Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to grant permanent residency to UK troops who are from overseas who have served in the UK armed forces for over 12 years.

This Government hugely values every member of our outstanding Armed Forces and we are humbled when non-UK nationals choose to serve our country.

It is for these reasons we explicitly provide for all non-UK service personnel discharged from HM Forces to obtain settlement in the UK having served for four years or more or having been discharged for medical reasons due to their service via the online form SET(AF):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-settle-in-uk-as-former-member-of-hm-forces-setaf

In addition to these provisions Commonwealth personnel who have served for five years or more in HM Forces can apply to become a British Citizen. Naturalising as a British Citizen whilst serving removes any need to apply for further immigration permission to settle in the UK on a permanent basis when they discharge.

The Home Office and Ministry of Defence have launched a public consultation which proposes waiving the settlement application fee for non-UK service personnel who have served at least 12 years in HM Forces.

We would welcome any views on these proposals before the consultation closes on 7 July:

Immigration Fees Public Consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)