RAF residency requirements

UK Resident less than 3 years
If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for less than 3 years, but fall into one of the following categories then we will need to complete further checks on your eligibility during the application process. In the meantime, you should register you interest as normal.

You spent time abroad for travel/ study gap year reasons.
You lived abroad because your parents were employed by the UK government (including HM Forces) in a foreign country.
You are a British citizen with at least one parent who is a British citizen and you lived with your parents abroad and you attended secondary school within the European Economic Area or a Commonwealth Country.
If you do not fall into one of the above categories, then you are ineligible to apply to the RAF at this time.

Yes, I have already e-mailed and phoned the RAF careers office. To me the line "less than 3 years" implies that British citizens who have spent 0 to 2.999... years in the UK but meet the subsequently stated criteria are eligible. If they had said "minimum of 3 years" then sure I would understand that.

0= never lived in the UK, which is not 'living in the UK for less than 3 years'. Currently, you do not qualify to apply. Come to the UK to live and you will have lived in the UK for less than 3 years and will probably qualify to apply.

RTFA
"If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for less than 3 years, but fall into one of the following categories then we will need to complete further checks"

That does not say "if you meet one of these requirements you're in".

I've read those threads on pprune too and know what was said. You've got your answer, you might not be happy with it, but that's the way life goes. Try the SAAF or call it quits.


The big thing you always neglect to answer is how you'd get around the fact that the RAF isn't recruiting Pilots...

Or you could move to the UK and stay for three years then apply - I'm assuming you are young enough?

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire HD A9191

They do state that "If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for less than 3 years, but fall into one of the following categories then we will need to complete further checks on your eligibility during the application process" so at least it sounds like the door would be partially open to you which is better than nothing at all. With regards to the SAAF, I had previously thought a lot about joining up, but the current political stance towards someone like myself put me off that idea. And yes, even though the RAF are currently not recruiting pilots I believe that they should start possibly late next year or in 2014 sometime as a vacuum in the training pipeline wouldn't be a desirable situation to have for too long.