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Home Secretary Priti Patel and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace have launched a new public consultation that would allow service personnel from non-UK nations to remain in the UK for free. The plan to waive the cost of visa applications would save eligible soldiers £2,389 each.
To be eligible for indefinite stay in the UK, non-UK service personnel are required to have served at least 12 years in the British Armed Forces, which is the initial engagement period all service personnel initially sign up to serve.
Financial support for indefinite leave to remain applications is only eligible to serving personnel. Any dependents would need to file, and cover costs of, separate applications.
According to Government figures, there are currently more than 10,000 non-UK citizens serving in the UK Armed Forces. Soldiers come from countries including Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, St Lucia and South Africa.
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“It is only right that those who continue to do extraordinary work on behalf of our country are recognised and rewarded, and I am determined to support them settle in our wonderful communities right across the UK.”
The consultation period begins on May 26 and will run until July 7. The public’s responses will be used to shape the proposed policy change that is expected to come into effect for Financial Year 2021/2022.
Members of the public can submit their response through an electronic consultation questionnaire, which can be found here.
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