Commonwealth and Non-british

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. 
From 1 July 2026, in line with UK Gov guidance for skilled workers (Skilled Worker visa: Knowledge of English - GOV.UK), all candidates applying to the RN will be required to provide evidence of their English Language competence.

You will need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply. You can prove it in one of the following ways, by:

• having a UK school qualification
• having a degree from a UK institution
• having a degree from an institution that was outside the UK and taught in English (you must provide an Ecctis code)
• passing an English test from an approved provider

If you do not have any qualifications that prove your knowledge of English, you will need to pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) with an approved provider. You must achieve CEFR level B2.

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries or territories:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• the British overseas territories
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Lucia
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

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. 

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.

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.

If you wish to register to apply as a Medical Officer or Nurse, the General Medical Council or Nursing and Midwifery council you need to ensure that your qualification is acceptable in the United Kingdom.

Applying to be a Medical Officer?

Find out more about applying on the General Medical Council website.

Applying to be a Nurse?

Find out more about the application process from the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

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.

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

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.