 years in the Regs(maybe i'll try out for the Paras) then enlist in the Royal Marines. If anyone can give me any help on this I would really really appreciate it. I've been waiting 4 years to join and it would really hurt to be set back another 3.

Right bro, thats the biggest load of bollox ive heard in a while, i joined from canada, had never set foot in the u.k until i came over to go through the application process, there are tons of south africans, canadians, new zealanders etc...who have never lived here so i think you should go for a second opinion.

Yeah i'm emailing recruiters and looking around for information. Even if it is the case its just another bump in the road.

Right bro, thats the biggest load of bollox ive heard in a while, i joined from canada, had never set foot in the u.k until i came over to go through the application process, there are tons of south africans, canadians, new zealanders etc...who have never lived here so i think you should go for a second opinion.

The British Armed Forces accept Commonwealth citizens. The US is not in the Commonwealth, bro.

Not an expert, but would hazard a guess that if the careers office said so, they're probably right.

Exactly what I was about to say.
Afraid you're going to have to do it the long way.
But if it's what you really want then a couple more years won't hurt.
Do you have any family left in the UK that you could stay with if you came over?

i know the US isn't the common wealth but i wouldn't have thought that mattered since i'm british. worst comes to worst i'll do it the long way round. it just seemed funny because the lady i talked too sounded like she was just answering phones, could be wrong though. i still have family over in the UK though so i can always use the sofa till i get set up. the road doesn't matter, its the destination thats important.

My friend is British too, she was just living in France. She still had to have been resident for 3 years before she could join. It never hurts to double-check, but I don't think you'll get a different answer on this one. I know it's frustrating for you, but you seem sensible enough to find a way to get the best use of the time if it comes to it.

Eddie,

You may well end up with the same answer that is the one you dont want, but i would say this. Make sure you go down every avenue you can and ask a variety of AFCO staff. I would even suggest you ring a few different AFCO's.In general they know 99%of thier stuff however sometimes they get it wrong. I have dual Australian/British nationality and my AFCO (the staff at that time) had not come across this before and were not 100% sure on what i needed documentation wise. At first i was told i definately needed a letter from the Aussie government saying that as an Aussie citezen i would not be called up for national service, they actually showed me a letter from the U.S government of a similar nature to give me an idea of what was required. This wasnt that easy to get hold of for some reason and it was getting close to the date i needed to get stuff in for, in the end it turned out i didnt actually need it as a member of a different AFCO informed us that i could be issued a Security waiver, that was temporary but then became full after 6 months. If they had not told us this then my application would have been set back a fair while as i joined the RMR and they only have two intakes per year.

So just make sure you dig into it mate and find out 100%, clearly a U.S citezen(i know you are British) has joined in the past as this was the letter they used for me as an example, granted they may have been living over here though.

Dwarfy,

Dwarfy,

Thanks Dwarfy, I am going to be contacting the embassy here to see if I can get some better answers. I'm going to find the number for a few different AFCO's aswell, the number I called is the one on the website so i'm not sure if that is just a call center that sends out information packets and anwsers general questions. Guess i'm going to be getting up early for the next few days, time difference sucks.

Right bro, thats the biggest load of bollox ive heard in a while, i joined from canada, had never set foot in the u.k until i came over to go through the application process, there are tons of south africans, canadians, new zealanders etc...who have never lived here so i think you should go for a second opinion.

yea does sound like BS mate. Im coming over from Canada in Jan myself with a friend from Australia. Hankins, didn't know you were from Canada, where abouts did you come from, and how long have you been in ?.[/quote]

Although it seems weird that Commonwealth citizens can join direct but British expats have to have 3 years residency, I imagine it will have to do with the fact that the MoD will have free access to whatever data they need to perform the necessary checks in Commonwealth countries; they won't have this access in other countries, no matter if you are British.

To get some more information I contacted the online army recruiting station and a Staff Sargeant informed me that the three year thing wasn't true. I know the army isn't the marines but atleast it can put my mind at rest a little. I took down the adresses of a few different AFOCs around the UK so I will start asking around to double check. If the rules are different for enlisting in the Royal Marines atleast I can look into trying for the Paras. But at the end of the day the Royal Marines is the goal. Thanks for the help guys.

Lets back up the truck a little here.
Are you a US citizen?Or have you got a green card?
The reason I ask is when I returned to the UK after twenty seven years in the US a security related company refused me employment as the FBI would not release any of my details to what they consider to be a"Foreign Power"I was a Deputy Sheriff for seventeen years and worked closely with the FBI(At one point they even offered me a job)
If I can help in anyway let me know.
Which state are you in now?
You could always try the USMC as your there anyway.
Parris Island isn't as bad as they say
South Carolina in winter..........?
Heaven on earth.

No I don't have a green card or US citizenship, just a visa. I live in Florida, about 20 minutes outside Orlando. I was considering joining the USMC when I graduated 4 years ago but i'd rather put the work in and serve where I was born.