Exorbitant immigration fees are no way to say thank you for their Service, and risk pushing commonwealth personnel into poverty just for wanting stability as they leave Service.



Without leave to remain, UK Armed Forces veterans are cut off from being able to access employment or state support, leaving them and their families reliant on charitable funds or facing repatriation to their country of origin.

The Commonwealth backbone to the UK Armed Forces

The UK recruits soldiers from across the Commonwealth to serve in our Armed Forces. Many of these soldiers leave behind family and friends to move across the world to serve in the UK Armed Forces, becoming a backbone of our Armed Forces capability.

There are currently over 6,000 personnel serving in the UK Armed Forces from foreign and Commonwealth countries, with more being recruited each year to fill technical and specialist roles.

From late 2018, HM Armed Forces has announced its intention to increase its reliance on Commonwealth personnel, with an aim to recruit 1,350 personnel a year.

Unlike their UK national colleagues, these personnel and their families can only continue to live in the country they’ve served at a significant financial cost. This is unfair and should end.

Further information

Right now, the most important action that can be taken is to raise this issue with the government. It only takes a minute to write to the Government.

You can also spread the word about the campaign using the hashtag #StopTheServiceCharge

For further information or to discuss this campaign further, please contact publicaffairs@britishlegion.org.uk

