CNR Overseas Guide (Version 4.
5 Revised May 2023)
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY PRIOR TO
ARRIVAL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO JOIN THE ROYAL NAVY
WARNING
Candidates from outside the UK should not travel to the UK unless directed to do so by the
Overseas Recruitment 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
chooses to travel to UK without this direction will not be the responsibility of, or supported by,
the Ministry of Defence.
A GUIDE FOR POTENTIAL ROYAL NAVY AND
ROYAL MARINE CANDIDATES
FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM
PLEASE NOTE - Only those Overseas Candidates invited to travel to the UK by the Overseas
Recruitment Team and who have a valid entry stamp/Visa or UK Biometric Residency Permit
(BRP), will be administered by an Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO). Those who choose to
arrive without invite, or apply on arrival, will have their application rejected. Overseas
Candidates who reside in the UK on Long Term Biometric Residency Permits or Visas (over 6
months) can apply as normal using their UK address.
AIM
1. The purpose of this guide is to give you an insight into the selection process that you must
undertake to join the Royal Navy (RN) or Royal Marines (RM), and to inform you of some of the
challenges that you may encounter as an Overseas Candidate.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
2. Commonwealth candidates can apply for the branches listed below but are advised to check
education requirements to ensure they are eligible for the role:
• Logistician (Catering Services)
• Logistician (Supply Chain)
• Logistician (Writer)
• Logistics Officer
• Engineering Technician (Marine Engineering)
• Accelerated Apprentice Scheme (Marine Engineering)
• Direct Entry Petty Officer Technician Marine Engineer
• Marine Engineering Officer
• Naval Airman (Aircraft Handler)
• Royal Marines Commando (Other Ranks)
• Royal Marines Musician
• Royal Marines Bugler
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• Royal Marines Officer
• Seaman Specialist
• Warfare Specialist (Mine Warfare)
• Warfare Specialist (Hydrographic and Meteorology)
• Diver
• Royal Navy Police
• Training Management Officer
• Dental Officer
• Dental Hygienist (Qualified)
• Dental Nurse (Qualified)
• Dental Nurse (Student)
• Environmental Health Officer
• Medical Officer
• Medical Assistant (General Service)
• Medical Technician Qualified (Biomedical Scientist)
• Medical Technician Student (Biomedical Scientist)
• Medical Technician Qualified (Radiographer)
• Medical Technician Student (Radiographer)
• Medical Technician Qualified (Operating Department Practitioner)
• Medical Technician Student (Operating Department Practitioner)
• Nursing Officer Qualified (Adult)
• Nursing Officer Qualified (Mental Health)
• Naval Nurse Qualified (Adult)
• Naval Nurse Qualified (Mental Health)
• Naval Nurse Student (Adult)
• Naval Nurse Student (Mental Health)
• Naval Chaplain
3. Prior to travel to the UK, you will be required to supply the Overseas Recruitment Team with
essential information which will be requested via your online Portal. You will also be provided with a
Medical Questionnaire and Opticians Report together with information about the medical triage
process. These are to be completed and returned via email to the Capita Defence Recruitment
Medical Team. A Capita nurse will contact you within 28 days of receipt of your medical paperwork, by
text or email, with details of a telephone appointment to conduct the Medical Triage telephone call.
Once conducted the Overseas Recruitment Team will advise you on your next step and issue further
instructions. Having the triage call does not authorise you to make plans to travel to the UK for the
face to face medical. Only when all the information requested has been provided and the Medical
Triage call conducted, will you be allocated a UK Careers Adviser who will conduct the remainder of
your recruitment journey.
PROCESS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL IN THE UK
4. The following parts of the recruitment selection process will be undertaken under the direction of
your UK Careers Adviser and must be completed prior to your arrival in the UK:
a. The Selection Interview. A one-to-one video interview conducted by your allocated Royal
Navy Careers Adviser, which will be undertaken via the SHINE platform prior to your arrival in UK.
Information will be sent to you on how the interview is carried out. You will be informed of the
result the same day. If successful, we will initiate the Security Clearance (SC) checks and will
CNR Overseas Guide (Version 4.5 Revised May 2023)
send you a link along with detailed instructions of how to access your account on the United
Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) portal.
b. RN Candidates. A successful 2.4km Strava (or equivalent fitness app) screenshot within
the time allocated for gender and age is to be uploaded to your portal prior to your arrival in the
UK. This will not preclude you from undertaking the PJFT on arrival in the UK.
c. RM Candidates. Virtual Pre-Joining Fitness Test Plus (vPJFT+) This is a basic
assessment designed to test your basic cardiovascular ability and your upper body and core
strength & endurance. The vPJFT+ is the first stage in testing your physical ability and evaluating
your suitability for RM training. Royal Marine recruit training is one of the most arduous military
basic training courses in the world, where your physical preparation is vital for selection. The
vPJFT+ letter will initially be sent to candidates for their fitness preparation. Candidates will not be
able to attempt this until they have passed the Medical Triage and only when they are sufficiently
prepared, able to complete all exercises to a good standard and are confident of success. Once
successful at Medical Triage, candidates can declare their readiness to undertake the test by
emailing their Careers Adviser. Failure to reach the required standard for each exercise will result
in a fail. This test must be successfully completed prior to arrival in UK.
d. The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA). DAA is an online aptitude test which can be
sat in the home country (Unsupervised Test) or once in the UK (Supervised Test) and measures
aptitude of all candidates (Ratings and Officers) across each of the 7 areas listed in the table
below:
1 Verbal Reasoning (VR)
2 Numerical Reasoning (NR)
3 Spatial Reasoning (SR)
4 Logical Reasoning (LR)
5 Processing Speed (PS)
6 Electrical Comprehension (EC)
7 Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
Practice questions are available on the RN web page. If you successfully pass the Unsupervised DAA
in your own country, then you will move on to the next stage. If you choose to sit the test in the UK
then you will be invited to an Armed Forces Careers Office to conduct a Supervised Test once all
other parts of the process above are complete.
e. When all of the elements of the recruitment process that must be conducted in your own
country have been completed (DAA (if opted for Unsupervised test), Medical Triage, Video Selection
Interview (VSI), vPJFT+/Strava evidence and SC) you will be invited by the Overseas Recruitment
Team to travel to the UK. You must arrive in the UK long enough to settle and prepare for CPC so
please discuss this with your Careers Adviser before booking a flight . When in the UK you will be
advised on the F2F Medical, PJFT (RN) and RN or RM CPC and all other remaining elements of the
process towards joining the Royal Navy. RN officers conduct an Admiralty Interview Board (AIB), RM
officers conduct an Officer Selection Course (OSC).
PROCESS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE UK
a. Full Medical Examination. After your Medical Triage, at a later stage you will undertake a
face to face Medical in UK carried out by a qualified Medical Doctor contracted by the RN. You
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are advised to bring with you all your medical records. Please note that your Body Mass Index
(BMI) must also be in the “healthy range” of 18-28. This NHS tool will help you calculate your BMI.
An inaccurate height & weight and thus BMI reading in your initial application may result in your
application being automatically rejected. Accuracy and honesty are vital. If successful at DAA,
Eye and Medical Examination (including BMI), you will be booked in for the following respective
fitness assessment.
b. RN Candidates: Pre-joining Fitness Test (Run only). A test conducted in UK, consisting
of a timed 2.4km run on a running machine in a civilian fitness suite, run times in accordance with
age and gender. Further details can be found here. RN Divers will be required to complete the
PJFT+
c. Royal Navy Candidate Preparation Course (RNCPC) (RN Ratings Candidates only). If
you are applying as an RN Rating, you will be required to attend a 3-day course to assess your
fitness and swimming ability, and confirm you are ready for entry to HMS Raleigh; RNCPC will be
completed after arrival in the UK. This is a Pass or Fail course.
All Candidates must be able to swim a minimum of 50 metres and confidently tread water. Non-
swimmers will automatically be rejected.
d. Royal Marines Candidate Preparation Course (RMCPC). A challenging 2-and-a-half-day
selection event designed to select and prepare suitable individuals for Royal Marine Recruit
Training. It is a demanding course in all aspects; testing your limits both physically and mentally
and Candidates should therefore ensure that they prepare extensively before arrival. The RM
CPC should also be used as an insight into life in Recruit Training and as a Royal Marine within a
Commando Unit.
e. Recruit Orientation Phase (ROP) (RM Candidates only). The Recruit Orientation Phase
(ROP) is a 4 -week conditioning period at the beginning of RM recruit training. On completion of
the 4-week ROP, having been developed through a progressive sub-maximal training programme,
you will participate in a maximal assessment - the Commando Aptitude Assessment (CAA) -
which will incorporate greater levels of PT, determination and mental resilience.
f. Officer Selection Course (OSC) (RM Officer Candidates only). An arduous 3-day
assessment designed to assess the Candidate’s suitability for a career in the Royal Marines and
the potential to complete Royal Marines Young Officer (RMYO) Training. The OSC is also a
chance to gain a detailed insight into what to expect from life within the Royal Marines and also
during RMYO Training. motivation both physically and mentally. Those who aspire to be Royal
Marines should be aware of the high physical standards and must therefore prepare themselves
extensively for this part of the selection process.
TRAVEL AND EXPENSE COST FOR SELECTION TEST PROCESS
5. If you are applying for the RN/RM the selection process in the UK can be completed within 4
working weeks, providing you pass all stages of each assessment f irst time. Please ensure you keep
your Careers Adviser aware of your travel dates. Please note, it may take up to 6 months or more to
get a joining date for HMS Raleigh depending on which Service Branch you choose so don’t travel
without confirmation by your Careers Adviser.
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6. You can only complete the selection process in the UK; therefore, before you make a potentially
life changing decision to join the RN, you should consider the following:
a. Acquire knowledge of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements/restrictions that will
apply to you until you join your New Entry Training Establishment (NETE). UKVI extensions are
NOT normally granted to visitor Visas applied for outside of the UK and are only given under
very exceptional circumstances before a valid Visa expires. Advice must be sought from an
accredited UK Armed Forces Immigration Advisor; therefore…
If you are close to your Visa expiry date/expiry of Entry date into the UK and have not
received confirmation of your NETE start date, or you have not completed and passed all
of the assessments, you will be required to return to your country at your own expense, re-
apply for a new visitor Visa and re-enter the UK to continue your application. If you outstay
your Visa or time in the UK, the RN will NOT be responsible, and this will affect your
application to join.
b. You will only be invited to UK when you have passed a SC Check. This will be explained
to you by your Careers Adviser at your video Selection Interview.
c. You will also be required to meet all medical, accommodation and living costs prior to your
NETE start date. Prior to your intended travel to the UK, it will be your responsibility to secure a
UK host and a UK address, which should match your visa application to the UKVI. If at any point
your UK host or UK address changes, you are required to notify the Overseas Recruitment
Team.
CANDIDATE AWARENESS WHEN SELECTING A UK HOST
7. UK Resident Sponsor. A Candidate must provide details of a genuine sponsor who is
resident in the UK.
a. The Candidate must understand and confirm that this sponsor will be able to, where required:
(1) Support the Candidate’s travel from the UK point of entry to the Phase 1 Training
establishment. MoD will not fund travel to UK.
(2) Provide accommodation for the Candidate from arrival in UK to commencing Phase
1 Training. The sponsor must be aware that the date of joining is subject to change due to
factors outside MoD control and must be able to provide accommodation until the revised
joining date. MoD will not provide or fund accommodation for Candidates.
(3) Support the Recruit’s accommodation during a main leave period when the Phase 1
Training establishment is closed down, aware that the recruit will be in receipt of a salary
by this time. The Recruit may be able to book accommodation at another MoD base in
extremis.
b. UK Hosts must provide contact details so the Candidate’s Careers Adviser can contact them in
the event of any problems and in the interests of the Candidate’s welfare.
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c. For Candidates who opt to stay with friends/family who are currently serving and living in
Service Family Accommodation, the host will be required to notify the Service Family
Accommodation estate warden if the duration of stay exceeds 3 months.
d. It is important to keep your host informed; hosts are encouraged to send a Candidate home if a
NETE start date is received after visa expiry date.
e. In the event of a candidate moving to another host, both are required to inform the Overseas
Recruitment Team in Portsmouth, and the candidate is required to provide details of the new
host and address.
8. Return Travel to Country of Origin. The candidate must have sufficient funds in their bank
account to support a journey back home if the career in the Royal Navy does not work out for them in
the early stages. Their Visa will not support remaining in the UK on leaving the Service and MoD will
not fund their travel back home.
9. You should be warned that approximately only one in every eight people who apply to
join the RN succeed in joining.
SECURITY CLEARANCE
10. All Overseas Candidates are now to be security cleared before being invited to travel to the UK.
A Link will be sent to you via your current email address which is on database. (Ensure you use
internet explorer as your browser). The information you return will be looked at by the Defence Vetting
Agency who will arrange police, financial and Security Checks. These checks can take up to 6
months, depending on the time it takes for agencies in your home country to respond, so please
ensure all the documentation that is requested is in date and uploaded to your RITS Portal. You will be
required to bring this documentation to the UK when you are INVITED here to complete the remainder
of the process. You will not be invited until Security Clearance (SC) has been issued.
More Information
11. You can find more information on all aspects of the selection process on the RN Careers
Website.
THE JOINING PROCESS
12. If you successfully complete the elements of the selection process that can be completed in your
own country, your name will be placed on a waiting list to join the RN. When you reach the top of the
waiting list you will be allocated a CPC/NETE start date (RM candidates CPC only). You will then be
required to travel to UK for a DAA Supervised test (if opted for), Face to Face Medical examination.
The medical will be conducted by a Capita medical professional at one of their clinics. A Final Entry
Brief via video on-line will be conducted after successful completion of CPC. You must understand it is
possible to be unsuccessful at the Face to Face Medical or the RNCPC/RMCPC and therefore be
ineligible to join the RN. The RN will pay for your travel from your UK residence (Sponsor’s address) to
your NETE. You will have to pay for your own travel to the UK and for any accommodation costs that
you incur prior to arriving at your allocated NETE. You will need to demonstrate that you hold a valid
Visa or BRP and that you have the financial resource or a return ticket to return to your country of
origin should you be unsuccessful at the final stages of selection or during training.
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HELP AND ADVICE
13. Divisional System. Like all Royal Navy personnel, when you join your NETE, you will be
allocated a Divisional Officer (DO) who will able to provide you with guidance, support and advice,
should you require it. Your DO will be an Officer or Senior Rate/Non-Commissioned Officer who will
have a wealth of experience on Service issues such as career progression, posting, terms of service
etc. They are not qualified to give immigration advice. If you require immigration support this can be
found independently from an accredited lawyer, or via the Seafarer’s Advice and Information Line
(SAIL). If your DO is not able to solve the problem, they will be able to direct you to an appropriate
person who can help. Your DO will also act as a focal point for your family and, if you are under 18
years of age, they will talk to your parents if you are experiencing any difficulties.
14. Royal Navy Family and People Support (RN FPS). In addition to your DO, the RN FPS
organisation will be able to help you if required. The RN FPS has offices near to all the major Royal
Navy establishments; the contact numbers will be made available to you when you join. Further
information on support available can be found here and here.
IMMIGRATION ISSUES
15. Immigration. If you are joining the RN from outside the UK, you will be exempt from immigration
control under section 8(4) of the Immigration Act 1971 once you have entered Phase 1 training. This
exemption will remain valid for the duration of your time in the RN. Your passport will be marked
accordingly to indicate to the immigration service that you are exempt. Once released from the
Service, for whatever reason, you will have to return to your country of origin unless you have
made your own arrangements to stay in the UK with the Home Office.
There are several options you can explore if you wish to stay in the UK after discharge:
a. If you are discharged after a minimum of 4 years’ service, you will have 28 days to apply
for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in order to remain in the UK, or you may apply up to 18
weeks prior to your discharge date. There may be exceptions to this 4-year rule if you are
discharged as a direct result of injury sustained in service. Further free advice may be sought
from the Naval Families Federation (NFF) in this regard https://nff.org.uk/. ILR can cost up to
£2,389 (20 February 2020 prices), so we recommend you start saving as soon as possible if you
plan to apply for this.
b. After 5 years of service you will be eligible to naturalise as a British Citizen, whilst still in
service. This can cost up to £1,330 (20 February 2020 prices), so we recommend you start
saving early if you plan to apply for this.
c. If you choose to return to your country of origin after discharge, please be aware that the
cost of repatriation and removal of personal effects can be very significant and should be
planned for.
16. The exemption from immigration control does not extend to spouses or families and you will be
required to abide by the Home Office rules in this respect. Further advice can be found here.
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17. Visas. If you succeed in becoming a member of the RN, Visas will be supplied at public expense
for all journeys necessary for service reasons. However, you will be required to pay for Visas for all
other personal and recreational journeys.
18. Medical Officer Candidates who do not have ILTR or ILTE Settlement in UK, will need to ensure
that they have the correct Visa when applying for the role above. Whilst a Graduate Visa is
acceptable, the Student Visa, T2 General Skilled worker or T5 Charity or Sponsored Visas are not
sufficient and therefore not accepted. For Candidates who are ineligible for a Graduate Visa, it is
advised to return to their home country where their application will continue to be processed with the
Overseas Recruitment Team.
19. Families often arrive in the UK with visitor Visas that only allow them to remain in UK for a 6-
month period. You should be aware, however, that if your immediate family wish to reside in the UK
then you will need to fulfil the criteria with regards income as detailed by the Home Office and apply
for 5-year settlement under ‘Appendix Armed Forces’. Important note: You cannot enter the UK on a
visitor Visa if you are planning to settle, as you will not be able to switch to a dependant’s Visa once in
the UK. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/proof-income, and
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigrationrules/immigration-rules-appendix-armed-forces.
Other useful information can be found at the following links:
a. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatioRN/application-to-extend-stay-in-uk-hm-
forcesform-flraf
b. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatioRN/application-to-settle-in-uk-as-
formermember-of-hm-forces-setaf
c. With regards to applications submitted from outside the UK: https://www.gov.uk/applyuk-
visa
d. Naval Families Federation (NFF) UK Visas and Citizenship
Information: https://nff.org.uk/uk-visas-citizenship/
20. UK Citizenship. This is a matter for the Home Office and being a member of the UK Armed
Forces has no influence on the granting of UK Citizenship. Service personnel are eligible to apply for
UK citizenship whilst still in service and after completing 5 years’ service. The rules for family
members are different. You are advised to check the Home Office website for more details. Applying
for UK citizenship is not required to join the RN and is entirely voluntary. However, as stated
above, non-British citizens are only eligible to apply for a limited number of branches. Also, due to
security regulations, promotions for Officers and Ratings within some of these available branches is
available to UK citizens only.
FINANCE AND BENEFITS
21. Pay & National Insurance. When you join your allocated NETE, in order to receive your salary,
you will need a National Insurance Number (NINO) which could take up to 8 weeks. We will give you
all the help needed to get one and, any other benefits you may be entitled to such as Universal Credit.
Please note that Commonwealth candidates will automatically be put on an emergency tax
code until they receive a NINO. At the same time, you will also receive help to set up a bank account
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and receive your immigration exemption stamp in your passport. As a minimum you will need 2
passport-sized photographs to process these applications, but please bring spares (up to 6). Without
these passport-sized photos, the applications will be delayed, and you will not be paid. It may
also mean your passport won’t be returned to you in time for a leave period.
22. Universal Credit. As of 2018 a new system of welfare payments, or “benefits” is being rolled out
across the UK. Six of the most common benefits in the UK have been merged into one system called
“Universal Credit”. This replaces the following benefits:
e. Child Tax Credit.
f. Housing Benefit. Income Support.
g. Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance.
h. Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
i. Working Tax Credit.
There are certain eligibility criteria for Universal Credit, and there are several factors that will
determine whether you can apply under the Universal Credit system, or whether you will need to apply
to the relevant benefits separately, as per the old system. Further information can be found at
www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility.
If your family is granted Limited Leave To Remain for 5 years under the ‘Appendix Armed Forces’
route, then they will not be eligible for social welfare benefits from public funds. This will mean that
you, as the serving person, will need to make all claims for Universal Credit, or the appropriate benefit
category.
23. Financial Advice. Experience shows that families new to the UK may be vulnerable to being
taken advantage of by money lenders and local traders, due to difficulties obtaining credit when they
first arrive in the UK. It is recommended that you seek advice before entering into any financial
agreements. You may also be eligible to join Forces Mutual, which is a Credit Union that service
personnel can use for banking services if required. Your DO or SAIL will be able to help you get free
financial advice, should you require it.
24. Service Accommodation. If you are not married, you will be entitled to Single Living
Accommodation (SLA). If you are married, you will be entitled to Service Family Accommodation
(SFA) at your place of duty once you have completed Phase 2 training. You should wait for your first
assignment order before you decide where to base your family, and your dependents must have valid
Visas to live in SFA and have followed the guidance from the UK Home Office. Applications should be
made to Defence Housing Executive on MOD Form 1132 as soon as possible, up to 4 months prior to
the date required. Seek advice from qualified personnel before making an application. Please ensure
that you bring proof of your dependent relationships with you, such as marriage/birth/adoption/
guardianship certificates, to prevent delays in accommodation allocation.
25. Food and Accommodation Charges. When you are serving at sea, or in field conditions, you
will not be charged for food and accommodation unless the ship is alongside for extensive periods.
When you are serving ashore in an establishment you will pay an accommodation charge which will
be automatically deducted from your pay. Pay as you dine (PAYD) is available in all Shore
establishments.
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TRAVEL TO ‘HOME’ COUNTRY
26. Compassionate Leave. Should the need arise for you to travel to your ‘home’ country for
compassionate reasons (e.g. the death or serious illness of a close relative), then it is likely you will
have to self-fund your travel home. Only in exceptional circumstances will the Chain of Command
(CoC) consider paying your travel cost at public expense. You may wish to consider starting an
emergency savings account for these events.
27. Regular Travel During Leave Periods. Contributed travel during leave periods is available for
SP under the following schemes:
a. Get You Home (GYH) Travel. All Service Personnel (SP) are entitled to GYH Travel
allowance which allows for up to 10 return journeys a year to a registered home address that
you maintain (rent or mortgage) within the UK. At present this allowance does not
contribute to the cost of travel home to an address overseas.
b. GYH (Early Years). During phase 1 training, or until the age of 18, whichever is later, all SP
have an annual entitlement of 4 journeys a year to a UK address of a next of kin (parents,
fiancé, etc). At present this allowance does not contribute to the cost of travel home to
an address overseas.
c. GYH (Seagoers). Whilst serving at sea, all SP can accrue up to 10 travel warrants a year to
a UK address, proportional to the length of sea time served that year. These warrants can be
used during shore leave. At present this allowance does not contribute to the cost of
travel home to an address overseas.
d. Domiciled Collective Leave (DOMCOL). Authorised periods of absence to visit the country
of domicile (‘home’ country) granted to eligible SP who maintain a home outside the UK or
Irish Republic at the time of joining the RN and continue to maintain a home in country of
origin. If you do not qualify for DOMCOL, you may qualify for DOMCOL Substitute, which is
simply the accumulation of leave to be used for travelling home. JSP 760 contains more
information and should be consulted in the first instance.
TATTOOS
28. Please note, we do not accept candidates with tattoos that are visible ‘in a passport photo’, such
as those on the face and neck. It is also regardless of whether they are considered tribal; they will not
be accepted, and you will be unable to join.
29. Tattoos that are offensive, obscene, or excessive in size or number will also be a bar to entry.
HAIR AND GROOMING
30. Once in-service, hair and grooming requirements form part of the uniform regulations. Full
details will be available upon joining but the following styles are acceptable:
a. Neat cornrows with no decoration.
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b. Natural wigs.
c. Plain headscarves that match RN uniforms.
d. Dreadlocks to be styled in a bun with a net, if longer than collar length. Durag scarves are
acceptable during firefighting if required.
SUMMARY
31. A career in the Royal Navy/Marines is highly rewarding and very worthwhile; it will also be
challenging and demanding. The entry standards are high, and there are criteria to meet before you
become a successful entrant. If you are uncertain about what to do, or if you feel you may not make
the grade, do not spend your money on travel until you have taken good advice from someone who
knows the real facts; preferably a Royal Navy and Royal Marines Careers Adviser. More importantly
DO NOT TRAVEL TO THE UK until invited by your Careers Adviser. If you do choose to travel, be
aware that the Royal Navy will not support you or accept responsibility, financially or otherwise, for you
whilst you are in the UK.
32. Careful consideration should be taken when choosing which Branch of the RN you wish to apply
for. You are advised to select a specialisation that suits your interests and skill set, leading to a career
you will find both rewarding and challenging. In particular, the Royal Marines has exceptionally high
physical fitness and mental toughness standards; as MUST you for this role.
If you go on to apply for the Royal Navy/Royal Marines, or decide it’s not
for you, the Overseas Recruitment Team wish you the very best of luck
for your future.
