French Foreign Legion and the tattoo. Are legionnaires tattooed or not? Are you allowed to be tattooed, when you are joining the French Foreign Legion? What is the French Foreign Legion tattoo policy?

Within the Foreign Legion, a tattoo has a long tradition. Only legionnaires, mariners and prisoners were well-known in France for being tattooed 100 years ago. So, there is no problem if you have got a tattoo and want to become a legionnaire. But, as always, there are some tattoo rules that can disqualify you from joining the Foreign Legion.

French Foreign Legion Tattoo and Tattoo Policy

Banned or inappropriate tattoos for enlistment in the Foreign Legion:

the Nazi and racist tattoo (Nazi-swastika, A.Hitler, Ku-Klux-Klan for example) a stupid tattoo on your face/arms, even if it seems to be small

(if you have a little drop near your eye, you can try to join; if you have a vagina tattoo between your eyes or a penis tatoo on your arm, stay at home) a larger tattoo across your face (a genuine tribal tattoo is allowed in some cases)

Be aware, as a legionnaire, you will represent the Foreign Legion during your service years. So, if you have a tattoo, it is better to look at it and ask yourself: “Will my tattoo harm the Legion in public?” If your answer is NO, you can try to join in…





French Foreign Legion Tattoos

Here are some examples of tattooed legionnaires from the modern period. The pictures were taken between 2011 – 2013.

E.Martin images source: Behance

Photos credit (besides that already defined): Légion étrangère

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Related information:

French Foreign Legion minimum age and maximum age requirements

French Foreign Legion height and weight requirements

French Foreign Legion vision requirements

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The page was updated on: January 08, 2016

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